I managed to have a few minutes just walking round the garden the other day, so made the most of it and took some photos for GBBD. The garden is managing quite well without attention from me, the only problem is that the grass is getting so long without it’s normal haircut from the undergardener!
Still flowering is Aster frickartii Monch, now in its third month and shows no sign of stopping. I must buy more for further down the border by the field.
Fuchsia magellanica Alba with an unknown pale pink little aster. All the hardy fuchsias have been flowering since July, they certainly give value for money. The asters in the garden have been flowering for 6 weeks now, except for “Monch” which seems to be flowering for ever!
The colchicums are coming to an end now, they have been rather battered by the wind and rain. Here this clump is supported by a small shrub rose.
Hardy Fuchsia Genii is here in front of the colchicums at the top right. I can also see some feverfew at the top left, this has been flowering all summer long, as long as I deadhead it, it carries on flowering.
All the sedums are flowering and this one has a beautiful bumble bee visiting.
Physostegia is spreading a bit in the central island bed round the dead oak, I think I can move some of it to the border by the field. Here though, it contrast nicely with the Pittosporum Tom Thumb next to it.
Roses are still putting out new flowers, this is a small one in the front, sorry, can’t remember it’s name but I enjoy it’s flowers.
In the bee and butterfly border, Asters are seeding themselves along the bed, I must remember to cut them back before they go to seed this year, the bees are enjoying them though so I will leave them a bit longer. Here they are partnered with Penstemon Garnet which has flowered all summer.
More asters with Sedum this time, they go well together.
Not flowers but I had to include them. I think these toadstools are growing on the roots of the dead oak in the middle of the garden.
I think this is Geranium procurens, it was bought as G. Anne Folkhard, but the way it spreads everywhere makes me think it was mislabelled. In the spring we pull out all that we can see, but when October comes, there it is again, waving at me from the plants that it has used as a support. The problem is that it roots from every node where it touches the soil, so this is one that I have to be severe with!
I was amazed to see Viburnum bodnantense Dawn covered in flowers, I have never seen it flower so early, usually it is in the winter when these beautifully perfumed flowers start opening. The pale pink flowers look so pretty with the leaves that are changing colour before they fall.
Another Viburnum which has its seasons mixed up is Viburnum plicatum Maresii. It has decided to flower again, just as the leaves are turning. The flowers are only half the size of the ones we had in the spring, but it still looks pretty.
My Pampas grass at the back of the border by the field is getting squashed! Poor thing, I must rescue it from the pink flowered Spirea next to it which is now sending up suckers everywhere, even through the base of the pampas.
New flowers are still being formed on a few hydrangeas, they look so fresh and summery against all the other hydrangea flowers, whose colours are now gently fading away.
New flowers are still opening on the clumps of Rudbeckia in the garden. These have been flowering for such a long time now, they certainly earn their space.
A mophead Hydrangea this time, putting out new flowers.
I think these are honeysuckle berries contrasting with the variegated leaves of a Prunus. The trouble is, I don’t remember planting a honeysuckle in this border!
The winged seedpods on Acer Osakazuki are as colourful as flowers so I felt I could include them here. I think I shall sow a few of them and see what comes up.
The seeds of Iris foetidissima are more colourful than the flowers which are unfortunately rather drab. These get spread about the garden by the birds.
Flowering in the woodland where I quite often miss them, is Liriope muscari. These are little flowers, not berries, but I think I must find a place for them where I will be able to see them better.
Mahonia Charity is now adding its lovely flowers to the garden and a slight perfume if the breeze is in the right direction.
Evening primrose is still providing pollen and nectar for the bees. I don’t cut these stems down until the spring as the seedheads bring in lots of goldfinches in the winter. These are such colourful birds, no wonder the collective noun is ” a charm of Goldfinches”.
Still flowering, still being visited by the bees, is Verbena bonariensis. How did we manage without it in the old days?!
Japanese anemones have had a good long flowering time, I see this one has some Brunnera Jack Frost at it’s feet, making a nice contrast.
Another plant that seems to have been flowering for months is Cyclamen hederifolium. They started flowering here at the end of July. This one has very pale leaves, almost silver.
As long as the temperature stays above freezing, Campanula poscharskyana stays flowering, there always seem to be some flowers on each plant somewhere.
One of a few Polyanthus which never seem to stop flowering, they will keep on no matter what the weather throws at them during the winter.
