September is the time when butterflies are frantically feeding on the flowers in the garden and the berries are forming which will keep the birds fed through the first half of the winter and gradually changing colour now that the cooler temperatures are with us at night time.
Painted Lady on Eupatorium maculatum atropurpureum, which I think is the best flower for butterfly food, it beats the buddlia next to it every time.
Speckled Wood resting on Phormium Yellow Wave in the back garden.
Brimstone on the left with a Cabbage White in the background.
Brimstone with Red Admiral. A Tortoiseshell tried to join them but they chased it away.
Red Admiral.
Tortoiseshell butterfly.
Another Painted Lady and Red Admiral.
Not a butterfly but a moth, I think it is either a Light Emerald or Small Emerald moth on the lawn, lovely colour.
The Jersey Tiger moth paid us a visit one day last week, actually on the buddlia for a change.
With its wings closed.
Wandering round the garden, I can’t help but notice the berries in all the borders. At the moment the bushes are laden with them but I know that they won’t last long once it gets colder.
Pyracantha by the driveway.
Cotoneaster horizontalis growing up the kitchen wall.
The wild Arum, this pops up all over the shady areas in the garden.
Holly berries are ripening on Ilex Golden King.
There is plenty of fruit for the birds and me on my Bramley apple tree
Also lots of blackberries to go with my apples.
Honeysuckle berries, I think this must be a seedling from Honeysuckle Graham Thomas which isn’t very far away.
Rosa glauca in the back garden is absolutely covered with rose hips.
My big yew tree in the corner of the back garden looks as though it has been decorated with tiny faury lights.
An autumnal scene by the archway into the woodland.
A garden visitor that I see more often in the autumn and winter is the Long Tailed Tit. They visit the garden in small flocks, chattering as they flit through. At the moment they are coming each morning to feed on the fat ball that I put out for them. They are so cute, just a ball of fluff with a long tail.
The garden definitely has an autumnal look about it. Leaf colours are gradually changing, beginning to look more golden and even though we have had some lovely hot sunny days recently, night time temperatures are definitely dropping. Soon all the wildlife will be stocking up on their supplies of food for the winter, if they haven’t started already, I just hope I will have enough for them.
I loved all the photos of the butterflies, you do have a great variety. The moths were wonderful too! Autumn has crept in, it’s almost time to put the heating on each evening.xxx
Autumn is definitely just round the corner Dina, we have had a few chilly evenings here too. I was almost tempted to light the wood burner one evening but snuggled down under a lovely warm throw instead, I always try to get to October before using any heating! Lovely to see all the butterflies in the autumn sunshine, I must enjoy them while I can.
Interesting that we have Red Admirals and Painted Ladies in common. I don’t see Tortoiseshell or Speckled Woods. I wonder if your Brimstones are the same as our Sulphurs. We definitely don’t have the Jersey Tiger Moth – a splendid creature!
The Brimstone Jason looks almost white in the photos but is quite yellow in reality, maybe it is the same as yours. We do have a lot of butterflies in common, but we don’t have your beautiful Monarchs unfortunately.
The scene by the archway is so beautiful! I love the combination of colors. And I know what joy it must be to see those butterflies. My Eupatorium, which did so well last year and was such a butterfly magnet, has barely bloomed and has struggled mightily to survive our current heat/drought. Hopefully, it will do better next year.
Thank you Deb, I like it too! I hope your weather cools down soon and you get some much needed rain. Gardens do struggle in the heat, but they seem to cope somehow and return the following year unscathed. Not many butterflies now as we are having so much rain here, they must be hiding somewhere and keeping dry.