Not really, but probably will start plotting and planning once the cold weather sets in. Right now it's still summer-like with temps in the 80s and endless sunshine, haven't gotten into fall mode yet.

I have been thinking about zinnia seeds, trying to find a particular color and I did take some cuttings for mother plants for next year's annuals, couple fruit trees I have to order, and I have to buy more plant supports. I made an effort this year to do better with supporting my tall plants and Siberian Iris and it paid off -- a few things I didn't support could use the help, so I've got a list going of what I need for next year. That's about it. I didn't buy any bulbs this year -- not yet anyway, but maybe I'll stumble on a display of daffs and tulip bulbs and won't be able to resist. Once winter is here and the catalogs start arriving is when planning will really kick in for me.

In short, yes.

Fall here is ideal time to plant perennials, shrubs & trees , but due to other circumstances I can’t do much this fall. Still, am seeing what worked & what didn’t, what to do more of vs. less.

. When I can be more sure about that , I can be more decisive in the spring to plant as early as possible and to buy large numbers of a desirable plant when I find it, or do smarter online orders.

The past 2-3 yrs in a new place have included some experimenting for sure, and more this & that. Now wanting to do more repetition and drifts of things that worked well with deer and summer droughts.

If in later fall various “ life” things are stable, I might get to work on bulbs ( Narcissus types of course), which is another good way to have tough naturalized plantings.

We are still late stage of summer and I am actually looking forward to the fall. Roses are ready for a new flush, Mexican sage and pineapple sage start to show colors, and mums are going to have a full display. Yeah there will be the work later. But weather will be cooler and pleasant.

LOL, the whole reason I opened GW just now was to post a thread about my winter project!

Although honestly, I am still enjoying the lovely weather, and the late summer garden. I also have tons of chores - starting to clean up the veggie garden, cleaning up that whole new area where the trees were cut down (although if I am being honest, I've done more standing there staring at it in paralysis than any actual cleaning up haha!), and I have some stuff that needs to be planted that I didn't get around to in spring.

I too am trying to practice some restraint, at least in terms of seed-sown annuals. I always sow too many, and end up plunking and plopping them where there is room. Or wherever there really isn't any room lol. I am trying to transition the garden to more shrubs, hoping for less maintenance.

I have several raised, cinderblock beds. They have been in a lot more shade the last few years but since the electric company just cut down those trees there should be more sun. But while I originally had them all full of vegetables, I think I may try putting some of my annuals there. I do love to cut for bouquets and it's always a struggle for me to balance cutting for the vase, and leaving the blooms in the garden, so having a dedicated area once again for cutting annuals will help me with that. It also frees up all the space I plunk my annuals in now - and then have to wait till they finish blooming to plant the shrubs I'm supposed to be transitioning to lol.

Ask me about my restraint in December, when I'm inside finally opening the seed catalogs....

:)

Dee

Still early days in the planning process but who else is already looking ahead to next year, while re-evaluating the successes and fails (mostly fails) of this year?

Definitely. I am proud of myself as I now "write" ideas and plans and plants for the following season in my phone as I previously I would for sure forget these fleeting but often worthwhile garden thoughts.

And speaking of "looking ahead for next year".....

There is a 'crazy' nursery that I discovered this past season ie it is a pop-up nursery in a grocery store parking lot (set up in May and gone by mid July). Anyways, it has the best selection of annuals I have ever seen. And I have already preordered many of the plants I know I want for 2025!

I have looked at my favorite seed company, Swallowtail, and am considering a fall order. I am not sure whether seeds are any fresher or newer if ordered in spring. I have some plants to plant this fall once I make room for them. But I am seriously chastened by the long drought we've had this summer. It created a lot of work for me. The tomatoes did come through with very little watering. I was hugely dissappointed in the snapdragons as they required more water than most things.