Some free Begonia corms were sent with one of my orders last spring. They aren’t something that I would normally buy, such huge double flowers, but they have filled the pots by the back door and certainly wake me up in the morning when I venture forth with the bird food!
Garden Bloggers Bloom Day is hosted once again by Carol at May Dreams Garden, many thanks Carol. Do pop over to visit her and see the flowers that are blooming around the world.
I must say a big “thank you” to all of you who left such lovely comments on my previous post, it is wonderful to have so much support. I have had the undergardener back home for a week now, it’s wonderful to have him back once more and he is looking remarkably well. He hasn’t lost his sense of humour , thank goodness, but now we are just waiting for the results of his biopsy. We have been told that he will then face a spell of radio therapy to shrink the growth, before they remove it. We are taking one day at a time at the moment, enjoying some little treats each day, gardening and housework will just have to wait!
Beautiful blooms! Great photo of the bee! I pray all goes well with the Undergardener.
Happy GBBD!
Lea
Thank you Lea for your comment about the bee! Also thank you for your prayers for the undergardener, he is doing well so far.
So much is blooming beautifully in you autumn garden! I didn’t know that the collective noun for goldfinches was a charm, how perfect for such sweet birds! You and the undergardener are in my thoughts and prayers; for skilled hands and minds of his physicians, for you as you hurt for him, and that he comes through this with flying colours and is back to being well and active once again!
Peter, thank you so much for your prayers and thoughts, they mean so much to us. We are so lucky to have such wonderfully trained physicians to look after us these days compared to just a few years ago.
Not having been in the garden for a couple of weeks, I was pleasantly surprised to find so many flowers.
Oh Pauline your garden is showing you show much love…I especially love the hardy white fuschia. Never saw one before and would love it…still keeping you and the ungardener in my thoughts and prayers.
The hardy white fuchsia Donna does grow rather tall in just a few months, it has to be cut back quite hard in Feb/March.
Thank you so much for your kind thoughts and prayers, you are all so supportive.
So much to enjoy in the gardener this October. I had quite forgotten that it is GBBD, how this month is rushing on. My viburnums have got their seasons muddled up too. It is strange to see blooms on Viburnum plicatum maresii at the same time as the red leaves.
We are having such lovely warm weather, how nice that you have a chance to enjoy your garden and that the Under gardener is home and looking better. My best wishes to you both.
Thank you for your good wishes Chloris, it is good to have the undergardener back home once more, I’m not sure how long it will be until he has to go back again, but we will make the most of it.
We have been told that more warm weather is on its way, but also a lot of rain, so it will be warm rain for the garden to enjoy soon. When it is warm like this, plants do get confused don’t they!
It’s wonderful to see so many beautiful flowers still going strong in mid-October.
The warm weather John, is making all the plants put out more flowers, I’m sure we never used to have so many in October.
My first visit here and how I enjoyed seeing your wonderful flowers. You still have so much in bloom and the mild autumn and the rain has certainly helped to keep plants going.
Best wishes for a speedy recovery to your undergardener. How would we manage without them?
Thank you for stopping by Judith and leaving a message. The mild weather has certainly kept the flowers coming. We are having lots of rain at the moment which will make the grass grow even longer!
The undergardener is doing well, thank you for your good wishes. I know I can’t do this garden without him, so hopefully by next year he will be fighting fit once more.
A lovely blog and I’ve so enjoyed all the photos. Some good ideas to ‘pinch’ for new plants here! I will definitely be looking out for Aster ‘Monch’ .
All good wishes to the Undergardener.
Thank you Alison for your good wishes to the undergardener and thanks for leaving a message. I can definitely recommend Aster fricartii Monch, it flowers for such a long time. It can be a bit floppy, so plant something in front of it to help hold it up!
Glad you had a few minutes to enjoy your garden’s blooms Pauline. I enjoyed seeing them too, especially the lovely hydrangeas. Continued healing wishes to your undergardener.
It was good to have a wander round the garden Susie, and see what had been happening while I was doing the run to hospital and back each day. Thanks for your good wishes for my helper.
I went out earlier to see if my Vb Dawn is doing the same.. it is! You have so much colour in the garden still Pauline. I love the aster/rudbeckia combo in the first pic. So glad the under gardener is doing well, it will stand him in good stead for the months to come. Very best wishes to you both.
The warm weather has a lot to answer for Jessica, certain plants are so confused! I seem to have been photographing the Aster/Rudbeckia for such a long time now, they seem to go on and on.
