Looking at October’s photos yesterday, I found a few which don’t really justify a post to themselves, so I thought I would collect them together and show a mixed bag.
Starting with the wonderful sunrise I found the morning after the clocks went back 1 hour.
Sunrise at 6am.
I would have missed this beautiful sunrise if the alarm hadn’t gone off at 6am instead of the usual 7 am. The clock changes the time automatically, but doesn’t seem to change the alarm until after it has woken us up!
Conker time!
We have had a bumper crop of conkers * from our Horse Chestnut trees. What a shame I don’t know any little boys that would like them. Even our grandsons are too old now and with the school next door having shut and being turned into a dwelling, I don’t have any little boys knocking on the door any more, asking if they can go into the woodland and look for them. I hope the squirrels don’t decide to plant them all, maybe I’ll have to hide them!
Hamamelis Pallida.
My poor witch hazel is in too much shade. Behind it is a big Bay bush which I think will need a severe cutting back to let more light into the woodland so that Pallida can get a bit more sunshine. This witch hazel didn’t flower last year at all and I think this is the reason, too late now to form flower buds for next year, but hopefully the year after should see an improvement.
Lily.
One of my lilies has decided to flower, I don’t remember ordering this one, it has come as a complete surprise in a pot of Lilium regale! Obviously it must have been sent by mistake and I didn’t notice the difference when planting them, it’s very welcome though, but I’m sure it shouldn’t be flowering in October!
Greenhouse.
Foliage in the greenhouse from Heucheras that have been split, Aeoniums that have taken as cuttings as the plants were getting too long and leggy, dwarf Iris that came as bare root and I have potted up, these will be planted on the alpine scree next spring.
Acer seedlings.
Just further along the bench are my Acer seedlings. These are from Acer Osakazuki which is in the woodland. They haven’t turned the vibrant red colour that their parent does, but good enough I think to be planted out next spring in a different area of the woodland.
Today it is poring down with gales as well and some of the lovely coloured leaves are falling, what a shame. When the trees are bare the garden definitely looks as though it is winter -I’m not ready for the next season yet, lets have a bit more autumn first!
- I have added a link for the explanation of “Conkers” for those not in the UK and haven’t met the word before.
Poor conkers, they do look as if they belong in the middle of vigorous trading – and battle ! Maybe they will have to put up with being squirrel fodder instead, far less glamorous… Fingers crossed that more sunlight causes your witch hazel to give you flowers in future years. Our neighbour is getting more of the sycamores cut back soon, which has me excited, should be much more light in the back garden as a result. My rowan lost all its leaves before they even turned colour this year, I think maybe it had got too dry during the summer, poor thing, I hope a hefty mulch and a wet winter will perk it up again. As for winter, no, not ready for that yet…
I just hope the squirrels don’t hide the conkers in the lawn Janet and then forget where they’ve put them! I keep finding them coming up in the most unlikely places.
If I cut the Bay back, that end of the woodland should get a lot more light which will benefit everything else as well as the witch hazel.
The best colour at the moment is coming from the little Prunus tree Kojo no mai, and thankfully so far, in spite of the wind, the leaves are staying put for now.
I love those conkers, all shiny and bright. I use them as moth repellents in the wardrobe but that is together with cedar oil etc. and it’s possibly an urban myth. Have you ever come across that idea ?
Also, thank you for the reminder: I really must try and get a cutting going from my Acer!
I’ve suddenly remembered that we have quite a few little boys at church who might like some Conkers Rosemarie! I hadn’t heard about using them as moth repellent, I might give that a try, many thanks.
The little acers were grown from seed not cuttings, cuttings would be a much better way of getting exactly the same as the parent. The seed at the moment almost looks ready for me to try some more.
What a joy to have that vibrant lily blooming, though, silly thing, does it not realise it is months late ? Or early!!
The conkers are a lovely symbol of autumn, and they are so tactile when they are fresh and new.
The lily was a lovely surprise, I must make sure I mark it so that I can pot it up on its own next year, maybe I ought to buy some more to keep it company! The new conkers remind me so much of the lovely bark on our Prunus serrula tree, at least I can give that a rub with a duster to make it look shiny again!
I’ve never heard that term, conkers, or at least didn’t know what they were. I like the golden glow of the photo of witch hazel.
Conkers are a favourite of little boys Susie, these days though, health and safety has gone mad and banned them from school playgrounds! The witch hazel used to be in much more sunlight than it is now, so some pruning is needed to restore the balance.
