Late Fall, 2015. Welcome to My "Getting Less Shady" Space!

Hello!  This has been a wonderfully colorful Fall in the midwest!  Particularly, SE Iowa.
I wouldn't have expected it to be so...  our Spring began with very cool (cold) wet weather.  Spring actually extended through most of June (!).

We did have a few hot days during July and August, but not per usual.  We continued to experience cooler weather with rain at all the right times!  (I hardly watered pots more than 2 or 3 times; flower beds twice.)

Below:  The shady backyard on August 23, 2015

Traditionally, August is a very hot, dry month here.  Our grassy lawns go dormant and brown.  However, not this year.  As you can see, that even as late as the day-before-yesterday, our lawns are still nice and green!

(Below:  Front, sunnier yard (Nov. 13, 2015), especially since deciduous leaves are falling!)

I am so excited!  I just recently took ownership of a new, self-propelled lawn mower with a small rear bagger.  Friday afternoon, I mowed for what I believe to be the last time... mulching and bagging the leaves as well.  Doesn't the front yard look nice??  :-)

Enjoy a few "Fallish" photos below!

Look at my lovely (baby) Oakleaf Hydrangea!! 

'Husker Red' Penstemon in the foreground, below

Gaillardia (started from seed... which reverted to a lovely variety)

The last leaves of a burning bush

Below: (a baby) 'Mohawk' Viburnum burkwoodii

I cannot tell you how much I enjoy this plant below!  The flowers are

VERY fragrant in the Spring.  There are berries for the birds... and the color is lovely in the fall.

Nearly all the oak leaves have dropped... the rest will remain until Spring.

Yes, there have been TONS of leaves back here.

But that wonderful little mower cleaned the remaining leaves on Saturday (Nov. 14), beautifully!

(I don't work as hard on reseeding grass back here.  The ground isn't perfect and it's shady.)

Wishing you an enjoyable rest-of-the Fall 2015!!

SG