The gardens were astoundingly productive this summer, despite the relative lack of sun and the quite distinctly unusual plethora of rain events. Obviously the amount of sun that did transpire was more than sufficient to satisfy the needs of the garden, satiated with its unusual complement of moisture. While I anticipated many losses in the garden because of the unusual weather, none really did occur, and we were able to enjoy the luxuriant appearance of happily fulfilled plants the entire summer.

Nor has that situation been changed, even while the incessant rains have suddenly come to an abrupt halt, to be replaced by day after day of cloud-clear skies and late-summer sun. Even while the late-blooming perennials are beginning to fade, the latest have taken up their position in the gardens, from the turtle-heads, to the Japanese anemones, from the purple corn flowers, to the blooming ligularia, and the roses, continuing their determined blooming cycles.

The splendour of the constantly-blooming begonias continues unabated, and does the blooming of the New Guinea impatiens. I have decided to try an experiment; taking from our kitchen the six bamboo plants that have thrived for the past eight years in a vase of water, their roots having grown and wound themselves around all in a tight root-vase, while leafage has continued to expand the height of the combined plant-and-vase. I have taken the entire enterprise out to the garden, planted it in a protected, shaded place.

And replaced it with a much smaller combination of new bamboo to sit in the very same place close to the kitchen counter with exposure to the indirect light invading the breakfast room from the sliding glass doors. I intend to cover the garden-planted bamboo with a rose-cone to shelter it from winter frost and the freeze-thaw cycle that always threatens tender plants during the winter months.

It will be interesting to see what results from this little experience. While I work in the gardens (although I don't consider puttering about in the garden to be equated with work; there is too much pleasure involved in the process) if I'm at the front of the house Riley prefers to lay directly on the driveway to soak up the heat accumulated there, for he's a heat-loving creature. Button, older and wiser, lies on the grass, in the shade.

The garden shed is assuming a more completed look, with most of the roof now in place. With continued work on the shed, it shouldn't be too much longer before it is fully completed and it can be put to good effect, as the collection point for so many garden implements (and snow removal as well) that the current shed proved inadequate in its original purpose, for storage capacity.