Vermont Clean-up.

10-25-12 VERMONT: We came up yesterday, driving through rain and fog until we crossed the border from Massachusetts to the Holy Land and then the sun came out. The beds are all pretty much dormant, and so it’s time to cut everything to the ground except the biennials which need to be saved for next years flowers.

Last night we had dinner with Anna and Lily and two of Lily’s friends, Caitlin and Stefani, [I hope those spellings are OK, but it would be a lucky guess.]

Today I started on the beds and had some help from Judy after she took care of her stuff. I did the driveway and the driveway beds, the beds behind the new house, the bed below the deck and the beds below the apple tree. That took about six hours and generated four cart loads of stalks and leaves that now cover muddy spots in the pasture.

All the leaves have been cleared by the yard guys, who also mowed the pasture. Everything looks neat and tidy. I have to remind myself that everything is dormant, but not dead.


There is some color, these burning bushes are showing redness.

Bed waiting to be groomed. If it's not done, all these stalks will be flattened by the snow cover and, in the spring, will be a tangled snarl and impossible to clear without destroying the new plants.