Damp and cool is the way to go. I have a sage I planted this year in the garden area I created on the north fence of the front yard. It struggled this summer. I thought it was gone. The only thing showing were sprouts at the roots and a few straggly leaves on skinny branches. Then came the rains. It’s blooming and leafed out. All the sages are blooming and lush with gray leaves. I guess this is why you plant xeriscape plants. They survive droughts.

In fact, everything I own is blooming. The fall Asters have even shown up and I thought they, too, were gone. They’re not as lush as years past, but they came. And the Turks caps, silent all summer, are in full flower, red and pink. And not to be outdone, the Mountain Laurels are crowned with new green growth. There’s even a new plant in the garden, a volunteer, Toothleaf Goldeneye, a towering plant with nearly dainty yellow flowers. Welcome.

The cool air also drew me outside to work yesterday. I put in a pole so I could continue my fence work. I was waiting for the hard dry ground of summer to dampen. It did. The soil sucked up the moisture, and I dug. Put in the new pole. Poured in dry concrete. Wet it. Waited for last night’s rain. It came. Next week I’ll start putting up the new section, runners and slats. Everything should be solid by then. Including me, as I build my new world with flowers and a fence.