Yes more colour, but this time not from my Acers. As the days go by, the garden has a lovely golden glow about it. More and more plants are changing from green to gold and a few from green to red/purple. I have been so fixated on my acers that for a while I forgot about the rest of the garden, today I made sure I went round the whole garden with the camera.
This view is of the Miscanthus malepartus with the border by the field in the background.
The leaves of the Miscanthus have now turned into a golden yellow fountain.
The silver birch just outside the back door is now golden all over. This arrived as a seedling from out of nowhere and is now a huge tree where the birds congregate each morning, before coming down to the bird table.
The Hazel hedge planted on top of the Devon bank in the veggie garden, was planted for our dormouse. I don’t know if it is producing any hazel nuts yet, but they are the dormouse’ favourite food, hopefully one day there will be plenty for them to nibble.
Our native Field Maple in the hedge behind the bog garden is turning a buttery yellow as are all the hedges round about the village.
Under the dead oak, Azalea Persil is showing its beautiful autumn colours. This is only a small shrub so far, it will be beautiful when it has grown a bit. It has white flowers in the spring with the most beautiful perfume!
The leaves of Viburnum plicatum Maresii in the border by the dead oak have now turned deep purple and I can see that something has been having a nibble!
Not mine, but next door’s Acer is now growing over the wall behind my red stemmed Cornus. If I cut my Pyracantha on the right, back a bit, I would be able to see more of it!
The leaves are so shiny, they look as though they have a wax coating.
I’ll finish with a couple of long views of the garden.
This is of the top of the dead oak border with the “Chinese Ginger Jar” at its tip. In the background, by the field, the purple leaves belong to a Cornus cousa and the yellow leaves belong to a Spirea. The pergola on the right leads to the veggie garden.
The view from under the kitchen window to the dead oak border pleases me at the moment with its different colours and textures, contrasting with the clipped Lonicera Baggesen’s Gold in the left foreground.
The wind has been tossing my Acer leaves about, so my attention will be on this part of the garden for the next few days as there is now plenty of interest here.
I have been sowing lawn seed where there was a bare patch when shrubs were cut back when redoing the gravel garden at the back and also planting bulbs here, there and everywhere. Lots of leaves now need sweeping up, so there is still so much to do, weather permitting.
when I admire yours
I am inspired to think about adding
some strategic topiary to my garden.
Somehow everything sings sweetly with a focal topiary and a cast of looser shrubs.
Thank you so much Diana,I too think that a piece of Topiary sets all the other plants off, I love the contrast it makes with the more natural shrubs.
I love the view you see under the kitchen window to the dead oak border! Your garden is so vibrant; I also love the movement in the grasses and all the great textures you have. Happy fall!
At this time of year Deb, the colour is nearly all in the leaves and not in the flowers. I seem to have collected quite a few shrubs which have autumn colour, a shrub has to perform in more than one season though! The grasses make a nice contrast against the more stiffer shrubs and of course add movement whenever the wind blows.
Just think what we would miss if we didn’t ramble round our gardens regularly! Good to see the lovely colours in yours
It is good to wander round the whole garden, otherwise you might miss so much Cathy, I nearly did! The whole garden is so colourful at the moment, but from leaves and not the flowers, it makes a nice change.
Lovely to see all your autumn colours. What a beautiful time of the year it is. I do love the way the formality of your topiary sets everthing off.
It really is a lovely time of year Chloris and we are having a lovely long sunny spell to enjoy it all. I maintain that you can’t beat a bit of topiary, it certainly makes a nice contrast to everything else at the moment.
The colors really accent one another, and the neatly trimmed shrubs are a nice counterpoint.
I would go out and give all my shrubs a trim today but with our winter coming I’d be afraid the fresh cuts would invite damage…. or at least that’s what a friend told me when it happened a few winters ago. At least I can admire yours!
I would leave your shrubs until next spring Frank, I think your friend is correct. I do like the contrast between the odd clipped shrub and the other more natural ones, but not too many mind you!
Your miscanthus is wonderful, and also your viburnum plicatum. I also have that, and the colours are amazing. Today the sun was out, and it just makes all the colours glow. I love this season.
