Summer ends with a sigh. We’ve all been working hard in our gardens and enjoying the fresh air and lovely scents from the flowers and vegetables. But the summer produce is now waning. I’m still getting a few tomatoes and cucumbers, but the plants are showing the wear and tear of a season of hot summer days. I’ve pulled up most of my zinnias, but there are a few still limping along.

It’s the time of year for some housecleaning out in the garden and anticipating the next season. (Should I try kohlrabi this winter or stick with beets…)

It’s the time of year when morning glories reign! These sometimes invasive annual vines are in their glory right now. When everything else is out of blooming energy, they are climbing up and over anything their tendrils can reach. Happy and carefree, they come in all different colors and add a freshness that reminds me of spring.

I won’t waste time telling you how to grow them. They are happy “weeds” that will thrive anywhere. Just make sure you plant a packet or two next spring so you can enjoy their exuberant beauty at summer’s end.