Time to tidy up and put away ...

This past weekend brought unseasonably warm weather, and the perfect opportunity to tackle the autumn garden cleanup.  I've mentioned before that I like a tidy garden, so this is a job I enjoy if I'm not freezing to death.  Out came the hoe, the rake, and one of my favorite gardening tools, a Japanese weeder.

First stop: the English garden, home to hosta, hellebore, hydrangea, lavender, and liriope:

The liriope is situated behind the bench and since it was only planted this year, it hasn't covered the space yet.  It looks much better now, as does this area, where we planted 4 quarter-circles surrounding the gravel walkway and paving stones:

While Chris prepared the gladioli bulbs for over-wintering, I tackled the kitchen garden, clearing out the last of the peppers.  It's not a pretty sight:

But it's clear, and raked, and ready for spring.  I do this for the same reason I clean before going on holiday: I appreciate returning to a clean house. I'll thank myself in the spring for having done this now.

Putting my tools away, I was struck by how barren the garden becomes this time of year.  But then I walked past the last of the David Austen roses, which are still beautiful and smell so sweet.  They reminded me of what we can look forward to next year.