Dog Toys and Green Mice

I can hardly believe the summer is over. The sun is still warm but early morning and late evenings are getting chilly. I heard on the news that we were due for first frosts so I have got on and taken my first geranium cuttings. Steve`s greenhouse has been emptied of tomato plants so we have some room.

Since then no sign of frosts in the forecast. But at least I have the job started.

There is still lots of colour in our own garden, plants hanging on to colour.

Tithonia .... an annual that I have only recently discovered.

The self-seeded sunflower, virtually the only suflower left.

This dahlia is called Sarah Raven.

But I don`t know the name of this one.

Many tiny seedlings are sprouting up all round the garden.

 

I recognise cosmos ....

.....calendula with wretched oxalis....

...... more cosmos .....

..... and yet to be identified, could be hollyhock or could be a weed!!

I grew this coleus from seed.

As the nights draw in, I have begun to prepare.

I have also been trying dog toys at the request of my niece for her new puppy, Gordon. They are made from denim.

On Friday there is a Macmillan Coffee morning in the village. I have been asked to make six floral arrangements for the tables. These tiny mice will be part of the display.

If I can get my head past the fact that summer is over, I can really enjoy September.

And Strictly has started.

 

Green Green Grass

My very first job when this garden was created was to cut this path from the undergrowth, to allow easy access to the raised bed. 

Here it is in Nov 2011.

 

And this is from Mar 2012.

Over the past few years a great deal of my time has been spent weeding this path.Throughout this year we have allowed the big path to do its own thing. It has been very beautiful. And at times it virtually disappeared. It is also a good source of new plants.

We discussed earlier in the year the next step in "wilding" and we decided to grass it.

Today we completed the weeding, lifted the weed suppressant which has been in situ for over 10 years....

It`s done a good job.

Then I raked it down roughly and Steve raked it completely level and stamped it down.

We seeded it.
We chose a mixture of 5 different grasses. Then it was raked in and watered.

From all over the garden we found netting, odd bits of fence etc to cover and protect. At the end of all that, it was a late lunch at home and we felt exhausted.

Next year we will be scattering some of the wide range of seeds we have collected this season.

We look forward to the grass seed germinating.

Elsewhere round the garden plenty of colour still and the grass is growing well especially on the dead-looking areas.
 

 

Soggy Menus at Perch Hill

We were given a lovely shared birthday present ...

a visit to Sarah Raven`s open garden day with lunch included.

On Thursday we woke up to torrential rain which continued all morning. We did wonder whether the trip was going to happen.

But we kept thinking positively and set off.

Ten minutes from Sarah Raven`s Perch Hill garden, we had researched the nearest nurseries and paid a visit to 

Rapkyn`s Nursery, 

Street End Lane, Broad Oak, Nr Heathfield TN21 8UB

Here we spent a tantalising hour chatting to the lovely owners Steven and Morag. We chose a fantastic selection of plants with the most expert advice, sheltering in polytunnels for the downpours. There are not many real nurseries left but this one is wonderful. The prices are really good.

From there it was a short drive back to Perch Hill.

We had to sit in the car, dodging rain, before making our way to the garden, where a rather soggy lady greeted us with even soggier menus for lunch.

We made our way through to the barn for a delicious lunch with home-grown produce.

It was still raining.

We didn`t linger for long as the gardens were waiting.

Sarah Raven is well-known for her colour combinations.

Here is a small selection of my many photos.

The dahlias

 

I was rather jealous of the wallflowers. I haven`t done so well this year.

We loved the warm south facing conservatory with more exotic plants.

All the time we were looking round there was blue sky and sunshine. We felt very lucky.

Black eyed Susan

 

A combination of mina lobata and climbing petunias.

And this idea was clever ..... dotted round the garden. 

 

And here I am at the end of the dahlia trial beds. 

 

I grabbed a catalogue and treated myself to two packets of seeds.

 

It will soon be time to think of spring!!