Code Orange: The Appearance of Summerween

I received my first notice of a “Code Orange” weeks ago. For those who are unfamiliar, the first sighting of Halloween or Autumn decorations in the heat of summer is labeled as a “Code Orange!” It is a blatant warning to consumers that fall will arrive shortly (or is promptly arriving in some cases). The earliest signs of the traditional orange and black were detected in mid-July. Since then, many more stores have sections that are filling with all things orange and spooky. 

Every year, this battle comes earlier and earlier, and each year, the war gets harder and harder. First comes the mixed shock and disgust of starting a holiday disturbingly early, followed shortly by a yearning to turn my own house into a personal pumpkin patch as soon as possible. It is a battle of wills, and for me this year, it truly did not get started until August. 

Previously, August had always been a month filled with celebrations and transitions. There were family vacations, back-to-school shopping, and then the actual start of school. There was simply too much to do and not enough time to be thinking about fall. The month would fly by busy and fulfilling, and then by the end, I would just start settling into the best part, the transition into fall! The cooler weather, sweaters, moody music, warm drinks. My creativity seemed to thrive; the decorations filled my heart, and even the colors made it easier to exist. 

The downfall is that, as an adult, I now have both the full ability to start decorating for fall earlier and I lack the proper sense of time, now that school no longer dictates my schedule. There are no rules, and nobody is stopping me. If pumpkins make me happy, why not have them in my kitchen on (or even before) August 1st? The influx of stores carrying fall goodies before the official start to the season has not helped my personal battle. My plants are constantly at risk of drying out, lawns have turned brown, and the heat seems like an uphill battle. Every day I come home, sweaty, tired, and ready for the whispering wind of the changing season, and yet I hold myself back from tossing in the bucket entirely and decorating for fall. Why?

The simple answer. Summerween. That fleeting period between summer and the official acceptable start to Halloween (think leaves changing color). A new honorary season in my book, because I may come home sweaty and tired, but I go to work every morning ready to be greeted by some of the brightest blooms and striking foliage. Some of the best colors are showing off right now, and if now isn't the time to plant and enjoy them, when is? 

Summerween is the perfect blend of late-blooming summer annuals and evergreen plants that will go right up through Halloween. These plants are just starting to show off color and textures that will entertain until the frost arrives. Simple annuals add in splashes of showier colors that can be replaced with snow-hardy pansies and violas when the cooler winds blow through. 

Summerween is the reason you are looking for to finish that porch clean-up you want before the first day of school photos. It is also the bright baskets that are replacing the ones that never quite looked the same when you got back from your summer vacation. It is that corner in your yard that just needs a bright color to catch your eye when you look out the window. Summerween is everything you have been missing while the heat has been seeping the final rays of joy from summer. Summerween permits you to both enjoy summer and change your decorations. 

There are no limits. If you want to plant right now, do it. You can celebrate Christmas in July. You can start dragging out your giant Skeletons. You can continue to nurture your blooms from Mother’s Day. If you are ready for a change, now is a good time. If not, keep feeding those summer days and enjoying all it has to offer. The main thing is, do not miss out simply because you believe that the stars have not aligned just properly for you to enjoy the season you are personally experiencing. In my yard, we will be sweaty, continuing to water, and maybe planning on where to best put those perfect pumpkins… because why not?