Through the Seasons with 'Autumn Joy'

Two weeks ago, one day in early April, the temperatures climbed to 70 F. It seemed like a good idea to remove all the mulch from around my perennials. When I did that, I saw the beautiful spring green of new growth on various plants.

Five days later, Easter morning, I looked outside and saw that it had snowed! Hopefully all the new tender growth that I exposed wasn’t killed by the harshness of the cold and snow.

'Autumn Joy' sedum coming up in spring.

One of the plants that is showing growth is the 'Autumn Joy' sedum (stonecrop), one of my favorites. It’s kind of like an old friend, the one who shows up early for a party and stays late to help clean up the house after all the other guests have gone home.

In the spring, this plant is one of the first to peek through the soil. It remains through the entire summer, a tidy mound of greenery, playing its role in the garden very nicely. Eventually, late in the summer, its blooms will appear, looking like pale green broccoli clusters, nothing too showy or exciting.

But, like the friend who stays late to do the dishes after the party, this plant really pulls out all the stops late in the season. Those greenish, broccoli-esque blooms gradually turn pink, and late in the fall, this perennial lives up to its name, ‘Autumn Joy’. The pale clusters turn a vibrant red, bringing a burst of color to the autumn garden, when many other plants have stopped blooming. Even better, their reddish hue remains for a long time, sometimes until after the snow flies, creating color in the garden, even in winter.  

                  

                                          'Autumn Joy' sedum in bloom

Photo used by permission. tracypattersonphotography.com

We all need a friend like that, don’t we? The one who comes early, helping out at the gatherings we plan, and stays late to do the dishes. The one who laughs at our jokes. The one who “gets us” even when others don’t. The one who doesn’t expose us or correct us harshly when we’re still growing. The one who loves us even when we’re unlovable. The one who celebrates with us in good times and sits with us when we mourn. The one who brings a burst of color to our lives. The one who has been there for every season of life.

I consider myself really blessed to have several friends like that. They know who they are. I only hope that I can be that same kind of “Autumn Joy” for them, and for others as well.