Nov. 10- It's been a while

August was a time of garden work, of course, but this year was complicated by my new bee venom allergy. Not a problem if I am inspecting the hive, fully suited, but random stings from over-zealous guards made m avoid a lot of the garden and become fearful of siting out. So they had to go. And now the garden seems really empty.

Bought these pink Anemones plus Blue Star Anemone Blanda, Tete à Tete Rockgarden Narcissi, and Harmony Dwarf iris - all planted in the rock garden. Bought from Western Fair Market Vendor.

Bought 7 bales of straw from Hoskin Feed in Komoka. Front garden and North side are mulched. When the temperature is consistently below zero I will mulch in the trees, the figs and grapes and the hot bed. Warm days- 14 + and cool nights. Some freezing weather.

Bought some seeds from Northern Wildflowers: Blue Vervain, Bunchberry, Cardinal Flower, Rattlesnake Master, Bluebead Lily, Wild Bergamot, N.Y, Ironweed, Showy Milkweed, Dotted Mint, Meadow Blazingstar, Canada Anemone, Prairie Smoke.

I loved my gardening year- garden felt more 'done'. Moving plants that needed more space or sun, splitting perennials.

Irises and day lilies moved from the bee bed and added to porch front iris bed and day lily bed in front.

Moved some Miscanthus to the Smoke tree on North side. Nine Bark, St. Johns Wort and Red Osier Dogwood, Big Bluestem, and other grasses doing well. Rust-coloured Black-eyed Susan, Coreopsis and Mondo Grass all established.

New Red Raspberry bed planted with canes from Manny. 6" apart and 6' of bed. Food raspberry year! Goldens, Spring and fall reds and Black caps all produced.

Hugel- reconsidering whether to plant roots next year- they continue to disappoint. Potatoes, tomatoes, Peas, Patty Pan Squashes, lettuce, Spinach all did well.

Received a bag full of squash, gourd and cucumber seeds from Heather. And a branch of Asparagus seeds from Katelyn.

Callas and cannas are drying in the basement- lots of rhizomes. Good year for leaves, not so much for flowers - 2 calla and 1 canna.

Harvested the ginger and galangal and replanted some for next year. I will do this each year.

Inside when small, summer vacation in garden.

Trying to overwinter Wave Petunias in Greenhouse hot bed. Tray of Hop trees sprouted, Carolina Silverbell seeds planted. Katelyn's 2 pots f Prickly Pear overwintering i Green house. Also some Spikes and a random pepper plant.

Sweetie Drop and Mandevilla are in basement with Banana Plants and geraniums.