A little light at last

Three months and no posts - and no gardening either since I thought about moving.   But today I was tempted to begin a good clear up and rake out some of the moss from the grass.

I am rewarded by finding the solar-powered garden lights have come on this evening - the first time since I can remember.

The gardening year has begun - hoorah!

Hoar frost

....No entries for a whole month and I am ashamed to say this rather reflects what I have and haven't done in the garden.   Thankfully, we haven't been flooded but the rain and the short dark days have not provided much of an incentive to get out and as I might be moving it is tricky to know what to do - other than pot up some treasures that will have to come with me - although I have put the bird baths out of the frosts's way and a couple of tender climbers which I hope to over-winter.  

The nerines have put on an excellent show again and one or two really hard frosts have cleared up any possible doubt it being time to cut back anything tender.   

This year there is a real dearth of berries - none at all on the amelanchier which was a great attraction to the birds last winter and for the first time ever the seedpods have all fallen - or been blown - from the Judas tree.   So I am trying to remember to feed the birds as much as possible.

Here are a couple of quick shots of the front privet hedge with a prickly intruder which seem rather seasonal.   Pity I didn't have time to get the tripod out!

Late dahlias and the first falling leaves

Here is one of the beautiful Clair Obscur dahlias that I managed to buy before they sold out for this season - lasting well for this time in October.   We have had no ground frosts yet but they can't be far off so I am savouring these late blooms along with a late flush of roses which I have no hesitation in cutting for the house.  With a few sprigs of honeysuckle they smell just like high summer.

The first leaves to fall are among the most colourful - the little acer (unnamed seedling from Westonbirt arboretum) and the amelanchier.   I can't bear to sweep up the acer leaves but am trying to be tidy around the rest of the garden.

Autumn tints

So the first autumn tints and mists have arrived in what might be my last autumn in this my first own little garden.   I may be off to pastures green - and, of course, it may never happen.   But there is as much to surprise and delight me here as ever - even though I am having to curtail my tulip bulb buying passion.
We had a really dry patch during September when many things seemed almost to stop growing.   The dahlias have been incredibly slow and some are still only just forming their first buds.   I hope they make it before the frosts.   Here are some which have made it.

Other things which slowed up were the Japanese anemones whose flowers were really small until we had a few really good rainfalls (gardeners language!).   Here they are looking cheerful amongst the skeletal leaves of some echinops which did brilliantly again this year - attracting plenty of happy bees!!

Since then we have had several thorough deluges but little harm seems to have been done.   A few things have even thrived on this seasons strange weather - particularly the fucshias.

My thoughts are now turning to potting up little bits of old favourites which have multiplied so well and hopefully transplanting odd treasures.   I am jolly glad of my RHS bibles for advice!

Cobaea scandens

Have just come back in from picking a surprisingly big bowl of blackberries and autumn raspberries.   The latter are so tall I am having to pull them down to reach them!   The only problem with this fruit picking is remembering also to pick all the spiders off myself before I bring them back in the house to join all the others who have taken up residence.   There are so many at the moment, strung between every other stem or twig.

The garden is actually quite dry and I am having to water the pots.   But it is proving to be well worth the effort.   The fuschias are doing really well this year and so are my potted climbers but I am especially pleased with the Cobaea scandens or Cup and saucer plant.   I had my first two flowers last week and there are plenty more to follow.   They open white - a good 2-3 inches across - and gradually turn to a rich purple over 2-3 days, staying so for 2 or 3 more before neatly just dropping off.   At last, some more unusual late-summer colour nearer the house!  

Thunbergia success

The heat of the past week has been something of a shock but at least the days being slightly shorter has meant things haven't dried out too badly and it almost seems like summer has finally arrived.   Had my first (and probably only) good feed of French beans, more little Sungold tomatoes, one disappointing (small and not very good texture) Marmande tomato and the first blackberries and autumn fruiting raspberries.  The latter have grown to at least 7 feet this year but are producing huge tasty fruit so it's worth the stretch.

Pale orange Thunbergia has taken off at a surprising pace in a slightly shady spot

In terms of flowers, I am pleased with the colour for the time of year.   The dahlias are beginning to get into their stride - a gorgeous deep red one and some stripy magenta/whites are the most striking so far.   But I am really pleased with a couple of climbers which promise to produce interest over the really difficult period coming up - one cobea scandens which I managed to over-winter (the ONLY one!) is scrambling about well into the arch nearest the house and beginning to form flower buds and a vibrant pale orange Thunbergia (Black eyed Susan) has taken off at great speed since I bought it from one of the "sheds" a couple of weeks back.

The roses are all over - or "resting" but there is some lovely colour taking over around them from self-set fennel and the faithful clematis Heiraclifolia as well as a mass of late bloom on Cl.Etoile Violette and the white perennial sweet peas.

Of wildlife interest I have seen meadow brown and common blue butterflies in the garden.   The many swifts seem to have disappeared, unlike the wretched squirrel who is now digging holes in the grass to bury this years's cob nuts.   That tree is going to have to go....

Crazy spiders

The garden is suddenly full of cobwebs - something I usually take as a sign of late summer as the light begins to turn more golden.   It's also easier to get up at dawn and enjoy the freshness of early morning - but with it LOTS of spiders!   I found this extraordinary apparent double web the other day.   In fact it's 2 cobwebs that have been made within about 3 inches of one another.

You need to look carefully!