The saddest thing about not working locally anymore is that now the days are shorter, I leave the house just as the sun is rising and I get home in the dark. No longer am I able to potter in the garden morning and evenings with work sandwiched in between. There is no opportunity to check what is going on, or wander around with my camera. It does mean that writing fresh and interesting blog posts supported by photos are limited to weekends. I missed Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, which was on the 15th and as I was away last weekend I wasn’t even able to prepare in advance.
Today, the weather is decidedly murky, with a drizzle in the air. I have done a little gardening but the ground is squelching and water lying in puddles in the border edges. It is not, however, cold and there are plants still flowering with a few surprises.
As I was walking back into the house, I saw what I thought looked like an ugly bug in the middle of the Pond Iris. On looking closer, I realised that they are seed heads. They have been in my water feature for several years but I have never noticed them look like this before.
It gave me the idea to grab the camera and see what other oddities and items of interest in the garden at this time of year.
The Sedum, is sending out new fresh shoots and flowers just behind the larger part of the plant which has fallen over through the weight of the flower heads.
Just to the left of the above plants, the Peony is beginning to send out new shoots. I am going to leave them alone this year, because I think it was covering them with compost last year, to protect them,may possibly be one of the reasons they didn’t flower this year. If anyone thinks this is not the right thing to do please let me know, it was so disappointing not to get a single flower. You can see how very wet the soil is from this photo also.
The roses are still blooming and producing buds.
I still have flowers on the Penstemons and the Salvia “Hot Lips”.
I becoming quite a fan of Salvias and the variety of flowers and colours the species has. There is a vivid blue at the bottom of the garden which is really eye catching, but I don’t know what it is called. I must remember to keep labels of plants that I buy, especially when I move them about.
I have several Spirea bushes dotted around the garden and this one, again I don’t know the variety, is producing lots of pink flowers. So along with the Scabious and the Asters that are all still in bloom, this part of the garden is looking very much in the pink.
There is a heather plant that I put just below the Compassion Rose and despite the fact that it is not supposed to like the soil it is growing in, it has lived very happily for over ten years. I chop it back in the Spring to keep it in check. Today I saw that it is beginning to flower. I am sure this is much earlier than before.
The other plant flowering which I am sure has not flowered in the autumn before is the Choysia, although, I know it can flower over the winter.
Finally, I wanted to share the honeysuckle with you, it is covered in dark, juicy looking berries. That will keep the birds happy.
What a shame I have to wait for weekends during the next few months to view my garden. Fingers crossed for some sunshine tomorrow because I have bags of bulbs that should go out now.
