perfect planning

I know that I wasn't very diligent when it came to deadheading (removing spent flowers) from most of the perennials and shrubs in my garden this year. It was just too hot, I was too busy, [insert your favorite excuse here] -- whatever the reason I just didn't do it.

Who could really tell though? Looking around my yard, it looks like a typical early-autumn garden. No evidence of my laziness. Except for the roses.

***

The tell-tale sight of bright red or orange rose hips makes it clear to anybody who has grown roses before that I left some blooms in place after they faded.

Okay, more than "some". Lots of them.

In fact, if you didn't know any better, you might say that I had a nice crop of crabapples growing right now.

Although, the rose hips are quite attractive and colorful. They do last for a very long time too.

Much longer than the blooms ever did.

So a visitor to my garden might think that I purposefully did this, to assure that my garden would have as much late-season interest as possible.

Yeah, I'll go along with that. I totally planned this.

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