St Peters RC Church Hamilton

Fashionably late in flower,

Because the Lord God, life’s Creator

Set the date to decorate in the border.

As long as we cut away the dead bloom,

Cutting down spent flower stems

But leaving some cover for insects to over winter,

Some colour will be remaining until the first frost.

Early autumn has not yet lost its floral touch,

Even though the daylight hours are growing shorter.

Pockets of flower colour offer good cheer

When the dreaded darker days draw near!

Briefly prior to the devouring by hungry birds,

We are treated to ripe berries amidst the flowers.

Asters are a starburst of lavender rich glory.

Dahlias glow in very many shades,

As if determined to enjoy a glorious final fling.

Many are the points of later flower colour to enjoy.

Gladioli still standing proudly alert,

Always significant in their slender elegance.

It is hard to choose which bloom should assume

The title of winner, the real Bobby Dazzler.

Chrysanthemums are coming into their own.

Whilst pretty pink, purple and white cyclamen

Decorate a bare garden at the feet of trees.

Alstroemeria flower until the first frost.

One species in exotic orange and mellow yellow,

Carries the apt title of ‘Indian Summer’

As if to honour the often warm splendour of recent September

Through to the earliest week of October.

Light is dwindling slightly, the sun being lower,

But it shines sufficiently to highlight the delicacy

Of the silvery pink, dainty Japanese anemone.

Echinops and eryngium sing the blues, by contrast,

Delightful hues placed amongst any hot border colours.

Helianthus are related to the annual iconic sunflower,

A perennial just as flamboyant in butter yellow.

Yes, fashionably late in flower, fine flower

Are the blooms of earliest October,

Offering their own anthem of praise to the Creator.

Lord, You treat us to a real array of colour in the late in flower blooms of early October. It is as if colour has to have a final fling before dying! Thank You for this treat. Amen.