Golden Ootober

Oh the beauty of a warm, late October day .... not a breath of wind, buzzards mewing overhead, cheeky robins by our side, bees basking in golden sunshine.

It was glorious.

 It was a day to sit and enjoy, but there is still such a lot to do.

We took our welcome teabreak here later.

 

My main aim was to tackle this flowerbed. Luckily it was in the sun. The grass was dewy so it was a wellie day.

It was mostly Michaelmus daisy to cut back and everlasting sweetpeas, but as I cut, I found no end of interesting plants covered by the thugs of the border. After the clearing there will have to be a lot of thinning. Four beds to go yet.

 

I just had time to continue with the shrubbery which looks very different, fronted by home-grown wallflowers.

 

I have cut back the forsythia quite hard as well as my Mum`s lilac. The latter has sent out myriads of runners. I thinned out many perenniels .... Michaelmus daisy, grasses, lychnis and helianthus. 

I had to stake the wallflowers with short canes as they were a bit floppy and I have pinched out the tops.

The dahlias are managing to hang on, though they have taken a battering. They are like bright jewels in the sunlight.

 

Steve has dug out the second compost heap and spread it all around. He also sowed broad beans in the polytunnel.

I have taken a closer look at the insect hotel for a few ideas.

Tim`s brother Nick has delivered some huge logs from elsewhere on the farm. The ones in the background by the pond have been in situ for over 10 years and are gradually sinking. Its going to be a hard job to move all of them.

It was a very delightfully, productive morning.

 

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Spooky Craft and Colourful Cosmos

 One week ago we were in shorts and vest tops. This week I am seriously considering a warmer vest and the fire has been lit in the evenings.

We have had our first frost. Dahlia leaves are partially blackened. Things are beginning to look tatty. But there is still so much colour.

The cosmos are startling in the autumn sunshine.

 

 

 

Harvesting continues with the most incredible peppers I have ever grown.

We've picked the Fiesta apples and the quince.

This evening we have had pumpkin and tomato soup .... a strange combination but it worked.

And plenty more to share with the children in the family.

In the greenhouse we also have chillies and beans drying off.

 

This is Twinings Smartie .... an interesting photo in that it has reverted to both parents on the same plant.

 

With Hallowe'en fast approaching I have turned to some seasonal crafting.

Today we began a new insect hotel in our own garden. 

More later.
 

Wicked

 I felt wicked yesterday when I deprived the bumblebees of a nectar source but I just had to get on and plant up some of the wallflowers. This meant clearing the tatty plants of the tithonia even though the flowers were still blooming about 8 feet up. Why have they grown so tall this year?

They have made a very welcome splash of colour in a vase at home.

The wallflowers are good plants but they are looking a little sorry for themselves. I did pinch out the tops and I may stake them later. The ground is sooo dry. At the back I`ve put a row of hollyhocks.

 

Our teabreak view is completely different.

 

The last two scarecrows came in. One will last another year. She looks quite happy.

 

But one is needing a new head for next year. 

The fading is quite remarkable.

 

They will be spending their winter in the polytunnel which is looking very colourful. Many of the fairies are indoors now and hanging out amongst the bunches of drying statice.

 

The phacelia is fully open ....

 

......and even annual poppies are making a come-back.

 

Steve was busy emptying the first compost heap and then he began to move the next lot over. All hard work. I used some of our lovely home-made compost on the wallflower bed.

The weather is amazing. We are still in shorts and slapping on the suntan lotion. Even so, autumn jobs have to be done.