From a distance

. . . Everything looks fine. But take a closer look, and the little marigolds are end-of-season parched, and everything in the beds has gone gangly.

In the pots, either the underplantings have crowded the bananas, or the bananas' babies have crowded the underplantings; in either case, they're both sickly, and the soil is so packed with roots that it's hard to hold water.

Around the corner, the herbs are OK, but the tomatoes just look worn down. They've done their job, and they're tired.

It's September, after all, and these things have been doing yeoman work since the first of May. Hydrangeas may be named "Endless Summer," but reality trumps hyperbole with every dwindling day.

Just about time to clear the slate, thank the annuals as we toss 'em and let the rest take a long winter's nap.