The lily is a nice surprise! The leaves are starting to fall here too, but there is still an awful lot of green. I must see if my acer has perhaps seeded… it hasn’t so far, but seeing your seedlings has made me curious!
It was a lovely surprise Cathy, when it was just at the bud stage, I thought it was the same as the others in the pot, so I was quite amazed when it turned out to be such a beautiful colour! I have 3 Acers, but only ever find seeds on the A. Osakazuki, I keep searching the other trees, but still no seeds on them again this year.
Oh….what a shame, all those conkers and no little chaps lining up for them!
I loved your sunset and those little acers. I hope your witchhazel comes back, I love their flowers.
Our leaves are suddenly dropping en masse too….yes, autumn is fading fast!xxx
I’ve just remembered all the little boys at church Dina, I think they might find a new home! I hope the witch hazel flowers next year or the year after, it used to be covered in flowers in previous years, it just shows how important light is. So many coloured leaves came down in the last couple of days with the high winds, today – all is calm, not a leaf is moving!
I had to google conkers to learn what little boys do with them! I thought perhaps they threw them at each other trying to conk each other on the head! They remind me of some of our acorns, which the squirrels love.
Sorry Deb, I wrongly assumed everyone knew what “conkers” were, I should have left a link to Wikipedia! When we were little my brother and I used to play it, he nearly always won!
How very strange to have that vibrant lily blooming now. And what a healthy bunch of conkers! We’ve had some very blustery weather here too lately, with more to come. it won’t be long now till our trees are bare.
The lily was a lovely surprise Alison and the bees thought so too! Lots of leaves have come down in the last couple of days, today is very calm at the moment, so maybe the remainder of the leaves will last a bit longer.
I lover conkers and always gather a few from our tree to enjoy indoors. Beautiful sunrise! Your greenhouse is full of treasures!
So glad you love conkers Peter, did you play with them when you were a little boy? I’m still frantically taking cuttings, hoping they will root over the winter, soon the little green house will be really full.
You have a nice collection of plants in pots in your greenhouse, Pauline! I wish I would have one.
Sigrun
Thank you Sigrun, it’s only a small greenhouse. but I wouldn’t be without it.
Interesting that our time doesn’t roll back until this coming Sunday! I look forward to seeing the morning light again. Love seeing what is happening on your garden bench!
Getting up earlier than was needed, certainly was a bonus once I saw the sunrise Jayne!
The lily is such a wonderful treat this time of year, gorgeous image. I have never heard the term conker, that is an interesting twist for me.
It was a lovely surprise Charlie, something I wasn’t expecting at all! I hadn’t realised when I did the post that “conker” was just and English word, just as well that I added the link!
All is not lost! The kids and I came across a sidewalk full of ‘conkers’ and had a good amount of fun collecting, playing and throwing them. Some things never change despite heath and safety’s overreactions.
I’m slightly envious of all the cuttings and young plants in your greenhouse. For months I’ve been talking of the same yet have never com through on the promise. Good for you!
Thank goodness for big and little boys Frank!
When starting the garden here, I decided that I had better learn how to do cuttings to increase the number of plants that I wanted to plant. I just buy one plant of anything and then take cuttings so that I can plant 3, 4, or 5 to make a larger clump. I do love plants that are free!
This year does seem to be a good one for conkers. They are so brown and shiny, I always think it is a pity not to use them for something. The squirrels are busy burying them everywhere.
I love acers grown from seed as you never quite know what you will get. I have 3 little beauties coming along nicely in the greenhouse too.
I’ m looking forward to seeing your little irises in bloom.
I must bring some conkers inside Chloris as I’m being told that moths and spiders don’t like them!
I think this years seed are almost ready on Acer Osakazuki, so will probably try again to see what comes. The dwarf iris came as bare root plants,they will be planted out next spring as I think they now have lots of roots, I’m looking forward to them flowering too!
I was told, but I don’t remember who by, that if you put conkers into a net bag and put them in the wardrobe they will deter the clothes moth. I’ve tried putting them with a woollen coat and it hasn’t been attacked. Clothes moths are a big problem here in Italy, more so than I remember in the UK, I’ve ‘lost’ several jumpers to them!
I must try that Christina, thanks for mentioning it. We don’t have much of a problem with clothes moths, but I do have rather a lot of woollen jumpers and a coat , so it’s better to be safe than sorry!