Accepting Autumn: Sun Salutation - Adieu

Letting go of Summer as Autumn's shadows creep in.

Autumn on the terrace means longer shadows, a very discernible loss of sunlight. Par for the course with a north-facing outdoor space, but not really any less gloom inducing, despite being able to articulate the scientific reasons and appreciate that it is but one temporary part of the larger cycle of things.

Where at the height of summer and solar angle, there was almost unbearable brightness and heat along a good part of the length of the north parapet (interrupted by the shadow of the building’s chiller unit), nowadays there is a limited period of direct light, and only in the northeast corner.

In past years I kept everything where it was. But with all the plants still in flux from earlier this year with the building’s terrace membrane replacement, it felt easier to shift things around… the bench on the east parapet of the Main Terrace moved to the north shadowy parapet, making room for sun lovers; hopefully the bit of extra sun gives them a boost for next year. But the junipers and hydrangea are fending for themselves, still by the northern parapet, in the shadows (together with some volunteer tomatoes that sprang up in a hydrangea planter - we’ll see how those fare, still green at the moment). 

The mandevillas that were stuck inside all year begunning during the construction are out enjoying some unfiltered light at last - better late than never. 

The blueberry (sharing space with shiso, clown violets, beets - only the last planting planned) is in a limited sunny corner of the South Wraparound, not yet elevated to optimize light catching - on the never-ending To Do list. 

And then there’s the interior perpetually dark corner (ever since a certain private girls’ school constructed a taller than expected building that cut off my view and the morning light) of the North Wraparound - home to a hydrangea that still seems to flower, beets (started in sun on the roof), Malabar spinach, cardinal vine. I will need to experiment and see what else can tolerate those conditions - hoping for peas, but that may be a pipe pea dream.