The first frosts in early November bring with them a welcome change in the garden, a slowing down of activities. The sights and smells of gentle decay, nature’s recycling of life, mingle in the air with smoke from our wood burner. There’s something rather magical about the rotting down of plant matter, aided by microscopic soil bacteria and fungi which are popping up almost everywhere, even on fence posts!
Autumn frosts are delightful, adding sparkle to grey days and, helpfully, turning many annual plants into a mush, a convenient timesaver when days are so short. I leave this natural mulch on the beds, where it will be incorporated by the soil life during the winter.
