Meadowlark in the Fall

Lake at Meadowlark

We went for a long walk at Meadowlark late yesterday morning. I thought there would be more fall colors, but most of the trees had lost their leaves and the colors were fading, but it was still very pretty and a lot of people were out enjoying the beautiful fall day. Of course I am always attracted to the stone benches, often engraved in memory of someone.

My favorite path

There wasn't much blooming, some asters, a few roses, fading hydrangeas.  I was interested to see what they have done with their perennial beds. It was obvious gardeners had been working because all the beds were neat and tidy. The daylilies were mulched well but foliage still intact, the peonies were completely cut back and mulched with a couple of inches of pine needles, the tree peonies still had their leaves. A bed that is usually planted with annuals and herbs had been completely replanted with a plant I have never seen before--cardoon--gigantic leaves, which I love. It is related to the artichoke and apparently the stems are a real delicacy. A long bed planted entirely with these dramatic plants was pretty cool.

Cardoon

A pretty birdhouse

Afterwards, we stopped by Cenans for sandwiches and to buy some bread,  and ran into Abby and Price and the kids on their way home to Annapolis, after spending the weekend in Vienna for Hadley's birthday. Happy 3rd Birthday Hadley!!  After we got home, Walt went for a run and I worked outside for a while. Later Brooks came over for dinner and we had tri tip steaks, grilled, with some roasted potatoes and salad.