Still Standing

During our week away Anne looked after the polytunnel for us. Unfortunately there were strong winds. Our own garden lost most of the sunflowers and hollyhocks, some in full flower but at Freshwinds Garden they have survived, almost.

 I did come home with a huge bunch.

But the poor dahlias had been flattened in places and looked very sorry for themselves.

Some paths were inpassable with bright yellow helianthus bowed down to the ground and nevertheless covered in bees, self-seeded borage going wild and deep orange tithonia leaning at 45 degrees. So that was a priority, but not before a long chat with Anne in the warm sunshine. 

 

The Michaelmus daisy was beautiful as always attracting so many insects, including a tatty Peacock butterfly.

 

As we assessed the damage, a group of campers came through on their way home, complimenting us on the beautiful garden and saying it was a lovely place to be. Sometimes we need to heed these comments and look with different eyes.

 

The pirate scarecrow was indoors. He must have fallen in the high winds. But two remain. It won`t be long before they go inside for the winter months.

 

We enjoyed a very warm teabreak as I tied more colourful bunches of statice and laid helichrysum flowers to dry.

 

We were loaded up with tomatoes, courgettes, red peppers and beans. 

 

 

It was inevitable that we had stuffed red peppers for dinner.

 

These early autumn days are a total bonus and to be savoured to the last minute.