This has been a strange season, because we have had so much rain it has been really fairly mild. Okay we have the heating on ticking over & on the last two full moons we have had frost’s, the full moon before this present one we went down to minus 3C one night & 8C the following night. This one we have so far been down to minus 1C but we are expecting a frost tonight.
So I think this has been giving mixed messages to the plants. Autumnal colours are appearing on the trees & I can assure you (having cleared the gutters once already) that the leaves are falling from the trees, but some of our garden plants just have not stopped blooming.
Rained ALL morning here, but a lovely sunny afternoon, so out I went with my camera to capture some examples to show you.
The hydrangea to me is the wimp of all garden plants, one sniff of a frost & it curls over & gives up. I would have it out but we left it for one more year & it actually gave us over a dozen blooms for the first time since we moved in.
Where as our beautiful Acer is in it’s prime at the moment, 15 years ago this was a small shrub but now it is splendid & creeps along the path edge, making you smile every time you pass it.
Okay it gets covered when we have a frost warning, but to see this Fuchsia still producing blooms this time of the year is a rarity for us.
As for Foxgloves this white one is still producing buds & looking fine. All the wild ones in the garden are long dead, but this one is something special.
Going back to Autumn colours this shrub is looking so attractive in the late sun & has hardly lost any leaves.
The tubs at our front door give you a real lift with the berries & variegated leaves, add as bit of colour to a dormant space.
Had a few Redwings & Fieldfare on the Rowan berries but nothing, not even the Blackbirds, have started eating these juicy berries yet.
Now for a couple more plants that should be finished weeks ago, this Harebell is a prime example.
This Clematis is still producing flowers as it has done for several months.
This plant certainly adds some colour to the garden, not sure I have seen it smiling this late in the year before ?
Rock Rose (I think?) is still attracting a few late Bees, though they have certainly reduced to what they were a month ago.
Of course the Winter Heathers are looking good & will add some colour once all those other plants eventually die off.
Captured a late Blue Fly soaking up the late afternoon sun, I, plus the sheep in the field in front of the house will be pleased to see the back of them.
All we can wish for is a decent mild Winter with not to much snow to clear from the drive.