What a stroke of luck I booked this week off work! The weather has been glorious, although with a marked nip in the air at night, during the day it’s been warm and sunny. I love September. Some people groan “oh it’s climate change”, but I remember going to school in September dressed in a summer dress, pullover and blazer, by lunchtime we would be sitting in the sun on the school fields having discarded our pullovers and jumpers. 50 years ago no one used the expression climate change – it was just the norm.
I am writing this on the 2nd October, a few days late for the EOMV, and it’s still warm and sunny. The only bugbear I have at this time of year is fighting my way through the spiders and the many webs they have managed to weave around the garden, trapping me at every turn.
I do think that the plants are a little confused, and have been lulled into believing it’s still time to be flowering. My Compassion Rose is still in bloom, and today I noticed a lot of greenfly.
I am still cutting sweet peas, but I suspect this may be the last lot which is sad as I have had an excellent supply for my mum, who loves sweet peas.
I also noticed that Penstemon ‘Sour Grapes’ , whilst looking a little leggy is producing new flowers.
In the middle of the garden, Penstemon ‘Garnet’ and Salvia ‘Hot Lips’ are not ready to close down for autumn yet.
I tried to get away from the pink theme in my garden this year but by default and not design it would seem that pink is still the predominant colour, after green. However, I am really proud of the Cosmos ‘Pied Piper’ grown from seed, as long as I keep remembering to deadhead them on a regular basis they are providing lots of color in the bottom border.
The side patio was becoming a bit of a jungle and was in need of a serious tidy up. Here, again, the spiders lay their traps for me, stringing their webs from one side to the other, which makes it a bit like running the gauntlet when I go to the bins. I now carry refuse bags in front of me, face high but still get caught sometimes.
As I was photographing the garden this morning, I noticed that the Fatsia Japonica is throwing up their peculiar spikes of what I suppose could be called flowers.
At this time of the year the hydrangeas slowly move into their autumn shades. The Madame Emile Mouilliere is turning from a pure white to a pale green tinged with pink.
Still on the side patio. I am not sure what happened but a few months ago half of the choysia died. I lopped off all the dead parts and am happy to say that it has recovered and is healthy again. It did me a favour as it was really rather large and it now a lot neater.
Regular followrs of my blog will know that I have been reviewing an online 4 week container gardening course run by MyGardenSchool. It has made me take stock of the odd assortment of containers and plants that I have dotted around and I am slowly having a sort out and rethink. Looking after pots of plants need a lot more thought than I usually give them which is probably why they always look so neglected by the end of the summer.
Moving on to the back garden again. The north facing side of the garden will not see anymore sun now until next year. It gets very damp and boggy, however, the hydrangea and astil be live very happily in these conditions.
On this trip around the garden, a quick visit to the front garden, which doesn’t often get a look in. The Cotoneaster is glowing red in the sunshine and always amazes me, it grows in the wall and I can’t think where it gets its goodness from.
There is a large Skimmia in the front which is covered in red berries all year round. The leaves are looking pale and slightly yellow so I think it probably needs a bit of a feed.
That almost ends my EOMV tour of the garden at the end of September, well two days into October! Before I go, let me share the Sedum which is looking magnificent, as usual, and the nasturtiums that always appear about this time of the year and brighten up a dark corner.
Thank you Helen from Patient Gardener at http://www.patientgardener.wordpress.com for hosting the End of Month View. Please hop over to her blog and take a look at all the other EOMV’s from a whole load of other garden bloggers from around the world as well as the UK.