We’re well into autumn now but there’s still quite a bit of colour and blossom in my garden. The ceanothus has just decided to flower for the second time and the fuchsia Ricartonii has been very late, the frost will probably get them soon.
The mystery berry tree (possibly a cotoneaster) is very bright but I’m cutting it back to make it a bush rather than a tree as there are too many trees growing out of hand in my garden.
The dogwood (cornus) leaves are just about to drop, but they’re also contributing to the colour in my autumn garden.
Spring or autumn – the acers are my favourites.
There are still a few roses around, and the geranium leaves die off so cheerily.
I bought some marigolds in early summer, different varieties and the one below has been great so I’m saving seeds from it to grow next summer. It’s in an old chimney pot.
It was a damp day when I took the photo below, from the guest bedroom window.
The smirry rain (very fine like low cloud almost) gives a hazy effect but I hope you can see some of the autumn colour in the trees.
It has been remarkably windless recently which is strange for this area and will no doubt account for the days and days of rain that we’ve had, but I suspect that the leaves won’t be hanging on for much longer now.
Those colours are beautiful and no doubt are most welcome under grey skies.
Here the Ceanothus are in full bloom right now, I have never known them to flower twice but plants do odd things at times depending on the weather, don’t they.
You can feel very pleased with your lovely plantings.
Valerie,
It’s our strange weather this year that’s causing the unusual flowering, I’ve had it with the cherry blossom too, just a few and in my old garden it happened with the rhodies fairly frequently, it’s a nice bonus.
I love autumn, and enjoyed your post Katrina. Over here in my city, cotoneaster is a detested weed, though it is a pretty busy. I love aces too and we have a couple in our garden.
I’ve never heard the word “smirry” before. We probably don’t have much rain like that here, but I’m going to try to remember it.
Whispering Gums,
Cotoneaster can be a bit of a pest here too as it self-seeds so freely.
I suppose that we have a special word for that kind of rain because we have it so frequently. I hope you use smirry if you ever get the chance to!
So pretty! My garden is now all under snow! The leaves hadn’t even finished dropping from all the trees and I still had marigolds and zinnias blooming and the odd green bean. So seeing your lovely garden is quite a treat!
Stefanie,
You have my deepest sympathy, I would hate to have your wild temperature fluctuations! I’m now feeling very sorry for your girls. I heard recently that there’s a woman who knits sweaters for her chickens! Mind you I’d love to be able to grow all the crops you do, our summers can be so cool that it’s often a waste of time making the effort.
The chickens are all cold hardy breeds and get themselves a nice fluffy downy undercoat. They don’t even get any extra heat in their coop until the temperatures drop to around 16C. They handle the cold much better than they do heat and humidity. Our growing season is so short and unpredictable that there is quite a lot I can’t grow or that has to be started early indoors. It keeps things interesting! 🙂
Stefanie,
LOL (as they say) 16 C is seen as quite warm here! This summer was a disaster for farmers and gardeners, frost in May and constant rain from July onwards, the weather didn’t suit anything. Mind you I think I’d prefer our weather to yours as I couldn’t stand the heat.
Your garden is lovely. Each time I see photos of it, I think how much work you have put into it. What an accomplishment!
I have a question. Does the fuchsia come back every year? I have only had them in pots here. The marigolds are gorgeous. I was thinking of trying them in the back area next year because I have read that they will reseed.
I will have to save that word, smirry, and use it when we have drizzly rain sometime. New word for me too.
tracybham,
That fuchsia ricartonii is very hardy and survives our winters, but I have found that the many varieties sold here as hardy are not hardy in Scotland, it might be the dampness that kills them. In past years I’ve taken the potted fuchsias into the house but that’s a pain as I don’t really have the space. You can take cuttings of the softer stems and they will usually root in a jar of water after a few weeks, then you just have wee plants to pot up and take care of until they can go out again. If it gets very cold where you are you could maybe wrap some bubble wrap around the pots and don’t let the plants get too wet and they might be fine, they will probably look dead at the end of winter but cutting them back will encourage new growth. I hope you do use smirry!
As I’ve said before, you’ve made a beautiful garden. The maple tree in our backyard, maybe a sugar maple, has just dropped most of its leaves. It’s been a brilliant gold / yellow / orange for several weeks. I’m sorry to see it shed its leaves.
Joan,
At least the leaves still look beautiful when they’re on the ground!