Now that October is right around the corner, it's time to prepare my flowerbeds for winter. One task I don't have to do is store my whimsy in the garage or basement. My garden decor is mostly cast iron antiques that remain outside year round. Easy peasy!
 
Here are a few photos of my decorative antiques.

Here is another of my favorite orange daylilies, Screamcicle. Hybridized by Pat Cochenour in 2003, this dormant tetraploid grows 35 inches tall and has a large 8 inch  bloom.  It is an early midseason bloomer, usually starting in early July. Categorized as an unusual form crispate, this daylily is a great performer in my Wisconsin garden with a bud count of 26-30. 

American Daylily Society Awards:
​Award of Merit: 2014
Honorable Mention: 2009

Look what we discovered...a turkey family taking a dust bath in our dirt pile. Turkeys dust their feathers every day if possible. This helps to remove mites and lice. Birds also dust bathe to prevent their feathers from being saturated with excess preening oil, and to remove dry flakes of skin. This was a  rare sight we had never witnessed before.

Have you ever thought about becoming a master gardener? Recently my friend Vonnie earned her certification as a Wisconsin Master Gardener. This is quite an achievement! As a master gardener, she is  knowledgeable about all things related to plants and gardening.

If  being a master gardener is something you may be interested in, here is some information and a website you can go to. It is a very rewarding certification to hold.

How to Join the Master Gardener Program
​#1. Learn about plants and how to take care of them. Participate in an approved learning opportunity from the Wisconsin Extension Horticulture Program such as a county-based in-person course.
#2. An Onboarding course will explain the scope of your role as a Wisconsin Extension Master Gardener.
#3. As a Wisconsin Extension Master Gardener you apply your knowledge and skills educating others and gardening at local organizations. Volunteer service and continuing education are required to be completed and reported each year.
#4. Your involvement will lead to an increase in knowledge and skill in yourself and those your reach. You will use your knowledge of plants to improve lives of others and the community you live in. This, ultimately, will lead to a bigger change in the world around us.

mastergardener.extension.wisc.edu/get-started/

All photos are from Vonnie's home and garden. She grows a wide array of annuals and perennials. And  Vonnie's beautiful cat is named Tipper.