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It was finger-tingling cold when Jackie continued her winter planting on this sun-bright morning and I photographed some still lingering blooms.
Outside the kitchen door pelargoniums, petunias, and erigeron vie for space.
More pelargoniums,
some with autumnal plumage, as in this urn shared with verbenas, continue to spread their colour around.
Rozanne geraniums add splashes of blue
palely reflected by clematis Comtesse de Bouchard
just about thriving on the gazebo
along with the winter flowering Cirrhosa.
There are still hardy fuchsias
I may not yet have featured.
This maple on the grass had been cut down when we arrived three years ago. We are encouraging it to come back to life.
Honesty seeds are masquerading as Pauline’s light catchers.
They are seen here in the Cryptomeria Bed.
The roses to the right of the tree rise over the Oval Bed. As can be seen, there are more to come.
Hot Lips salvia,
varieties of nasturtium,
and even of antirrhinum, still bloom.
On such a day a late afternoon forest drive was essential.
A pony in a field off South Sway Lane was more interested in the grass than in Sway Tower.
Opposite Longsdale View, where gorse blooms among the bracken,
the Isle of Wight is visible across the moors.
Along the stretch of Highland Water just outside Brockenhurst,
where stumps stand like ancient tombstones on one bank,
the deciduous trees
now wear their temporary autumn plumage;
the banks are becoming waterlogged
enough for arboreal reflections.
It was here that I was introduced to Mad Max, who had no fear of freezing his nether regions.
The forest road between Brockenhurst and Beaulieu displayed trees resplendent
with the last of their glowing golds
and burnished browns;
falling fast
to carpet the floor.
As we approached Beaulieu, a pair of backlit ponies prompted Jackie to park the car on the verge and me to wander back to photograph them. Maybe it was something I said,
for, in turn,
they turned tail,
and crossed the road,
to join companions enjoying greener grass.
The portions of our meal at The Raj two nights ago were so generous that we couldn’t eat it all and brought some home.. Jackie added samosas and onion bahjis for this evening’s repast, with which I finished the malbec.
Just a few days ago, when my summer potted flowers were still in bloom alongside the pumpkins, I was wondering how I’d know when to stop watering and let them go. We had a hard frost, and I found out the next morning.
We may find that tomorrow, Van. Many thanks
There is such an immediacy and freshness about having photographs fresh from your camera, Derrick. I find it interesting also to compare your weather conditions with my own, perhaps a hundred miles away.
Thanks very much, Roland. Especially with light such as we had today
A lovely post with great pictures. I enjoyed it.
Thanks very much, Susan
The honesty seed pods made me smile – thanks Derrick 🙂 Mad Max looks like he’s having a great deal of fun and I love seeing the low light through the trees.
Very many thanks, Pauline
Yes, I enjoyed seeing the Honesty as well.
The autumn colour is glorious, including the maple in your garden. Going to be an even colder one tonight by all accounts. 🙁
Thanks a lot, Jessica. I think so
My, goodness, it must be warm where you live to have such blossoms in mid-November.
It is coming to an end, but, yes, we have been very lucky. Thank you, Laurie
It is a feast for a glutton, But I stopped at the honesty heads. I reckon you could have posted that photo as a stand alone.
Very many thanks, Paol
Mad Max looks at home in that arctic water…burrr! Beautiful shots, Derrick. Our autumn blooms are beginning to fizzle.
Thank you very much, Jill
Lovely post, Derrick. Your flowers are certainly lingering. I especially liked the forest photos, but the way the sun glows on the ponies in the last photo is beautiful.
Your dinner sounds delicious! 🙂
Many thanks, Merril. The sun was so low it made the ponies glow
Yes, that’s one thing I like about this time of year. 😉
I too had noticed several of these varieties/species still clinging on in our garden, despite the recent frosts and low night-temperatures, though ours are more sheltered by other plants.
Ref. your pic of the Isle of Wight: have you posted the right one? I ask, since a) you mention The Needles, which aren’t in shot; and b) I can’t recall being anywhere on the mainland where you can see so much shallow-sloping land facing you: the Island always seems to present a series of hills, or their silhouettes, or cliffs, though there ARE shallow parts of the Island on the north coast (Newtown Harbour, for instance); it may be a trick of the lens, but the “island” looks far too close, here. If it’s right, what part of the Island are we looking at?
Oh dear, Paul. I have posted the intended picture, but my information may be incorrect. I have taken out the Needles reference. We were on high ground opposite the car park at Longsdale View? Thank you for this
I’m inspired by that little maple coming back to life
🙂 Many thanks, Pleasant
I didn’t know that fuchsia’s came in white. 😀
I see now why you mistook my comment on your last post for one on this post. Max’s ‘undercarriage’ might’ve indeed received the icing the young lad in the previous post needed. 🙂
Another good observation, Widders. Actually, having woken up, I’ve binned my first response on yesterday’s and amended the second. No matter. I’ll leave this one of yours alone – it is too good to mess with 🙂 Thanks
It’s amazing how Winter tiptoes into the backyard while we are asleep for a night. Autumn is rapt in a brief dance fluttering the colourful plumage of its soul. And while the golden brown shimmer is captured by many, only the truly inspired are able to capture its heart.
Very many thanks, Uma, for these welcome and truly poetic comments
Your photos from the forest road between Brockenhurst and Beaulieu, were my favourites today, especially “their glowing golds”..
Many thanks, Ivor. I tried to make it a bit poetic 🙂
I do love a boisterous dog just exhilarating in the moment with no regard for the temperature …. I’m not that dog!
🙂 Many thanks, Osyth
why did the pony cross the road? To get to the other side of course 🙂 hot lips …..love that name 🙂
Many thanks, Kim. Of course. It is a very appropriate name 🙂
Jackie was very brave to continue planting. I love the water features and the autumn colours in the woods. Your garden is still so beautiful. I would love to see what it looks like when the snow slowly comes on it.
If we get any snow you will certainly see. Thanks a lot, Geetha
Welcome Derrick and I look forward to seeing those pictures
Beautiful. Mad Max must be a polar bear in disguise.
Thanks very much, LL/PS. He was straight in the water even before his owner chucked sticks for him
Brave Mad Max. You photos of the ponies are so lovely.
Thanks a lot, Arlene
https://alice3927.wordpress.com visit please! ☺
Thanks a lot, Alice
It is real joy to see summery looking garden in November!
Many thanks, Alexander
Garden is looking excellent, and the water shots are great too.
Thanks a lot, Quercus
Are you sure that max’s nether regions are still intact and might get frozen? If so please explain how com you know.
Why the Sway Tower, does it actually sway or is there another explanation, perhaps it was built by a Mr Sway, or was it built to sway a reluctant lover. Why do you do this to us?
Many thanks, Brian. Come to think of it, Max didn’t bark. As for Sway Tower – if you could be bothered to follow the blue link you’d get the answers. Sway is a village. 🙂
I love this time of year with the sun’s angled golden light highlighting the season’s changes. Your photos are beautiful, as always!
Very many thanks, Lavinia