The leaves are going – the big wind and rain storm last week caused a lot of them to drop.  The 4 1/2 inches of rain we received here was much needed though.   We have escaped the heavy frost here so a few plants are still blooming –  dahlias, cannas, brugmansia, montauk daisies, sheffield mums, plumbago, verbena bonariensis and toad lilies to name a few.  I’ve moved a few things that needed moving and started cutting back some of the daylily foliage.  Its time to start putting the garden to bed,  but the big clean-up will have to wait another week or two.

Sheffield mums in front of a canna leaf

Highbush blueberry with gorgeous red foliage

A late turning maple framing some birch

Al fresco dining season is sadly over…

I thought it would be fun to see what else I’ve been doing to keep busy in the garden.   My garden club had a workshop where we learned to make sand cast cement birdbaths and I have made them three times now.

This is a rhubarb leaf

Hosta leaf

Papyrus

Three medium sized elephants ears – each about 18 inches long –  which my sisters received in October as early Christmas gifts

A huge elephant ear and a papyrus  drying in the sun

Finished elephant ear  – with a flip flop for scale.  This one is heading to Florida in February.

I think I’ll be making more of these.