Our End-of-the-Summer Garden

It's officially autumn and even if the leaves on the trees have not yet begun to change color in earnest, there is no question that summer in the garden is rapidly coming to a close.
 
"So what speaks to you in your garden? What are the colors and textures you want to remember?” That is the question posed by Gardening Gone Wild's newest "Picture This" contest judge, Christa Neu.

If you aren't familiar with the web site, GGW has a core group of gardening experts and photographers who bring us interesting and informative articles about all aspects of gardening and once a month, in addition to some pointers about photographing the garden, they feature a monthly photography contest.

Ms. Neu photographs for Organic Gardening Magazine, one of a very few magazines that Steve and I actually subscribe to in print and what's more, actually read from cover to over each month. Needless to say, I've long admired her work!

Ms. Neu challenges us to capture some of the last remaining images of the summer garden as it becomes the fall garden. Many things speak to me in the garden this time of year, and I set out with camera in hand to listen: to capture the beauty of the remaining summer blooms, even as the autumn flowers are peaking and preening. As a card artist who has had to take a brief hiatus from artwork, I am hoping to use some of these images in my artwork over the winter, keeping summer alive and sharing it in my vocation as well.

The violas have renewed vigor since the evening temperatures are cooler.

A blossom on the Meyer Lemon tree. It blooms in flushes throughout the year.

This yellow calibrachoa sent rivers of yellow blossoms cascading over the side of one of the potted lilacs all summer.

A bloom cluster from one of the trailing ivy geraniums. The throat of each blossom is swiped with burgundy.

This is not the most artistic photograph but it reminds me that we had one of our most successful kitchen and vegetable gardens ever this year.

Pee Gee Hydrangea, newly open white buds and older coppery ones.

Katie eating dogwood tree fruit.

Uh oh, Mom caught me eating her berries. Maybe if I smile she won't see the stem sticking out of my mouth.

Julia Child

Moondance

Steve's favorite rose, Mister Lincoln.

Choosing one image to enter into a contest is always hard for me, and I find that I never choose the one that everyone else thinks is best; so this time I am bowing to the consensus of  comments made about one of the photographs I posted for Donna's "Word for Wednesday" meme at Garden Walk Garden Talk and submitting this photograph of our anemones.

There is still time to submit photographs. Join in the fun and check out the other entries at the Gardening Gone Wild  blog page.