Officially Autumn

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.

Clippings

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.

Rose Wedding Day clippings

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

Bee in poppy

bees burrowing into crinkly poppies;

Butterfly Small White on verbena bonarensis

Small White butterflies fluttering everywhere and perching on verbena bonarensis;

Petunias and geraniums

petunias, pink striped dahlias, and geraniums;

Raindrops on sweet pea

and raindrops on sweet peas.

Rose garden

The rose garden is flourishing. We have left two peep-holes in the fence so our neighbours can enjoy it too.

Rose Kent

Carpet roses, like the white Kent, are spreading nicely.

Red hot pokers

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.

Table top

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.

44 comments

  6. 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!

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  10. 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.

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    2. 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.

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  12. 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!

    Reply

      1. 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.

        Reply

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