The Beauty of Disarray
Tending Chaos with Care
If you aren’t careful this month, you could end up chasing all kinds of debris around the garden. The winds rise from the west, bending cedars and scattering maple leaves across lawns, driveways, and freshly mulched beds. November is nature’s reminder that order is only ever temporary — and that even in disarray, there’s deep purpose.
Drive through the Skagit Valley on a gray morning and you’ll see it — fields of brassicas bowed under mist, the Stillaquamish River swelling with rain, and alder leaves plastered like golden coins to the banks. At Deception Pass, the wind whips through the bridge’s girders, rattling the last of the bigleaf maple leaves into the sea below. It’s a month of letting go, of watching beauty turn to compost.
As you walk through your own garden, listen for that same rhythm of release. Where can you let go a little more? Where might the garden — and you — benefit from a touch less control?
Tending the Wild Edges
When the winds aren’t swirling, gather leaves from paved areas and lawns to use as mulch. If you’re not growing cover crops, spread a 6- to 12-inch blanket of leaves over bare vegetable beds. Secure them with floating row cover or burlap sacks — it keeps them from blowing away and creates a cozy layer for earthworms to thrive beneath. Come spring, rake away what hasn’t decomposed, and tuck those half-finished leaves into a worm bin or leaf mold pile to continue their quiet work.
Root crops — carrots, potatoes, parsnips — also appreciate the protection. A 4- to 6-inch mulch keeps them diggable even in frost. If you find rodent nibblings, harvest and store your roots indoors in moist sand. Keep them away from ripening fruit like apples or pears, which emit ethylene gas that can spoil stored vegetables.
And remember: don’t be too tidy. The understory knows what to do with a little mess. Brush leaves gently off plant crowns, then let them lie between perennials. Leaf mulch insulates soil, slows erosion, and shelters beneficial insects. Beneath the fading stalks of asters and sedum, ground beetles overwinter — the quiet predators that keep slugs and weevils in check come spring. Even a small pile of stones or a half-buried log can become a winter refuge for them.
Where some see clutter, others see community.
Planting for Spring’s Promise
Clear, crisp days in November are perfect for one last round of planting. Garlic and shallots can still go in — pointed ends up, two inches deep in fertile soil. Though they may not sprout until January, their roots will be busy underground, preparing for the surge of green in spring. Cover them with a light straw mulch. Protect fall-sown fava beans, rye, or wheat with row cover until seedlings emerge.
GRASS FAMILY
Gramineae
Rye, Wheat
ONION FAMILY
Amaryllidaceae
Garlic: Silverskin, Artichoke, Hardneck
PEA FAMILY
Fabaceae
Fava Beans, Fenugreek, Field Peas
Don’t Forget Spring-blooming Bulbs
There’s still time to tuck in crocuses, windflowers, daffodils, or grape hyacinths. Cluster them densely for the most breathtaking effect. When the gray gives way to sun in March, you’ll thank yourself for this bit of faith planted in the cold.
BUTTERCUP FAMILY
Ranunculaceae
Grecian Windflower Anemone blanda: Charmer, Violet Star, White Splendor
ASPARAGUS FAMILY
Asparagaceae
Brodiaea spp.
Glory of the Snow Chionodoxa spp.: C. forbesii, C. luciliae
Grape Hyacinth Muscari spp.: M. armeniacum, M. latifolium
IRIS FAMILY
Iridaceae
Crocus spp.: С. tommasinianus, C. chrysanthus: Ladykiller, Blue Bird, Snowbunting
Iris reticulata: Joyce, Natascha, J.S. Dijt, Edward
LILY FAMILY
Liliaceae
Dog's Tooth Violet Erythronium spp.: E. dens-canis, E. revolutum, Pagoda
Mission Bells Fritillaria spp.: Checker Lily, Crown Imperial
Lily Lilium spp.: L. henryi, L. pardalinum, L. regale, Oriental hybrids, Trumpet hybrids
Tulip Tulipa spp.: T. fosteriana, T. greiggi, T. kaufmanniana, T. batalinii, Darwin hybrids
ONION FAMILY
Amaryllidaceae
Daffodil spp.: Arctic Gold, Ceylon, Misty Glen, Tahiti, Jetfire, Quail, Thalia, Plenus, Bell Song
Onions, Ornamental Allium spp.: A. christophii, A. cowanii, A. moly, A. sphaerocephalum
Snowflakes Leucojum spp. and Galanthus spp.
TRILLIUM FAMILY
Trilliaceae
Trillium spp.
Giving Thanks for the Harvest
As the month deepens toward Thanksgiving, take a moment to savor your garden’s gifts — and the quiet cycle that continues whether or not we intervene. Maybe you roast homegrown parsnips and leeks, toss a salad of kale and corn salad from the cold frame, or simply make a meal from local produce that mirrors what you’d like to grow next year.
At dusk, the scent of woodsmoke drifts through the valley. The Skagit River reflects pewter light, and the fields rest under a quilt of fog. This is a time for gratitude — for what has grown, for what has gone, and for what will rise again.
What might you thank your garden for this year? What lessons has it whispered as the seasons turned?
Eco-Restore Can Help
At Eco-Restore, we believe fall’s quiet work lays the foundation for spring’s abundance. Whether you need help improving soil health, mulching your vegetable beds, or designing a habitat that welcomes both pollinators and predators, we can help you tend your garden’s resilience through every season.
Together, we can restore balance — one layer of leaves, one thoughtful act of care at a time.
