Diary of a weekend gardener

And suddenly it is autumn

A week ago night-time temperatures were 13C or more. Last night it dropped to 3C. The air is still, chill and clear. Summer is over. In the cold stillness outside the plants seem to be holding their breath, stopped in their tracks and preparing for their slow retreat into themselves for the winter. A few of the leaves on the birch tree have turned gold and the lawn is lightly spattered with them. I've put the central heating on this morning.

The bright pink cosmos looks a little out of place now in it's fresh cheeriness against the softening hues around it. This garden comes into its own in September as the colours warm and the middling greens of summer separate into yellows, coppers, bronzes and reds. There will be colour from the fuchsias, roses, spirea and sedums well into December if we don't get a cold snap.

Just awaiting the delivery of the netting for the shade tunnel - there's still time to take more cuttings and divide plants before winter. I start at Reaseheath on Wednesday - a new chapter.

posted by Sue Beesley @ 10:47 am