MR. PHILLIPS: Alright, let’s begin the spelling bee. Miss Andrews, can you give us the spelling of the word chrysanthemum?
PRISSY ANDREWS: Chrysanthemum. C-h-i, no r-i -s -a -n-s-m -u-m.
MR. PHILLIPS: Perhaps we’ll turn our attention to your spelling now that you mathematics is well in hand. Gilbert, chrysanthemum.
GILBERT: Chrysanthemum. C-h-r-y-s-a-n-t-h-a-m-u-m.
MR. PHILLIPS: Hmm. Anne?
ANNE: Chrysanthemum. C-h-r-y-s-a-n-t-h-e-m-u-m.
MR. PHILLIPS: Correct.
For me, going to buy fall mums for the front porch is a ritual almost like buying the annual Christmas tree (this blog is, apparently, not politically correct…I will never refer to a Christmas tree as a holiday tree).
Chrysanthemums, or “mums”, for short, are sold in Ontario at this time of year, along with gourds, squash and bales of hay, all in preparation for Canadian Thanksgiving and Hallowe’en. This year our Thanksgiving falls on October 8th, which seems very, very early to me (where did September go?). I bought two large burgundy mums a couple of days ago for the front porch. Together with the little gourds, everything is looking really pretty and fall-ish. I am planning to put these mums in the ground in my perennial border in the back yard in a couple of weeks, which should still give them enough time to set roots. I find it can be a bit hit-and-miss, this planting of the mums, since some are much more hardy than others. I think it’s worth a try, though.
Here is our front porch these days.
Even the hostas are turning pretty fall colours. See the big mum to the right of the steps? This photo also gives you a better idea where I’ve placed my Pesticide Free sign, too.
