Morning Glories in September

Because I planned to move last spring, I didn't do the kind of planting that I did last year. My French hanging pots remained in the garage, as did the brushed aluminum planters purchased at Ikea in 2007. One day this summer, I looked at my empty trellis and thought, "it would have been nice to have had some morning glories." Almost as soon as the thought occurred, I noticed the tendril of a vine curling up from what I thought was an empty container. Within a few days, it had attached itself to the trellis. About three weeks later, the first morning glory blossom appeared.

Morning glories are just about the easiest thing to grow. They're a wonderful flower to get children interested in gardening: plant them in a Dixie cup with a little dirt, water, and voila! you have a plant. Train it up a popsicle stick, and transfer to the garden. The morning glory that appeared on my trellis must have self-seeded from last year, or else it was a plant that came back to life during the warmth of July.

Now, with just a week left in summer, I look out on my inside deck and see morning glories. The rainstorm this weekend gave them plenty of moisture, and if we stay above freezing a little while longer (never a certainty in Michigan) I should have flowers for a few more weeks.