AUTUMN IS EARLY

 Or so it seems, cool, unsettled, windy wet weather, blackberries ready, rowanberries on the mountain ash - can summer be done already?

Down by the pond something stirs, it is me, rather it is I, raking the grass on the wildflower area into rows ready for collection and disposal.

In the pond the waterlily is flowering again after its mauling by the pond clear out. One or two dying leaves are changing into wonderful colours.

The yellow flag are now in full pod - great green fat things ready to spread where I do not want them. As they are by the stream I always wonder whether the gardeners lower down are now beset by iris plants.

Looking upon at the banking above I love the different shapes the leaves have - no flowers now but still such a variety.

Tree peony at the top, liquidambar left and something that has been on earth for millions of years below - gingko. Further up the cardoons are almost in flower.

And we have flowers - the orange day lily, here with yesterday's, today's and tomorrow's bloom. 

The alstroemerias I dug up are not all gone and flowering, their red colour difficult to use in combination with other plants. Perhaps I should just accept the blast they give. However they are next to pink Japanese anemones, not an ideal match.

To the woods and we find a gatekeeper butterfly,

then two small white butterflies upside down procreating before laying their eggs on the broccoli.

We have a few gladioli in a sort of bronze colour I rather like but R does not. I seem to remember they were an extra freebie with an order.

S the gardener has been and cleared away the grass from the meadow, and, put in new pots and wire for the raspberry canes. I have now tied these in.

Here is an example of a non-arrangement - go to garden, cut anything of bright colour and stuff in a vase, no plan, no balance - too much white on left - etc etc but pow!

The lawn needs mowing but it is WET and just clogs the mower so not yet.

This is the wild barberry, Berberis vulgaris which grows in the back hedge, here in fruit. 

The berries are edible and rich in vitamin C.  In the past the berries were known as pipperages and were frequently used in making jam, tart pickles and jellies. Barberry is reported to have many health benefits due to the compound Berberine, which apparently improves heart health, stimulates the immune system and regulates blood sugar amongst other qualities.

Not tried it though.

So it continues damp. Sitting in the living room I watch a stoat carrying a kit in its mouth by the back of its neck cross to the woodshed. Then she does the same with another. Must be moving house somewhere drier?