LAST SIPS OF NECTAR

To begin here are some of the butterflies busy stocking up on nectar for the winter. Small tortoiseshell to the left, peacock to the right.

Red admirals below.

I have just just read that there are 350,699 known species of plant in the world at present. Botanic gardens across the world grow 105,634 of these. 

I wonder if they include bindweed, couch grass and so on. If not I have a ready supply of such.

The weather seems continually overcast, grey, and damp. Mowing is on hold as is my enthusiasm. I have brought in the pelargonium with the scented leaves and the epiphyllums. Yesterday I planted crocus under the canopy raised magnolia grandiflora but have more to go - somewhere. The orange tulips ordered have arrived - for the pots by the main door.

R has been a tidying and so on and I brought in the rest of the partly munched beetroot, boiled it and packed it in jars with pickling vinegar.

The clematis armandii on the shed has got out of hand so has been cut back. This should have been done after it flowered in the spring but . . . . .

Just back from a break in Kelso in Scotland where we went to Floors Castle, the home of the Duke of Roxburgh, and walked around the walled garden. The "hot" borders shown here were tremendous. There was some interesting September planting and I likes the use of Perovskia blue spire with the yellows and reds.

Just had to extract the sit-on mower from a foot deep sump of mud when trying to mow the grass - never know the garden to be so wet.

When the sun does come out the light is so good with all the rain washing the air clean.

 Early morning light is especially fine when the dew is on the grass.

One plant that is doing well is the Anemone japonica alba on the other side of the path from the roses. Unfortunately it is starting to invade the path let alone the neighbouring plants. Strict measures will be needed to control it. Some time ago I dug up the pink version and removed it - but every small rootlet has sprouted and is becoming a nuisance - a weed!

Another plant that has flowered all summer is the perennial wallflower Erysimum 'Bowle's Mauve' here on the left. It goes on and on as long as flowering shoots that are over are removed. 

The architects have been round measuring up and making notes - I cannot quite believe we are upsizing!

The lawns are eternally wet thwarting mowing and the hours of daylight are getting shorter.

THE SHORTENING OF THE DAYS

As dark weaves dusk,

soft moths rise,

last martins leave 

through sombre skies,

garden plots are silent, 

graphite grey, wait -

come redwings - portents

for the shortening of the days.

Stark trees are still,

twigs, branches bare,

keen autumn chill

sucks at ageing air,

late mist, condensed,

drenches reeds, fescue, 

bends withered bent

with cold leaden dew.

Through gloom

October warmlight

from a harvest moon

butts back the night,

bans black, blue;

it fails to stay

the maudlin mood:

the shortening of the the days.