The Vibernum leaves Gitte, really do turn a wonderful colour don’t they and the sunshine makes all the difference. I’m so glad we live somewhere that has 4 distinct seasons, they are all so different!
Gorgeous as ever Pauline. Our reseeded grass was off to a promising start but the rains suddenly stopped, leaving us to repeat the chore later in fall.
I think I might have to repeat my grass sowing next spring Susie, although it did say it could be used until the end of October. So far only a few wispy green shoots are showing!
Love the color on the Silver Birch and the Viburnum. We just took a walk today around the neighborhood looking at all the local leaf color.
The silver birch Jason, looks so lovely at the moment, but we have millions of seeds blowing everywhere earlier in the year which does make weeding interesting. As I drive through the surrounding villages, I know where all the interesting foliage is, so I can enjoy their shrubs and trees too!
It is hard to know when your garden is at its most beautiful Pauline; but autmn colour must be high on the list of the joys it brings.
I try to have something each month to tempt me out into the garden, no matter what the weather, Christina. I was thinking that December must be the only month when that doesn’t happen, but then I have the red stemmed cornus along the drive contrasting with the silver birch trunks which I see every day when I go in and out. Every month is different and that is what I like about gardening in this country.
Autumn really does have such a lot to offer doesn’t it? My favourite is the first one with the Miscanthus. Also, love your ginger jar! If you like Silver Birch, you’d love it here as we are surrounded by them and you can’t beat the lovely yellow against the silver white stems though most of their leaves have now disappeared following heavy rain and strong winds.
It certainly does Denise, it has a beauty all of its own. I love silver birches wherever I have seen them. At the moment I’m potting up some seedlings from the one I showed in the blog, with a view to them being some largeish bonsai, will show them if I succeed in growing my own little silver birch copse in a pot!
That sounds lovely Pauline, I do so hope your birch copse is successful!
So do I Denise, thank you!
Your garden colours are breathtaking, Pauline. It’s sunny here today now that the fog has lifted and I’ve just peeked out of the window at a huge ornamental cherry opposite, bathed in afternoon sun from behind – it’s looks like liquid gold! Such a fabulous time of year. Interesting to see you have a self-seeded silver birch – I didn’t know they did that until one appeared in my parents’ garden a couple of years ago. I also like the look of your topiary, it may just have saved a Lonicera ‘Baggesen’s Gold’ that I want to get rid of as it’s got too unruly! Now maybe I’ll just get my shears out.
Thank you so much Caro, it really is a beautiful time of year this year, the weather has made everything so perfect! Cherry leaves are so beautiful, especially with the sun behind them. We get seedlings all over the place from the one by the back door, the others don’t seem to seed around, just that wild one. I was so glad to hear that your Lonicera might have a reprieve, it is quite well behaved once clipped, it just needs a couple of clips a year to keep it looking tidy.
You have some lovely autumn colours in your garden. I love the striking reds among the greens and golds. It’s been such a beautiful September and October for sunshine and autumn tints.
Thanks Wendy, it certainly is a wonderful time of year, the colours are especially good this year, everything has come together at the right time!
Gorgeous photos ♥ Love your garden ♥
Thank you Summer and thanks for leaving a message!
I tend to forget about azaleas having autumn colour but they really do look good this year. Your Chinese Ginger Jar is lovely, it sets off the surrounding foliage perfectly.
I think all the colours are extra special this year Jessica, the weather seems to have been just right to make the colours stronger than usual. I feel a bit of topiary makes a nice contrast will everything else billowing around it, the Ginger Jar makes a full stop to it’s border.
What a beautiful time of year in your garden. I particularily like the ornamental grass…one of the things I miss most in this shady garden.
I love this time of year Marian, it is so different to the rest of the year, everywhere is so colourful and it’s all from the leaves! The tall grasses really come into their own in October and November. Most of our garden is shady from the ancient trees but I have a couple of sunny borders where the sun lovers live!
What lovely autumn colours, it feels like its been a good autumn for colour this year and you have some great plants for colour in your garden. I like the soft butter yellows almost as much as I like the vibrant reds.
It has been a fantastic autumn here Annie, the weather has been just right to make the colour vibrant. I like the yellows too, they contrast with the evergreens and the reds.