Two Months Left in the Gardening Season

I know most of you don't believe it, but there are still two full months left in the gardening season. There are still pleasant sunny days to be spent outdoors enjoying your yard and garden. If we throw our hands up and say it's over, winter will be upon us that much faster!

"SPENDING EVEN JUST A few minutes of quality time in nature each day can have a profound effect on both your psyche and your health. No one knows that better than Charles Cook, a Pomona, N.Y.-based nature guide and author of Awakening to Nature (McGraw Hill, 2001). Cook has lead more than 1,000 hiking and camping trips since 1980 to help people enjoy nature and show them that being outdoors can make them feel good. Here, Natural Health asks him why being in nature is so vital to your well-being.

Natural Health: Why is being in nature so good for us?

Charles Cook: Nature provides many of the things we need, like fresh air and sunlight, but there's also an energy in living things that we connect with [when we're outdoors]. You can definitely get an endorphin high from being outside. Just moving around in nature makes our bodies feel good.Tune into Nature

1. When you first step out of your door, pause for a minute and close your eyes, recommends Charles Cook, a nature guide in Pomona, N.Y.

2. While your eyes are closed, allow your hearing and sense of smell to heighten, Listen for birds singing nearby. Breathe deeply and notice any scents.

3. Open your eyes and remain still for a few more moments. Continue to notice the sounds and scents, and look closely at your surroundings before moving on."

For the full article by Amanda Lyndon click here.

So get out in your garden and dig in the dirt - plant bulbs, mums, ornamental cabbage and kale, perennials, trees, and shrubs! Fall is a great time to plant: cooler nights mean less watering. Victoria Gardens can help extend the gardening season with late, fall-blooming plants.