Category — My Woodland Garden

Well winter is by no means over yet but we are now headed towards Spring. I can hardly wait to get back out to the woodland garden. The first day of Spring is 1 month 3 weeks and 2 days from today. It seems like a ways off but the signs are already starting to show. The days are getting longer and soon the tempersture will start to moderate . These are all good things to dwell on because it will take your mind off the cold and snow.

Woodhaven Lakes will be holding a cabin fever weekend on February 13th and 14th for those that can’t wait to get out and enjoy some events. I will not be able to attend because I need to be available 24 – 7 until the end of March. But I will be out as soon as the first weekend in March when no snow is forecast . Trying to plan anything in February always backfires so I have given up.

I always get antsy at this time of year and can not wait till I can get back to the woodland garden. It will be soon though and I will be able to enjoy the spring flowering bulbs and early perennials as they start to poke their heads up out of the earth after the long winters rest. Before you know it the place will be ablaze in color and the sound of happy birds as they fill their stomachs and try to find a mate. Yes it won’t belong till the magic of the woodland garden takes over again….

Saturday was an awesome day for November It was a sunny day in the mid sixties and a great day to work outside. As much as I hate to close down the woodland garden each year I must say that this year it was a day to remember.
As usual when I arrived the tree’s had left their bounty for me.

Plenty of leaves and a good size chore but after a couple of hours it was tamed and the leaves were out by the roadside waiting for the vacuum truck to come along and take them away.

Of course there was other work to be done. The refrigerator and pantry had to be cleaned out. The bedding had to be removed as well as all the dishes and silverware stored away. Once the inside work was done it was time to shutdown the water. The water line was disconnected and air blown through the system until all the water was out of all the lines. Once the water was gone I pumped RV Anti freeze through all the lines and poured it down all the drains. That was it for inside.

The screen room was next!

The roof on the screen room has to come down or the weight of the snow would crush the room over the winter. The roof takes about an hour to unfasten and put away once that chore is complete the work is almost done. A quick walk around to make sure that everything is picked up and stored in the shed and it is good for another upcoming winter.

With all the work out of the way I sat down and enjoyed the fast fading afternoon sun. As it spread it’s warmth across the woodland garden I enjoying the calm and quiet of the unseasonably warm fall afternoon and reflected on the memories of this and past years at the woodland garden. Even though the woodland garden is preparing for a long winters rest I can look forward to Spring as it will burst back to life and welcome me back with all of natures beauty and surprises as it reawakens. That is probably the best as the new growth starts and the plants start to poke out through the soil and show themselves. The birds are all singing and zipping around courting their mates as the squirrels are happily jumping and chasing each other from tree top to tree top and another year will begin at the woodland garden.

As I drove away I was already counting the days till I would return to the special place known as my woodland garden

This weekend I will be shutting down the woodland garden for the year. It is always a chore and always one which I try to put off. The work involved is not the cause of my procrastination but the fact that I will not return till spring some 4 months from now.

The winter will soon be upon us and I must be sure that the cabin is prepared properly to withstand the harsh weather. All of the fun and joy of the past season must now be put aside to be remembered on a cold snowy day that will provide hope for the coming of a new season at my beloved woodland garden. Over the winter I will be planning some new projects and changes. This will also give me encouragement that soon enough spring will arrive and I will be able to get back to the beauty and serenity of the woodland garden.

As I work on these new plans I will post periodic updates and also some more cultural information on woodland gardening.

Have a great weekend and enjoy the fall days ahead.