On Golden Fronds

I take them for granted, these ferns. They seem to be impervious to deer, drought and drenches. They form large colonies and they are a problem if they invade the perennial border. I pull some out each spring but I leave those along the driveway and also those that crop up in crevices which would be seem to defy any robust plant growth. Robust they are though. This fern is Dennstaedtia punctilobula or the hayscented fern. It is deciduous and it is at the end of its growth cycle. It turns yellow and then brown and then it disappears under a heavy snow.  I do take them for granted but now, they remind me of their presence with the golden light they share brightening the woodland on a drismal day. I think the fall color is a bit early this year. Usually it peaks around the second week of October but already the bright bits and pieces are appearing along with large swarths of color. It seems to happen overnight. This Virginia Creeper is also a native and it loves to climb the white pines. Along with the coloring of the foliage, there are a few bits of color left in the garden. The monkshood is blooming as are the toadlilies and the bright pink of persicaria. This one has bloomed steadily since early July. It is Persicaria amplexicaulus 'Golden Arrow'. Behind it is a Hosta 'Stained Glass' which is one of the few the deer have not nibbled to stalks. There won't be much left to see here in just a month. Well,  perhaps the ryegrass which is up in the former corn patch. It is quite green. I cannot complain. I did pick another basket of tomatoes today. October 1st and tomatoes are still ripening. The vines are pretty tattered and most have blackened but the fruit is ripening. It was a good harvest this year.