FRUITS AND FLOWERS

Well, not quite autumn yet but plenty of fruits to harvest, some just to enjoy like the guelder rose.

Elsewhere we have plums and pears, apples and damsons, and one big marrow. Now, I know marrow is a Marmite thing - you love it or hate it. For me it brings back memories of childhood on the farm with, once a year, a big marrow stuffed with lamb mince (probably mutton) and baked.

There are hips on the rosa rugosa and the rosa rubrifolia, the latter originally from Wormleighton Manor in Warwickshire.

The insect life continues to thrive, butterflies, dragonflies and bees.

So you know when you are getting older when your 15 year old grandson comes to visit and you have to reach up to hug him - and I am 5ft 10in.

Autumn definitely here - we have now picked 10 pounds of blackberries from the lane side. 

I have raked and seeded the flower meadow today, then lightly watered it. Part has been done a la Prince Charles as good friends brought me some seed from Highgrove. So I have carefully used that on a separate area and we will see if his seed mix or mine is best.

Talking of insects - well I am now, this is a Robin's pincushion on a wild rose. It is a type of gall. Also called the Bedeguar Gall it is caused by Diploepsis rosae, a small gall wasp. 

I have been pruning the first of the Brachyglottis (Senecio bush) and in the depths found this old nest. Only another five bushes to go. Hope they are easier as this one was full of stinging nettles and, no, I did not spot them in time. On the way back from the bonfire I was accosted by Mr Pheasant who waited as I gave him half a plum and some sunflower seed. One dramatic display in the garden at the moment is the white willowherb in full seed.

Flowers still - sweet peas, white Japanese anemones and dahlias. There are some barer areas so we went to the garden centre but there was nothing worth buying but a convolvulus cneorum  and that was £38!!

 

Damsons nearly ripe but we still have some from last year (and damson gin). Perhaps give some away.

I  thought there was nothing on this garden video - then . . .

Some of the leaves are turning and not yet September 😟😞.