Early Fall is the New Spring

Early Fall is the New Spring.

After three months of the hottest, driest days I've ever experienced as a gardener, we finally had some good rains a few weeks ago and everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Now as August skitters to a close in a few days, we can see that the rain has brought new life to the garden.

Dianthus is blooming, though not quite as fully as in the first Spring which seems like it was so long ago.

I know Dianthus throws out a few blooms this time of year, anyway, but considering that this generally drought-tolerant flower looked like it was ready to pack it up just a month ago makes me appreciate these blooms more fully than even the massive flush of blooms in the spring.

Phlox 'David' had a good run in July, but it didn't last long and I thought that was it for the season.  Turns out, I was wrong.

It's blooming better now than before and almost glows at night.

Elsewhere in the garden some Bird's Nest Spruces (Picea sp.) decided to bud out again just like spring.

I need to trim back those stems that died and then these shrubs will be as good as new, if slightly mis-shapened. Ah, yes, no one prunes like Mother Nature.

I've also noticed that some Hosta that died back almost completely are sending up some new shoots, as is a Clematis vine that I innocently planted in May not realizing that it would be the hottest, driest three months of my gardening life.

And the lawn. The lawn is back, too, mostly green except for a few places, and calling me to mow it at least once a week.

I love this new spring.  It's full of hope, fully of recovery, full of life.  I know this happens every year at this time, but we don't notice it because it is so subtle, it seems like a continuation of summer.

But in years like this one, when we had the hottest, driest summer I've ever experienced, it stands out like a jewel in a compost bin. It's all shiny and new and begs us to go out and garden with it again.