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End of the season

14 comments


Well, I hate to say it, but Summer is definitely gently waving goodbye.

It has been mixed, to put it politely, hasn’t it? All season I’ve been waiting for it to settle in, but it never took its coat off! (More to the point, neither did I , often!)

We had our usual late summer holiday in Cromarty. It is always a joy, but this was the poorest weather we have experienced there in the last twelve years. The locals told us it has been no summer at all – cold, wet, and the children confined to barracks for most of their holiday. We did have some sunny spells, though, and we weren’t prevented from doing anything we had planned to do. With two young children in tow we weren’t aiming to do anything too adventurous.

Rain not too far away!

Back at home, we have had some lovely spells. September is my favourite month, and I hope we’ll get some of those wonderful golden days that typify a good Autumn.

The garden is a bit blowsy. I confess to having been rather laissez faire this year. For lots of reasons I have been busy elsewhere, and I admit to being something of a fair weather gardener! Some things have been great, though.

The begonias have been wonderful. They must have had just the right combination of sun and rain.

The Begonia Glowing Embers is beginning to fade a bit now, but has been spectacular for the past few weeks. This is its third year and it is twice the size it was when I bought it, already in flower. It overwinters well and appears fairly late, but is well worth waiting for. I think I’ll pot it on when it dies down.

This is by far the most precious thing in the garden, and the main reason I haven’t done so much gardening this year! She has just started walking and is discovering that grass isn’t quite so easy to walk on as carpet… We spend lots of time outside, and I am looking forward to showing her all the interesting things to see. She is getting her first pair of shoes this weekend, so that should help a bit – there are too many prickly things underfoot at the moment!

The clearing-up process will be starting soon. Not that I do a great deal of cutting down,as I prefer to do it in Spring so that the insects have plenty of places to over-winter. But having a fair number of trees around means lots of leaves – more even than the bugs need – and some are already beginning to fall. And so it goes on, year in, year out.

Truly wonderful, isn’t it?

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Comments

 

Wow amazing end to season colour and the last bit at the end she is a real cutie.

Sorry to here your trip weather not as good as you normally get melchi

Real dreich here today very wet and windy least we got the grass cut yesterday before we head to the Peak District on Monday

12 Sep, 2015

 

Yes, Melchi, there are some wonderful things to be found in a garden. This little girl will be proud of her new shoes.

12 Sep, 2015

 

....sigh....no summer for us at all. I am actually quite glad its autumn now. You don't expect so much of autumn and as you say, it can be very lovely and the light is magical. I love your begonias. Mine are about to hit the compost bin I'm afraid. The stems on them are long and weak so they would need to be very high up for the flowers to be seen and I don't have hanging baskets. I shan't bother with them again, they took for ever to grow and never came to much. Time for us to get the more tender plants under cover now......and hope and plan for a better season next year....and enjoy some nice crisp autumn walks (we hope!).

12 Sep, 2015

 

I think I said this to Brian on his latest blog.......sometimes there are more important things to take up our time than our gardens, she is a sweetheart!

Our garden has never really taken off this year mainly because we have had to keep going away from home and a family of deer are getting in and managing to spoil anything that is pretty and scented. I am really fed up of it now.

Love your photos and all that lovely colour.

New shoes might cheer me up too!!!

12 Sep, 2015

 

Thanks, Kath. I always bravely say that the weather doesn't matter too much, and we had some really lovely occasions on holiday. I would have liked to spend a bit more time mooching on the beach, though - it's a good place for a mooch!

From the photos on Facebook, I'd say she was very pleased with the shoes, Diane! I rather think another shoe addict is born!

You've had a rotten summer up there, Karen. I know what you mean about Autumn arriving - lower expectations usually produce better results. Sorry to hear your begonias weren't successful. I always buy mine already in leaf. They are still comparatively cheap. On the other hand, your tomatoes look as if they are better than mine, although mine are beginning to ripen now. Whether there's still time to harvest them all remains to be seen. I shall use them for chutney if they remain green.

Thanks, Wildrose. I quite agree, - the garden will still be there in years to come. It now has another dimension, we've been able to spend some time out there most days when she's here. Sorry to hear you've had garden problems too.

13 Sep, 2015

 

When I had the allotment I used to grow Tomatoes outdoors, then at this time of year bring them all home,
place in an empty drawer and close it. They ripened gradually over the next 2 months.

14 Sep, 2015

 

That's a good tip, Diane. Did you find the skins were tough?

14 Sep, 2015

 

Well...I think we must have been one of the lucky ones Mel, as August was brilliant, most of it sunny and dry , some days definitely sitting in the sun days too ! But...as you said ...there are more important things than the garden ....sometimes ! Hahaa!
Your little grandaughter is so cute !
I could do with new shoes too Wildrose !!

14 Sep, 2015

 

I am glad to hear you have had some good weather, Rose. We have had some good spells, but very short - maybe a couple of hours at a time. There have been some lovely days, but not many. It's been a very grey year, especially early on. But there you go! If we didn't have some poor summers, the good ones wouldn't be such a treat!

15 Sep, 2015

 

For me, I'll be waving summer good bye with glee! I'll miss some aspects like riding my bike out to the beach, swimming, bbqs in the backyard. It's been so baking hot and oppressive with hardly any rain.

Autumn is by far my favorite season. It's so colorful and bountiful with the new harvests coming in. The cool Autumn air is a welcomed relief.

15 Sep, 2015

 

Thats one way of looking at it Mel ! I spoke too soon ! Since the other day on here, we have had rain and then more rain !

15 Sep, 2015

 

I totally agree, Paul, it is my favourite season, too. I blogged about it last year. I always loved going back to college in September. We had beautiful grounds designed by Capability Brown, and it was at its best in September and October. It is unremitting grey that gets me down. Today is lovely, by the way!

16 Sep, 2015

 

So sweet, I love this age because they are so huggable and just a little something will please them, or make them laugh.
i love to see little ones outside, they are so fascinated by small things we take for granted.

Also like your begonias, don't know glowing Embers. Beautiful.

10 Dec, 2015

 

Thank you, Wells. The garden has moved on a bit since then. So has my granddaughter - running about, and even more fun! Glowing Embers is a lovely variety, different from the normal run.

Preparations for Christmas are well advanced here. We shall see all the family over the holidays - aren't we lucky? I hope you have a very happy Christmas.

11 Dec, 2015

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