Back to School means Back Inside

Here in Minnesota, kids used to go back to school after the State Fair, which runs this year from August 26th through September 6th. But, in a break with our agrarian roots, some schools are having kids come back next week. It’s just a week, but because Labor Day – the last day of the Fair – signals the end of summer, it seems odd to start school before then.

I got an email from one of the local gardening centers that it’s time to bring the houseplants back inside. And, when I looked at my gardening calendar, it said the same thing. Just as I’m not ready for the kids to go back to school next week, I’m not ready for Elmer and Arby and the scented geraniums to come back inside. And, based on the blooms Elmer (my tropical hibiscus) is putting out, I don’t think he’s ready to come back inside. Apparently, even though the days are still quite warm, the nights are cool enough that the houseplants need to make the move.

When Elmer was smaller, I’d move him to the entryway for the evenings and back outside for the warm days. But, he’s too big for that now, so it’s an all or nothing move. Moving Arby and the geraniums inside won’t be a big deal. A short quarantine in the hallway and a dose of systemic white fly bug goop and they’re good to go. But, Elmer needs special care. Elmer had such uncontrollable whiteflies a couple years ago, I contemplated leaving him out to die last year. But, in a last ditch effort to save him, I removed all the soil, hosed his roots off, put him in a new pot with new potting soil, stuck the systemic pills in the soil, and brought him back inside. It was October. Nobody thought he’d make it. But, he did. And, there wasn’t one whitefly.

So, you can see why I’m not looking forward to my Back to School/Back Inside ritual. It’s a big job. But, in the warmth of the sunroom, he’ll bloom just like he is today – even when it’s 40 below. And that is worth all the work.

My Fragrant Garden

The cubed shrubs and landscape rock I removed a few years ago were directly below/in front of my sunroom windows—a perfect place for fragrant things, whose scents I imagined wafting indoors on summer afternoons.

So, I put together a list of fragrant plants I loved and started planning – and planting. I used Sir Thomas Lipton roses, Crown Princess Margrethe roses, Munstead lavender, Artemesia Silver Mound, Monarda ( a few varieties, including bergamot), and Anise Hyssop. I also used scented geraniums in glazed pots so I could take them inside in the winter.

The Artemesia (also called wormwood) reminds me of the beach. Its feathery foliage is the fragrant part of this plant. It doesn’t have a flower. Monarda (also called Bee Balm) havs a variety of scents. Again, the leaves are the fragrant part. Bergamot (a monarda) has the scent of Earl Grey tea. I love this one. Its flower is pale periwinkle. The Anise Hyssop smells like licorice. It’s in the mint family (as are the monarda) and has purple spikes of flowers, which the bees love.

The other day I was sitting in the sunroom with my glass of iced tea thinking I must have brushed up against the Lipton roses because the scent was so close. I smelled my work shirt, which did not carry the scent of the roses. I took another sip of tea and another deep breath and realized the scent was coming through the open windows from the garden—exactly as I had imagined!

I love it when a plan comes together!