It's Bill, 10/12/25: Fall Gardening

A Year-Round Passion for Planning

Throughout the year, I look forward to fall gardening. That’s when the plan starts coming together. Looking at what I have, thinking of what kind of garden I might want. I recall other people’s gardens, articles, catalogs, planning gardens that will never exist. I never stop planning, it is a year-round preoccupation. And a lot of fun.

A Survivor on the South Side

When I purchased West Quoddy Station in the Spring of 2000, I didn’t recognize at first a clump of rhubarb on the south side of The Cabin. I believe it was planted during the mid-80s by The Marine Mammal Research Center’s “girls,” who still are here, surviving as well. After walking, stepping, and painting on top of the rhubarb, it’s still there. I’ve given many of its roots to friends. A survivor.

What the Rhubarb Taught Me

I’ve learned from this pilgrim survivor rhubarb. The wind of the ocean is a primary year-round consideration. Accordingly, whatever is planted should be low, sturdy, hardy, and out of the wind. When I planted cosmos, they barely made it into June. Never again. Another necessity is to plant close to the south side of a building. The south side has 2 requirements for survival: the warmth and nurturing of the sun and keeping the plants out of the wind from the strong, cool ocean breezes.

Starting Small, Growing Wide

At first, I didn’t “plant” a garden—I just expanded from the rhubarb. Indigo for height and color, close to The Cabin. A guest from New Jersey gave me some of her extra crocus and daffodil bulbs, a colorful Spring harbinger. I added lupines and then lost track of what I added. Most anything that would grow. It sure got pretty unruly and unorganized. Rather than redo, I started more gardens on the south side of other lodgings. Moving on.

Growing the Garden Network

In 2008, I added gardens on the south side of The Lodge and The Camp. During 2012, I started a tiny herb garden in the shade, which I moved to a larger, sunny spot this week. During 2022, I started gardens on the south side of The Crows Nest and The Station House. In 2022, I also started a small garden by the entrance of my Office. Even though it was 8’ from parking, the snowplow got it. We moved the Office garden last week to a snowplow-proof site.

Garden bed hugging the warm south wall.

Adapting to Change

A raspberry patch was started in 2022. Wrong location. That turned out to be the site of my just-completed July 1, Clark’s Folly Lighthouse. The raspberries have been moved 3 times. Now near the Office driveway, this fall we’ve planted the new, larger herb garden in line with the raspberries. Another tiny garden is in the works. The primary focus this fall are 2 gardens on each side of Clarks Folly Lighthouse bordered by white birch logs.

The Lighthouse entry framed with rustic garden beds.

Shifting from Annuals to Perennials

Originally, I planted annuals. I love zinnias, marigolds work well. I also had large pots of geraniums and blue and white flowers. Too cold and windy for vegetables and basil. This year, we’re planting perennials—about time. Lilacs, Rose of Sharon, hydrangea, and more.

There it is. Fall gardening is my pivot point of gardening as we prepare before Winter’s arrival and the rewards of next Spring.