I can’t believe it’s autumn already, or at least it seemed like it when we got up on August 9th to find it was thick fog and a lot cooler than it had been of late.
I know by now though, that when we wake up to fog, it’s out with the camera to find all the spider’s webs decorating the garden.
They all seem to show up much better with purple foliage behind.
I’m really not ready for autumn, we have only had one full week and a few odd days of proper summer weather so far, the plants don’t seem to mind though.
Today is very dull, lots of cloud and quite a strong wind which makes it feel very cool. I spoke too soon, its now pouring down once more!
This looks like a starter home for someone.
A creche for lots of baby spiders?
I feel autumn is definitely on the way once the cyclamen start flowering.
Japanese anemones definitely belong to autumn, they brighten up the border at the back in front of the woodland.
Paeony mlokosowitschii has a third moment of glory. First when the gorgeous wine coloured shoots first appear in the spring, second when it flowers and third when the seed heads split open and show these bright pink seeds. These are not viable unfortunately, its only worth sowing the seed if they are black.
Once seeds heads start opening, this is a sure sign that autumn is on the way, along with berries starting to ripen. Would have been nice to have had a summer but the flowers aren’t complaining, with so much rain every day for weeks and months, they have grown and flowered like never before. Also there are signs that this will mean plenty of flowers next spring, but that will be another post!
Hi Pauline,
No such weather here… yet *touches wood* but this week is meant to be poor (grumblesmyweekoffgrumble). However I have noticed ripe Rowan berries and yesterday noticed my Cotoneaster berries are turning red. I’m not ready for Autumn; I don’t think anyone is this year 🙁
We do have an abundance of blooms though; summer blooms still going strong, meeting the autumn blooms such as Asters when normally I’d have very little in bloom now.
Liz, today has turned out to be very fine rain that makes everything very wet. Berries are starting to colour and some leaves are starting to show their red colour, its all too soon! Flowers though are loving it being cooler, they are lasting longer which is lovely, we’ve never had the garden look so flowery at this time of year.
I know how you feel Pauline that’s how I felt last year with our very wet summer, autumn and winter, I hope your rain doesn’t go on and on like ours did, slight showers here and very strong winds, from blog reading most peoples gardens seem to have coped better with the rain this year than the drought last year so there is a silver linning for garden lovers, I love those bright red seeds and I too like the purple/maroon shoots of paeony, love all the spiders webs, they always look jewel like when wet, Frances
I think the pluses outweigh the minuses Frances, so many more flowers and lasting for such a long time. Being on a water meter where we have to pay for every drop, we only water the garden, except for the fruit and veg, from our water butts. Usually at this time of year we are frantically flinging buckets of water on hydrangeas, rhododendrons and camellias to stop them losing their leaves and next years flower buds. The difference this year is amazing, will do a post soon about this, give me rain any day over drought.
Not ready for autumn either. Spotted rosehips the other day and my Japanese anemones, which I always think of as an autumn flower, have been blooming for weeks. Like you I feel like I need more warmth and sun before I’m ready to hunker down for winter.
I agree, a bit more warmth on my back before I have to resort to an extra jumper! September is usually good, hope it is this year!
Sorry that I’m longing for some rain when allyou UK gardeners haven’t had a summer. The spider webs covered in dew or rain are lovely but as you say a sure sign that autumn is around the corner. A good September can be more beautiful than a hot August. Chrisitna
I agree Christina, that September is usually a good month, the weather always seems to improve when the children go back to school! Hope that you soon get some precious rain and your heat gets turned down to a bearable level.
Great shots here. As much as I fear spiders I have to admit their webs are things of beauty. Love your cyclamen as well, very vibrant!
Thanks for visiting Grace, I can’t resist photographing the spiders webs when I see them, they are so beautiful.
We will have at least another month of hot, steamy summer, but I am looking forward to fall! Although June was extremely hot and dry, we have had a lot of thunderstorms since then, so at least we are not having a drought like other parts of the country. Your photos are wonderful. I love the bejeweled spider webs.
Plants have to be so resilient Deb, to cope with all that nature throws at them. The difference this year is amazing, the foliage is so lush and tall, quite a jungle with all our rain, then when the sun does manage to come out it feels hot and steamy!
Hi Pauline, The days are still pretty warm here, but the evenings are cooler now. The arrival of spring bulb catalogues has definitely put me in mind of fall.
Your spider web shots are terrific. I have tried to photograph webs myself and it is a tricky subject matter. This gives me all the more appreciation for what you have accomplished with your camera.
Thanks Jennifer, sometimes the camera focuses on the web but sometimes on what is behind it, a bit hit and miss! As you say, all the bulb catalogues are reminding us to order now because winter isn’t far away, must get on with it!
Love your spider web photographs and yes, I feel autumn approaching even though we’re still having lots of hot summery days here. Your cyclamen is so cheerful. I keep meaning to try them in my garden–have grown them inside for years and they demand so little.
Do try hardy Cyclamen hederifolium in your garden PBM, they are so dainty, only about 3 or 4 inches tall, with tiny flowers and will flower from now almost until Christmas when Cyclamen coum take over and they then flower until March/April. I plant mine near to deciduous shrubs or near hedges where they don’t seem to mind the drier soil and they like the shade provided.
Hi Pauline, not quite what you want to see, is it, the autumn spiders moving in when we haven’t even had the August Bank Holiday. I am pinning my hoped on an Indian Summer.
Me too Janet!! It can only get better can’t it? Seriously though, I’m happy with how the garden has coped and I would much rather have the rain than a drought where precious things die.
Fog and cobwebs here too in the last week Pauline as well as spring bulbs for sale in our local Wilkos 🙁 Autumn has much to commend it but surely there must be some more glimpses of summer before we declare autumn officially open. I do hope so.
Anna, I have a feeling this might be it, unless September does something wonderful for us. You mention spring bulbs, must get my order in so that next spring will be wonderful, gardeners are forever optimistic!