Using an old sheet to collect leaves is the best. Just drop, rake and haul it like Santa.

First load of leaves up today. A beautiful second day of November. The new neighbours move into Marjory starting soon. There are a few of the world’s smallest carrots and some beets that were never thinned left in the garden.

I bagged up the herbs from 2014 and there is plenty for his winter ironically; sage, rosemary and thyme.

The oranges and olives are inside and dropping leaves like mad. Leaves everywhere – inside and out.

The compost is full again. Maybe one more mow and still have to empty the herb pots on the balcony and get hem in the shed along with the teak lounger. Next weekend.

Planted garlic today. First time to replant from our own crop. 24 bulbs on the east side of the garden.

Put narcissis and crocuses in both front yards. And put some on both the north and south side of our garden.

Temps are getting close to zero.

Brought in the orange and the olive trees. Harvested half the deck. Cut the herbs, lots of Rosemary, thyme, Made chicken soup and molasses cookies with candied higher.

Heading into the long weekend and with the #14 almost done, I’ve turned attention back to the garden. Four cubic yards of mulch from plant world for $400 and with the help of Rory and his mate got it all moved in three hours.

Cleaned off the parking pad, pulled at lot of the kudzu that was taking over back there and did the first purge of the shed. Finally some hot weather predicted for this week. Might get the first day over 30 degree for August. Only one in June, a very mild summer, if that is an expression.

The CNE opened this weekend. The official end of summer. Certainly cooler then normal. No killer heat wave this year. I won’t miss it as long as we get a long late fall. Not a red tomato in sight.

Pulled garlic today!

And a couple of potatoes. And painted the front spindles and rails at Number 14.

Finally got those strawberry thyme blueberries in. Trying to keep them watered. Took forever to get the bag of peat fully wet, that I used to make their bed.

I can find a few grapes. And there is one hazelnut. Had one fully ripe strawberry. The squirrels are taking everything they see. Two cucumbers survived and I had to pick them both while still small.

Beans did great but I didn’t get to them in time. The French bean seeds from last year came up great and I love the slender dark green beans they produce. Delicious.

For all the garden work, these little exotics tickle my fancy.

Dug up the outdoor figs. Enuff is enough. Hired Rory to get that and a few projects done.

The garden has taken off. Two recent days of wet weather, one of thunderstorms and one of high winds and some rain, has settled everything in.

Tomatoes, the size you would buy are formed on the vine. This could be incredible. Of course this is in the bed that is largely last two years compost.

Basil, Rosemary and parsley pots on the balcony are full. Some serious mowing has been going on.

Blueberries are formed and the squirrels are enjoying those. Not a sign of a hazelnut. The honeysuckle is largely done. The transplanted row of hostas as has taken, so that design piece at the back needs to be finalized.

Something is eating the grape vine at the parking pad, and only a few bunches of grapes formed. Poor performance.

Yuccas are starting to bloom and those little beetles are back again this year. I blame it on the ants. And there are ants galour.

The pear trees at 14 are alive. One is a beautiful standard, the Bosch, and the Anjou is really flopping over. Looks like it wants a trellis.

Crocosmia are starting to bloom. Got a lovely pair at the Toronto Botanical sale and received my membership card just recently.

A good show of mud bees in June. Seems they have all left in recent days.

Back from work and vacation in London. We had a great time. No garden tours. But after 16 days away, I have to say my garden is in full form. A lust, green enclave. Amazing how much happens in a short time.

The peonies have had and lost their first major bloom. The clematis is loaded with flowers, cornus venus – with all five blooms – has grown another foot. The boxwoods are almost ready for pruning; all of the grape vines are showing fruit.

In the veg bed, pulled the first radishes. Ken put them in the salad at lunch. Everything is largely up. First tomatoes are formed as are some peppers, herbs are doing great, blueberries are in fruit and the haskberry fruit were all gone except three. Tried one, lovely. A bit tart, but likely a bit immature.

Built the raised bed today on the rear of 14. Giving it a good watering and will plant tomorrow. That is an interesting challenge. Since it is in view of the patio it has to be spectacular. And I have to get the heights right, plant things that aren’t already planted, except of course more tomatoes!

Almost the end of the month and Mother Nature is keeping right on track. Nothing like a thunder shower to electrify the garden.

From the blueberry.

To the old grape by the parking pad

To my rather over merchandised herb bed

Very excited.

Heard from strawberry thyme farms and my order is ready to ship!

And of course, the first signs of life tonight on one of the outdoor figs. That’s survival.

Major advances this weekend, even if the weather is not cooperating.

The crabapple is in nice bloom. Sprayed btk on all the apple trees. The pears are breaking leaf.

Two trilliums have returned.

Bought olive trees!

Moved the pink rose standard to Astrid’s and gave it a good shot of hen manure. Bought four bags of cow manure from Home Depot. Roughly moved the peony from the edge of the patio to the rear with the winterberry. Roots on it like parsnips.

Composter is back together. Tidied up. Got the Berbers in the one urn and one pot. The colour. Stunning.

$78 at Home Depot.

Planted. Yes indeed and right on time. Turned and planted a bed in the veg garden; tomatoes, peppers, basil, oregano, tarragon… Sage, Rosemary and Thyme. A chilly day.

The big news was last weekend! Kevin, Dan , Rory and I fixed (?) the crumbling stone rubble wall between 82 and 84 Badgerow. And then Mark arrived form Montreal and Dawn and everyone got to put their name in the wet cement. Fabulous and really moving.

We even, by accident, left a crevice in the wall for a lone mud bee. He/She found the way back home. Seems to like the haskberry a lot.

First time to Loblaws garden center this year. $250 but that included three pots for the top deck and two soaker hoses.

And like every year, all that winter planning start to fly out the window. Raining almost every night this week.

Bruce tree came and pruned the sycamore and topped the row of cedars near the parking pad! Had them leave the cuttings. Then in cutting them up for mulch, you guessed it, sliced my thumb with the pruners. Ouch.

Had some good rain last week. Just loving the rhubarb this year.

Emptied the composter to make way for some wall repairs. Delighted to say there was some heat in the pile. Was really tempted to leave it cook, but the stone wall took a real beating this winter so something has to be done.