SEASON OF MISTS AND . . .

not a sign of mellow fruitfulness, just wind and rain and rain and rain. 

The butterflies are still with us especially on the remaining buddliea flowers.

Comma to the left, red admirals right. The inundation of painted ladies has dissipated now.

The holly in the bottom hedge is loaded with berries as are the briars and cotoneasters. Does that spell out a hard winter to come? No doubt the blackbirds, thrushes, redwings and fieldfares will enjoy the harvest.

Rosey's hydrangea cuttings are potted up for the winter and the bushes are still putting on a good show. I must soon plant out the ones I took last year as they have rooted.




There is leaf colour coming and leaf fall now from the ash trees.


Strawberry leaves to the left, Euonymus to the right.

Down the garden the water lily leaves are beginning to submerge but, as soon as my knee allows I will need to tidy up the banks of the pond.

At the back of the house the Michaelmas Daisies are finally coming into flower but flopping across the way to the front door (the one at the back). So a primitive use of stakes has been employed to hold them back.

In fact they have become too big and will need to the dug up, divided and replanted this winter.

The stream is a bit clogged as my operation came before I could prepare it for autumn so it has overflowed into the white birches. Yesterday I donned my boots and went and limped off down the garden and cleared some of it out. Also, with all the rain, springs have appeared near the bonfire area so, as to try and protect the grass, I dug a small trench across to the stream.
And then hobbled back to the house.

In the new rose bed Lois and Ian's rose is flowering again. The bed needs a good cut back and clear out, The aquilegias have almost taken over having sown themselves everywhere.

We have abundant apples and pears and R took some to church at the weekend - and left the trug behind. They may rise a pound or two for the coffers.

Another flowering glory at this time of year are the Kaffir lilies, so delicate. I prefer this deeper red to the paler pink ones.

Between the showers and longer spells of rain I have planted up two pots with Madame LeFebre red tulips, R dead headed and I mowed the small lawns near the house - very slowly as per knee.

Still harvesting apples and pears.