AUTUMN IS HERE

and I am bulb barmy - forgot I ordered them and now will have to put them in - somewhere? The pond area looks vulnerable to assault but not where grass will grow.

This is the way into the garden from the unappetising approach to the house over tarmac, past shed and wheelbarrows and washing lines. Even the leaves on the Rosa rugosa on the left are turning yellow. Seeing all the leaves cascade from the trees makes think of a power blower rather than a rake and barrow (I do have a trailer though now.) Actually, though the sun is shining and I have done a bit of tidying, most of the day has been making blackcurrant jam and updating the Mac to Yosemite. Family do have a connection to the place - though very tenuous - my Great Grandfather on my mother's side was John Muir's first cousin! I wonder which gene he and I share, if any - probably just Levis.

The first autumn coloured bush you comes to is this witch hazel, not the usual yellow flowers one but it has deep orange ones.

Then there is the Acer sango-kaku my sister I gave us. I did plant some crocus around its base but they seem to have emigrated.

It always stands out well against the dark leaves of the big sycamore by the wall. Dismal things sycamores - grim brown autumn colour - I mean they are an acer so why not give us a bit of end of year va-va-voom?

Next is the Euonymus in its bright red splendour - just stunning. The hue seems almost unreal and when the sun shines - wallop!

Euonymus alatus of course - the winged spindle. Up here we do have the wild Euonymus europaeus in places with its peculiar pinkish fruit. I believe that the tree got its name from the habit of making spindles from its very hard wood. It grows as far away as Iran and has hermaphrodite flowers. (Well, it was time we had a bit of sex in this blog.)

Now, below these shrubs at the foot of the banking is a Liquidambar (not yet in full red) and a Rhus typhina.

You can see it has already started to sucker. (Ignore the drain excavations in the background.)

Our big old ash has lost a lot of its leaves and those that remain are yellowed. The younger trees are still green - but it won't be long, yeh! yeh!

More autumn pics -

So, what am I going to do now?

Make a cuppa for the memsahib down in the Wendy House who is writing something or other a lot more erudite than this stuff.
Might make myself one too.
Yes, that is a good idea.
Wish I could sneak a biscuit though.
I am suffering from a dietary deficiency of self indulgence.
The world is treating me bad - misery!

Nearly forgot - compost - had to mention it.