The undergardener appreciates all the lovely comments from my “blogging buddies”, thank you!
I’m not surprised but you have masses still flowering, Pauline. I think colchicums can be very difficult to place, as all flowers that grow without foliage, I love the way you’ve combined them with the rose; clever you! I hope you are finding a few moments each day to enjoy your garden, I’m sure it must help to lift your spirits. My good wishes to the Under-gardener.
Your good wishes have been passed on Christina, thank you so much, he is on the other side of the table on his lap top.
I try to have the groups of Colchicums growing through something to help hold them up, the least bit of wind has them all lying down! We have had so much rain lately and more to come, the grass is so wet I need my wellies on to go for a walk round the garden, but it is so worth it as I’m still finding something new each day.
You have so many flowers still blooming – your garden is still looking good without so much attention. Surely your grass will stop growing soon too. I used to have Mahonia Charity and had forgotten how good it looks at this time of the year. I think I have room for a new one. Also I am lacking some colchicums – I think I had better put that right too before next year.
Thinking of you both and hope the Undergardener bounces back from his next treatment ready for the grass cutting next Spring.
Quite often Annette, our grass here in Devon carries on growing, if the weather is warm, maybe Dec and Jan are the only months we don’t need to cut it. When it is long we have to use the electric mower which take an hour and a half, with the ride-on, it only takes 20 minutes!
I must get more varieties of Colchicum, the ones that I have increase very quickly but it would be nice to have a different variety.
Thanks for your good wishes for the undergardener, he is doing so well at the moment, I hope it stays that way.
I have some Colchicum in the garden but never really understood how to plant it. I can see how yours works, I might have a bit of a rethink and find a new home for mine.
Everything else looking wonderful despite the fact you can’t get out there.
Glad to read you have the Under gardener home – there really is no better place for recuperation than your own home. I do hope the next course of treatment goes well. My thoughts are with you both Pauline.
I find the Colchicum work if they are growing through something Angie, firstly so that something can hold them up and secondly because they don’t have their leaves at flowering time.
It is lovely having the undergardener home once more, it’s wonderful not having to go round and round in the car park at the hospital, searching for a space! Thank you so much for your thoughts.
You must be relieved some of the pressure is off by not having those daily hospital journeys any more and having your patient back at home; hope his progress continues to be good. You must have been thrilled to have the chance of a good look round the garden after a fortnight – thanks for sharing it with us ps after you showed it last month I bought a Pittisporum ‘Tom Thumb’ for the new shrub border. Still tiny, though!
It is lovely Cathy, to be able to stay at home with the undergardener, he is doing so well.
I enjoyed my walk round the garden taking photos the other day, since then though we have had non stop rain, which has made the lawn very soggy.
I like P.Tom Thumb as it does stay a small size, in over 10 yrs mine is still just 2x2ft, I’m sure you will enjoy yours.
I’m glad to hear things are moving along well and settling down. Continued good wishes being sent your way, and glad to see you back!
The colchicums do look nice set off by the foliage. I’ll be looking around now to see where I can squeeze a few in since they are in a complete desert right now!
Thank you so much for your good wishes Frank, they are much appreciated by us both.
My first Colchicums were planted in a nice bit of bare soil, but I soon learned to plant something low growing over them to hold them up! They do increase quite quickly, so soon you should have plenty to brighten up an October day.
Lovely to see how your garden is getting on, Pauline. Lots of lovely colour there! The two Viburnum bodnantense ‘Dawn’ here have both been flowering for the past month, possibly longer, I know I was shocked to see the flowers so early! It did go cold for a bit at the end of August and I think that triggered it. I love your naughty geranium, I wouldn’t mind having that plant to wrestle with, so pretty! The anemone with the brunnera is a wonderful combination that I haven’t seen before but it really works. My best to the undergardener for a good rest and recuperation; I wish you both well.
I think the warm weather has a lot to do with the plants being confused Caro and it seems there is more to come!
The anemone with the brunnera is very short, they didn’t grow to their proper height this year, probably due to the drought in the summer, maybe I should have watered it!
Thank you for your kind thoughts for the undergardener, much appreciated by us both.
So glad to read that the undergardener is back home with you Pauline and hope that he makes good progress. Make sure you keep up with those daily treats xxx
Thank you for your kind comments Anna, we were back visiting out patients this afternoon and I couldn’t help but notice the beautiful autumn tints everywhere, such a change in a couple of weeks.
I’m enjoying all the treats too!