In love with fall

By Sharon Adelman Crowley Crier CorrespondentSharon@YourTownCrier.com | 0 comments

One gardener’s favorite time of year 

Betsy Woods receives a lot of compliments on her garden. With a yard prominently facing Main Street, she receives plenty of attention from passerby. “Gardeners love to be asked about their plants,” she said. “Most of the time when I’m out there and traffic is backed up, people will roll down their windows and ask, “What is that growing in your yard?’”

Woods’ garden is so attractive this time of year in particular because she groomed it to grow this way – to be a fall garden - one that grows throughout the summer then becomes richer in the fall.

“I wanted to extend the season,” she explained. To Woods, a fall garden is prettier – with more texture – more eye-catching. “I like that my garden is at its best when everyone else’s has gone by.”

Mums, asters, hydrangeas, Montauk daises and a variety of annuals grow in Woods’ garden. “Zinnias are nice until the first frost. So are gaura, another perennial.” She likes the wispy, willowy look which makes for a tall garden that blows in the fall breeze.

Her garden was created nearly 30 years ago, but it wasn’t until 10 years ago that it really began to thrive. “It takes time to figure out what you’re doing, what works, what doesn’t grow well,” Woods said. “Lots of things don’t come back the way you want. There’s a lot of surprises.” For example, a shade plant passed on from a neighbor required a shady part of the yard. Yet it didn’t fare well, so the following year Woods moved it to a sunnier spot where it thrived. “How do you explain that?” she asked.

Much of her experience comes from trial and error. “Sometimes it’s luck. If it doesn’t work, you have to wait for the following year.”

Woods finds it best to plant perennials in early fall. While fall bulbs can also be planted during this time, she instead purchases small plants and then nurtures them. For added variety, she’ll split perennials and share them with friends and neighbors who also garden. For inspiration, she likes to go for bike rides to look at neighboring gardens.

Woods fertilizes her garden with a mixture of compost, dirt, peat moss, nitrogen, dried blood (blood meal) and lime – all of which can be obtained from a garden center. One of her claims to fame is that her garden has no weeds. The secret? “If you see a weed, pull it,” she said. Yes, as simple as that. “Just keep up with it. Every day, look around, pull out a weed. Keeping up with it is not drudgery.”

And while her plants do not need much watering in the fall - maybe twice a week - she collects water in a 200-gallon rain barrel with a pump. “Asters and mums really want water before they are about to flower. You get to know your plants. Things will wilt without water,” said Woods.

Her yard is high and dry with rocks, and over time she’s completely changed the soil so her plants have good drainage “Plants don’t want ‘wet feet,’” she said. Plants, such as her geraniums, do not want to sit in wet soil. She started a side garden alongside her house in planters and pots which need more water and attention because the pots dry out faster. “No matter what you have it takes time and energy. You have to understand your property.”

Woods buys bales of salt marsh hay and allows them to rot naturally in her backyard so in the fall, it makes for good mulch around the base of her plants. Towards the end of fall, she is big on “putting the garden to bed.” “I cut back everything – I happen to be that kind of gardener.” Her perennials are cut right down to the ground. Her rose of Sharon is cut from seven feet down to five. “All plants get hacked,” she said, signifying the season has come to an end and all the work is done before winter starts.

Having a good garden, according to Woods, is a combination of knowledge and interest. “Read, think, talk to others and experiment,” she said. “If you have the interest and the curiosity, you will succeed.”