September Newsletter
Scarlet Sumac and Sedums
“Blaze on blaze of scarlet sumach,
Roadsides lined with radiant gold,
Purple ironweed, regal, slender,
Rasping locust, shrill and bold.”
It’s hard to believe that fall arrives in just three weeks. We shouldn’t be surprised how quickly summer passes year-after-year, but it tends to sneak up and suddenly we’re planting mums and buying pumpkins !
The weather still rings of summer, however. We are officially experiencing a severe drought—our first since the winter of 2020. The plants are noticeably struggling from the depleted aquifers. This is an important time of year to provide woody plants with enough water to store energy for next season, so our teams have been diligently watering selective plants that are showing symptoms of drought stress. We have also observed some perennials’ foliage browning and dying back, so we are trimming plants to relieve them. Hopefully, with cooler nights on the horizon, the (somewhat) dependable Autumn rains, and our selective watering, the soil will be able to soak up enough moisture to prepare the plants for winter dormancy.
Despite the drought, we are full steam ahead this month. We have several new employees joining the team after months of staff shortages. Like many other businesses, we had a tough time signing on anyone new this summer. Our current teams have been working extra hard to fill in the gaps, but fall is a great time to divide, transplant, and add new perennials and woody plants. The extra hands and added experience is a blessing!
Finally, a humble request. If you could write us a review either on Houzz or Google, we would greatly appreciate it. For Google, just search “Garden Life LLC” and the side bar will show an option to write a review.
Thank you in advance!
-The Garden Life Team
