Autumn is my favorite season and this one has felt rocky. Elections and selections leave us on other sides of the road.  Feeling Divided. People are happy or disappointed or truly terrified. And most of us feel split in half. I’m feeling on the sad side and I’m checking in with my heart and my friends.  Especially my friends who are feeling scared and vulnerable. I want to stand before them like a prickly Holly Shrub or Gandalf with his staff. I breathe deeply with my feet in the grass in my garden.  Leaves are falling, reminding us that we will carry on. Together we pick our way on a rocky path and figure out the next step.  What will heal? What will nurture? What will renew your joy? When your heart feels split in two, allow yourself to seek what is healing.  For me, that is being fully present in Nature.  Sometimes a walk to the river and breathing in deeply.  Sometimes immersing yourself in music feels right. Or gathering with friends in the Mountains.  Or doing less in the Garden. And watering what is dry. Finding a way to be here and feel hopeful is easier outside. How are you tending your inner garden? 

In October I spent a weekend with friends hiking around Wintergreen Resort and splashing in an icy Waterfall.  If you haven't been up there lately, make a weekend of it.  Grab the best sandwiches EVER at Greenwood Grocery Store on your way up the mountain.  (Mine’s the Wessex).  Or if you are heading up in the evening, pop in Blue Mountain Brewery for pizza.  (Order me a Hop Tub and Hot Honey Pie…yum!)  It’s kid-friendly if you have the littles with you, and grown-up friendly too with mountain views.  I also attended an amazing music festival with friends in Bath County and savored the gorgeous fall weather along with music outdoors.  (I’m currently listening to Futurebirds and Sister Sparrow on repeat.)  You can really impress your honey after your leaf peeping and hiking if you stop “take the waters” waters” at the Jefferson Pools.  We didn't make it this time, but it's a unique Virginia experience…soaking in the warm fug of mineral springs.  You can also “do it to the nines” and stay at the Homestead, and take the afternoon tea.  Back to RVA, I have to mention the Outdoor Music lineup at Maymont…If you couldn’t attend Maymont’s music series, I highly encourage you to make this part of your 2025 Musical bucket list next year. 

With all of the music and hiking and leaf peeping, I have been an easy adopter of the “Leave The Leaves” motto.  It combines the perfect blend of being lazy, helping wildlife be wild, and that “feeling good about myself” feeling.  I’m sure you’ve heard or seen signs talk about leaving the leaves.   What’s all the fuss about?  Leaves are habitat, not trash.  Holy Smokes!  I had no idea I was chucking my friend's beds into the trash can.  According to the Xerces Society, one of the most valuable things we can do to support pollinators is to provide them a home.  

“Leaves, brush piles, fallen logs, plant stems, and flower heads might not be growing anymore, but they aren’t trash — they are natural homes for wildlife! A layer of leaves is vital insulation from the cold for the many animals that hide within (or in the soil beneath), like quite a few butterflies. Others, like many native bees, nest within stems, flower heads, or pieces of wood. Throwing out all of your leaves and other plant material isn’t just taking away options for shelter; there’s a good chance you’re tossing out many animals that have already settled in!”

OK.  But, do we have to leave ALL the leaves? Thankfully, no. Here’s what they recommend.  

“Leaving the leaves and other plant debris doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your yard to the wilderness.  A thin layer of leaves is actually healthy for grass, but the leaves also don’t need to be left exactly where they fall. You can rake them into garden beds, around tree bases, or into other designated areas. Leaves are great for soil quality: they can suppress weeds, retain moisture, and boost nutrition. And perennial plants appreciate the extra insulation through the winter, too!”

I can do that.  Just leave the leaves, or move them just a bit.  Personally, I rake or blow mine into the beds to decompose and add to my soil. Hopefully, many of my friends are snuggling up in there too.  I also have some inexpensive compost bins that I throw the leaves into and let them do their thing.  It's so amazing to make your own soil!  The leaves are literally nature’s gift to us to create a more healthy and vibrant soil structure. Your plants will thank you and so will all of the overwintering pollinators who nest in empty stems of plants.  I want them to come back in full force next year to feed on unwanted insects as well as provide food for our birds.  I hope to see more lightning bugs and butterflies next year. 

If you are feeling ambitious and want to plant, now is truly the best time to plant IF you have time to water.  October is notoriously warm and dry, so be sure to water those new plants well if you are planting.  How much is enough?  If Mother Nature isn't giving us rain, we need to give our plants at least ONE INCH of water a week.  If you have a sprinkler, you can use a rain gauge or a tuna can to measure your water output.  If you have a hose, soak your plant around the base of the plant so that the root system gets truly saturated.  Most irrigation systems sprinkle the grass, and your trees and shrubs are still thirsty.  Trees and shrubs love to be deeply watered and will reward you with renewed growth in the Spring if you plant and water well now.  A two to three-inch layer of mulch around the base can help retain water and protect roots from the freeze-thaw cycle.  New plantings need this kind of attention during the first two years of growth.  Watch them like a toddler in the woods! 

Lastly, I leave you with a book full of hope.  Our friends in Florida and North Carolina have felt the brunt of more severe weather patterns as a result of our changing landscape.  How can we help?  Check out this fantastic book Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard. It’s practical, easy, and effective. Three Easy Ways.  (1) Plant more natives!  (Check out my free downloadable native meadow garden plan) or visit your local nursery and ask for native plants.   One of my favorites is the native viburnum!  If you have a spot for a deciduous shrub that has beautiful fall color, spring blooms, and feeds our birds that truly is one that can’t be beat.  (2) Leave your leaves.  (3) Wait until late Spring to clean up.  Leave the stems of plants for nesting and seedheads for the birds over the Winter.  Truly the lazy gardeners out there can rejoice.  

I am really excited about learning that homeowners can truly make a difference and help reverse climate change.  If we all take our little patch of green and save space for our birds and pollinators, we can make a difference and have fun doing it.  We can help Mother Nature reclaim her equilibrium right in your own backyard.