Although she does tidy up much of her refuse, when the Head Gardener has been about with the loppers and secateurs, it falls upon me, the Under Under Gardener, to clear the heaps of clippings; to transfer them to the compost and wood-burning piles; to sort them; and to cut them into manageable sections. This I did this morning after Jackie had driven off for one of her sorority lunches with Helen and Shelly.
Judging by the scent pervading this pile, the marauding cat that we hope keeps the rodents down, had liberally sprayed it with a peculiar pungency.
The rambling rose, Wedding Day, having outgrown the Agriframes arch and dared to festoon the two Japanese maples and frolic over a hebe, was given a particularly severe haircut. I console myself in the knowledge that, like mine, it will grow again.
This is all part of the autumn clear-up. It is, after all, the first official day of autumn. We are, nevertheless, still treated to the sights of summer, like
bees burrowing into crinkly poppies;
Small White butterflies fluttering everywhere and perching on verbena bonarensis;
petunias, pink striped dahlias, and geraniums;
and raindrops on sweet peas.
The rose garden is flourishing. We have left two peep-holes in the fence so our neighbours can enjoy it too.
Carpet roses, like the white Kent, are spreading nicely.
We have red hot pokers everywhere. Either they are proliferating at will, or there was too much undergrowth last year for us to notice. These are surveyed by the owl at home in the dead Snake Bark maple.
We moved the furniture and potted plants from the decking for Aaron to refurbish it. This colourful table top had held a floral display.
This evening we dined on Jackie’s lively chilli con carne and tasty mixed vegetable rice. I finished the malbec, and The Cook drank Hoegaarden.
I never know just what to say – the garden is always so spectacular!!
That’ll do nicely, GP. Thank you.
Ah! Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness…
Yes, Bruce. Thanks
i am on the same wave length for a few weeks now, Derrick 🙂
The Head Gardener and Cook has done a spectacular job over the past season Derrick – and of course you in your role of Under Under Gardener have come along nicely too. 🙂
Thank you, Pauline
And thank you from me too.
Wonderful. Those pokers are a nice Fall touch and your neighbors are very lucky to have the peepholes
Thank you, Cynthia
I need an undergardener. I can only dream of chopping away at growth and then not having to clear it away later 🙂
The garden looks amazing, as always!
Thank you, Matt
Wow spectacular…. 🙂
Thank you, Chitra
I’d venture to say, you’ve got the greenest thumb in town! Beautiful!
Thank you, Jill. The green thumb is Jackie’s. 🙂
I have a feeling your thumb is a little green too. 🙂
Thanks, Jill
A surfeit of beauty once again. I love the mirror at the end of the littel path, throwing back light and flowers. Good supper, too. (I don;t much cook anymore.)
Thank you, Cynthia. I don’t much cook any more either 🙂
All your labor comes to such enjoyment! Gardener and under gardener are to be congratulated! I would have taken the peephole for a mirror (remembering a previous post) had you not identified it.
Thanks, Lisa. The mirror is a new one, too
Going to have to go back to catch the REAL peephole.
peepholes 🙂
Got it. Saw them.
🙂
Peepholes just to the right of the mirror, Lisa, you were correct to identify the mirror as a mirror. I am hoping that soon the plants will disguise it better it is a bit stark at the moment.
Goodness. I got so caught up in the illusion and the mirror I missed the real peephole.
Those flower photos are especially lovely I long for those kinds of flowers, thank you for sharing such a bouquet
Thank you, Candice
♡♡♡
Roses are dead easy to strike so if you don’t want to throw out the pruning, make babies for your friends to adopt! 🙂 Spring appeared all too briefly and now we’re back to winter again (12 -16ºC) at least for a few days. It’s drizzling and the wind chill makes it feel so much colder!
Thank you Mary. It is a chill wind that feels so much colder
It’s a wonder you get anything done around the garden, what with all the photographing. But somebody has to document all the beautiful progress. Great images! And well deserved wine.
Thanks, Oscar. You may have noticed that the Head Gardener does most of it 🙂
Ahh, then that would make you her personal garden paparazzo.
‘Yes’, she says
That crinkled poppy looks like it could use a touch of my steam iron. Open the shiraz, I’ll be right over.
Thanks, Yvonne. You’d be welcome
it would be lovely be tele-transported to your garden, to meet you and the Head Honcho and eat some of the Master Chef’s offering while imbibing that shiraz.
Lovely capture…the white roses and the white butterfly, a magical coincidence…
Beautiful indeed…
😀
Thank you, Nihar
Pink striped dahlias are so cute, and the sweet pea looks so fresh. Your photographs are beautiful!
Thank you, Inese