Kathy Schreurs in Sheldon, Iowa, is sharing her garden with us today. She wrote in right before the change from daylight savings time, and had this to say:

It’s that time again. This weekend we’ll be resetting our clocks, and we’ll be “resetting” this border too. Last week—after a long, slow, frost-free fall (unusual for our Zone 4b Iowa location)—a killing frost and snowfall pushed us toward fall cleanup. This week has been dedicated to removing annuals and cutting back perennials.

Next week we’ll be planting bulbs. I hope I’m not the only gardener who orders tulips in August with a clear mental picture of where each color and variety is going to be placed, and then when planting time arrives looks in puzzlement at the invoice, wondering, “What was I thinking?”

I looked to the photo below, taken last spring (May 12), in hopes that it would help me. (It didn’t. Apparently I’m going mostly with shades of purple for next season!)

But it did inspire me to submit photos of our “path garden,” all taken from the same vantage point, with a few details along the way.

This peony-flowering tulip (Tulipa ‘Charming Beauty’, Zones 3–7) showed up in my bulb order again for 2024. Behind it, to the left, our ‘Sun King’ aralia (Aralia cordata ‘Sun King’, Zones 4–8) is emerging. By midsummer it will be a monster, and impossible to ignore, even in the middle of vibrant annuals. They’re on the right toward the end of the path in the long view.

By June 19 the tulips were gone and the perennials were filling in. The penstemon (Penstemon digitalis, Zones 3–8) and phlox (Phlox ‘Opening Act Pink-a-Dot’, Zones 4–8) on the left were playing nicely together, I thought. I deadheaded the phlox later, and it gave back some color on and off all summer. The annuals, in the left front, were just getting established. We had almost no rainfall, and it was a daily battle to keep plants alive.

I had planted ‘Unplugged So Blue’ salvias (Salvia farinacea, Zones 7–10 or as an annual) at the perimeter of the aralia, and they were winners all summer long.

The birdhouse at the top of the obelisk was home to a family of wrens by mid-June, and the clematis (Clematis hybrid, Zones 5–8) was in full bloom. The sweet peas I planted as companions didn’t thrive this year. Alas.

By July 16 the globe amaranths (Gomphrena pulchella ‘Truffula’, Zones 9–11 or as an annual) were making their presence known in a big way.

A few new Tango lilies (Lilium ‘Tango’, Zones 4–9) showed up, and I’m hoping they multiply soon.

This photo was taken in July from a few feet to the right of the path. (That’s my husband beneath the hat in the lower right.)

By August 12 a pair of ‘Little Quickfire’ hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata ‘Little Quickfire’, Zones 3–8) were showing off their delicate color.

The five globe amaranths, which bloomed right up until freezing temperatures hit, were attention-grabbers on either side of the path. The pollinators loved this spot.

And almost eight weeks later, here’s a final salute to the season. The path is hidden between the barberries (Berberis thunbergii, Zones 4–8) and blue spruces (Picea pungens, Zones 2–7) on the left.

Fortunately the snow (from October 28) melted, and we will be planting our bulbs.

Have a garden you’d like to share?

Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!

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