THERMOSTAT DOWN/UP AGAIN

 The garden is flourishing, perhaps too much? Our white birches stand tall at the far end of the garden as do the swathes of uncut grass.

Time for the strimmer?

There are long shoots and tangled thorny clumps of bramble in the wood and the bottom hedge will need laying, perhaps this winter. Unlike the blackberries in the lane hedges the ones in the woodland might flower but do not bear much in the way of fruit.

But we do have apples and pears. I have been up in the far lawn and cut out two twenty foot high osiers that have been flattened by past storms. I used my small hand chainsaw. The chain can come off and I have to be sure I put it back the right way around.

One gnarled old willow is sprouting vigorously and there are signs of ash dieback in some of our mature trees. To remove them would be very expensive so we watch and wait.

We may not have many butterflies though yesterday I noted a few gatekeepers and a couple of small whites. We do have plenty of buddleia flowers if they are hungry.

I do like plants that sow themselves, well some like the feverfew and mulleins and woundwort. Others seem to grow well even in the untended areas - yellow loosestrife and acanthus. The former is, of course. a wild plant. The red flower on the left is good(?) old Lucifer.

And then there is the gunnera getting bigger and bigger.

Not far away is the pond and wild plants - greater willow herb (though this seems everywhere this year), the fat pods of the yellow flag, meadowsweet and thistledown.

So much going on and so little desire to do stuff. Anyway it is raining again.

IS THAT IT?

 

We have had three days of warm sunshine but is that it? Now cloudy mizzly and temperatures only in the mid teens.

Plums, damsons and greengages seem scarce but I have been picking blackcurrants and apples look promising.

We have growth from our new asparagus and the wisteria that was moribund has suddenly started sprouting! It may be that our big geranium has also returned from the dead. We watch with interest.

Our ruby wedding tree is half dead and has been severely pruned and the Netto (or was it Lidl) cherry has been cut to the ground - always was a sickly tree.

Some things are just wonderful and the Philadelphus Belle Etoile is covered in flowers and pushing out scent as are the small bed of pinks. Have cut some and they fill the downstairs with from though still prefer the clove smell of Mrs Sinkins.

We have roses and tucked away under a buddleia there is a large allium. I don't remember putting it there but that is nothing new.

All in all everything seems completely out of control and flooding the garden with vegetation.

Apart from that more whites - geranium and risibly thriving.

Than there are the little gems like here the astrantia and geranium Ann Folkard.

I will HAVE to get a fruit cage. when picking the back currants I had to chase away blackbirds from the other currants and the raspberries as they complain I am stealing THEIR food.

So I drink my ginger and turmeric which presumably turns my insides orange, dream of having only a window box and make R another cup of tea as she is out tearing up creeping buttercup, bindweed and goosegrass.

WET WET WET

 I feel it in my fingers, I feel it in my toes - well wearing wellies, so much rain it runs from the back field across the garden in sheets and streams.

It is wetter than I can remember and the heap of twigs I call a bonfire is never going to light for November 5th even with loads of fuel and paper. 

I have cut back the shrubs hanging over the path to the upper garden and trimmed the dying paeonies. It seems pointless blowing leaves off paths etc when the forecast includes gales - just blow the leaves back let alone those to come off the trees. 

It is becoming quite clear looking at the weather forecast for the next two weeks that staying off much of the garden is the only option. Today is Friday and gales and rain sweep in.

On Saturday I manage to rake out the stream and the spring in the field. Also I fork over the compost heaps - not really breaking down as I would want. R does a great job clearing back plants that are past it.

The groove in the far grass designed to help dry the way to the far end is full of water but the turf below it is still waterlogged.

I have pulled the last rhubarb stems - inedible now - and they will go on the compost.

The tangle over the old well is now impenetrable especially as the Rambling Rector rose is so vicious.

So time for a breather. Sunday and sunny, walk at Kirkby and a coffee at Pam's wonderful cafe.

Here are some sunny autumn pictures (at last) mainly of the euonymus elata and the acer sango-kaku my sister gave us when we moved in.

They are both tucked near out notable sycamore (Woodland Trust) but the latter is producing so much seed it carpets the tarmac.

I suppose I ought to mention produce but the Bramleys in the kitchen are fed up waiting to be cooked. We still have some wrapped up elsewhere form later in the season.

So here is to A sunny day - though it seems to be clouding over again.

WAITING FOR

 The garden is very still, hot and humid, waiting. Mist in the morning - it seems a bit early for mellow fruitfulness.

The lower garden pre strim is lush with paths in the long grass. There are a few wild flowers like the wild carrot but it does seem to be mostly grass - so much for yellow rattle.

When the sun shines it is hot, 31C on Monday, and the doors in the extension are wide open. We have a new flush of flowers.

I am not sure I like the ratty tailed white flowers here but the valerian seems to go on for ever. The wild fuchsia by the gate I planted to remind me of hedges at Glencolumbkille is loaded with hanging flowers.

Elsewhere there are warms colours, yellows and reds in abundance. The rose is called The Poet's Wife.

But we have blues and purples - a shrubby clematis and Perovskia Blue Spire (never blue).

Just to confirm we do have weeds I found this delightful clump of nettles and bindweed yesterday.

And of course we have fruit - friends picking the glut of plums and damsons but leaving the elderberries and pears - the latter not yet ripe.

I notice that something has had a nibble at the pears.

But fruiting bodies that are not edible - well I have not tried to eat them - are also interesting - yellow flag iris and marsh thistle.

One thing I do like is the peeling bark on the white birches but this year the eucalyptus is doing a much more spectacular job. And then there are surprises like the horse chestnut sapling deep in the wood.

And so to wild life, no not the rabbits that gather by the cattle grid in the morning but the butterflies. Suddenly the garden is full of them, especially red admirals and speckled woods.

Let me finish on a small and perfect not with this little geranium -

Perfect.