For many of us the time is here for changes in temperature and changes to our landscapes and containers.  Fall can be a glorious time full of bright blue skies and sunshine, perfect for continuing to have blooms and beautiful beds.

However, it can also mean a lot of work keeping up with trees shaking off their leaves for winter hibernation and tidying up around the growing areas.  The lawn is also something that needs some attention during this time of year.  Now is the perfect time to do preparation for laying down new grass seed as it will germinate and grow even as the ground becomes colder.  If you need some help with this those of us here at Nature’s Friends Lawn and Landscaping would be happy to help you.

Photo Credit: gardenofeaden.blogspot.com

For those of us with many containers full of herbs and flowers the fall is a good time to move some of those into the garden beds.  Of course if still have impatiens and other annuals their blooming time is done, so they can be added to the compost pile.  In addition such herbs as basil, anise, coriander and dill will waste away when the nights are cool so you can go ahead and pull those up also.  But if you have perennial flowers in the pots or herbs such as rosemary, thyme and tarragon those are perennials also and can overwinter in the pot in a protected spot or they can be moved to a sunny, well drained garden bed.

In the garden beds if you have Purple Coneflower and Black Eyed Susan plants consider leaving the stems with the seed pods intact as those serve as food for the birds in the winter.  The Goldfinches especially love the tiny seeds in the Black Eyed Susan’s; they will perch on the stems and chow down, so fun to watch them!

As you start to look around your yard remember that there is plenty of life left around you.  Some cleanup is necessary but it is still a growing season for a while longer, so enjoy!