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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