Between watching recordings of the Rugby World Cup quarter final matches featuring Wales and France then Japan and South Africa, I wandered round the garden.
When we arrived here five years ago a variegated myrtle bush that had grown to a tree was in the process of reverting, This meant that the two-toned cultivated leaves had become dark green. Jackie and I have twice removed all those of the pristine hue, but we have been fighting a losing battle.
This morning Aaron stripped the lower trunk to reveal its colourful bark. Thus we admitted defeat.
Nasturtiums, continuing to scale the trellis in front of the garage door, are hoping they will get away without a frost this winter.
Some of the more established pelargoniums
remain outside in their pots, whereas
others, with begonias
and fuchsias have already been taken into protective custody in the greenhouse.
Dahlias are still in season,
and the Rose Garden features carpet roses,
Absolutely Fabulous,
Special Anniversary,
and Lady Emma Hamilton.
Self-seeded bidens, like these floral cuckoos among heliotrope and petunias remain ubiquitous.
This recently planted panicum Warrior grass has taken well to the Weeping Birch Bed.
The solanum swaddling the dead tree will probably be blooming long after the birch has shed its leaves.
This evening we dined on Jackie’s flavoursome cottage pie; tasty carrots and Brussels sprouts; and tender green beans, with which she drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Malbec.
The roses are still beautiful even while Jackie prepares for the first frosts. I’m beginning to think I am living in the land of perpetual winter………
Sorry about your gloomy weather, Pauline. Thanks very much
Mmmm, Me too. Thanks Derrick 🙂
I feel the same way here when Spring is making promises she doesn’t keep, it’s a long wait after Winter and I get a bit impatient. Right now I can’t believe that there is a thing called’frost’ about to put an end to this endless Summer!
Love the idea of taking plants into protective custody!
Thanks very much, Sheree
So do I! I have a lone geranium I need to put into protective custody, as we’ve already had a few light frosts.
The header picture is one that Jackie rescued. A week or two back she coaxed one bloom out of it – look at it now
She definitely has the magic touch.
Yes! That spoke to me, too.
Derrick, those close-up photos of flowers, needing protection from the frost, leave me in awe of the grandeur of Mother Nature. If only we could care for all that’s so precious in our natural world, as you and Jackie do so well in your home garden!
Thanks for the joy you bring to me this Sunday <3
Thank you very much, Rosaliene. If only. X
Hear, hear!
Thanks again
I’m fasting for two day, I’ve a little procedure on Tuesday, so I concentrated on looking your beautiful photos only…… thank you for all the intoxicating colourful photos this morning Derrick….
Thank you very much, Ivor. I hope all goes well on Tuesday
I’ll let you Know, thanks Derrick….
It still looks very lovely there. I hope the frost does not come for a while yet, and your garden bloom on a while longer.
Thanks very much, Lavinia. The forecast is for it to get warmer.
Everything still looks gorgeous, Derrick. I love the roses.
Thanks very much, Jill
My sentiments exactly!
Thanks to you both
I am impressed by the well organised greenhouse. Our small one is too chock full of ‘stuff’ to have any room for overwintering plants.
Thanks a lot, Tootlepedal
Gorgeous garden growing gloriously!
Love the roses! Especially the yellow ones!
And the “mountain” climbing Nasturtiums! So pretty!
Protective custody…HA…but an important part of that tender-loving-care Jackie gives to the plants!
Aaron is such a good helper!
Hope your nice weather holds on.
We are getting colder here at night…38 degrees Fahrenheit.
HUGS and TWEETS for all!!! 😀
PS…I saw a movie you might enjoy The Professor and The Madman…James Murray begins work compiling words for the first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary in the mid 19th century, and receives over 10,000 entries from a patient at Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum, Dr. William Minor. Fascinating story!
Thanks very much, Carolyn. I’ll seek out that film – just googled it – we may not have it over here yet. X
You have an amazing grasp of words, how to use them, and a wonderful writing style. I thought you might find this story of the Oxford English Dictionary interesting.
Thanks again, Carolyn. I have the whole set – 23 volumes of which are the originals – you must have known. X
It’s been a gloomy day here. Often without colour. So your photos as ever bring light.
Many thanks, Gary
I’m glad some of the plants are going to be wintered under glass. Sadly my greenhouse was demolished followIng one too many storms. I might take some Sophie’s, it’s a little warmer in the valley.
Thanks very much, Sue. We got our greenhouse in a half price sale a couple of years back
I love that kind of sale!
The change is weather has mandated shifting of certain inhabitants of the garden. Anticipation and hope are in the air. That is a quite a world out there, in and about your garden, in those shady lanes that bend and taper into culs-de-sac, and the moors dotted by ponies and cattle. Do they still bear the footprints of that
Lovely poetic comments, Uma. Thanks very much……
…repentant soul called Heathcliff?
Have I forgotten Heathcliffe’s link with the New Forest moors?
Yorkshire moors may be far from New Forest moors, but to someone situated thousands of miles away from those places, the perspective appears compressed enough!
I’m sure 🙂
Those Dahlia’s are Divine!
So Jackie has put some pot plants under (green) house a-rest?? 😉
🙂
Ah, good one! 😀
Don’t encourage him, Liz 🙂
Chortle!! 😀
Hahahahahah! (to Derrick’s comment) 🙂
Thank you Liz, clearly you are a lady of great taste. 🙂
🙂
Indeed I am. 😉
Your garden remains a delight. One can just imagine the perfume.
Thanks very much, Leslie
Love your roses. In the past I could never keep a rose bush alive, but I decided to make one last go of it. I bought one about 2 foot high with peach-colored flowers. It has grown about another 2 feet since, only sometimes I get peach flowers and others come out pink or orange. Every bud is a guessing game. 🙂
🙂 Well done and thanks very much
Still so lovely in your garden. My nasturtiums have no hope of escaping the frost, but they continue to flower bravely as they wait for the killing nip that is sure to come. They wish good luck to yours. I have been saving their seeds so, in a sense, they will live on next year.
Thanks very much, Laurie. As you know, they are rewarding plants
They certainly are!
The photos are stunning. I did not see our little friend Nugget. Winter here is predicted to be warmer than normal…of course that could just means -20 deg F instead of -30.
That is cold, Jerry. Sorry not to have included Nugget. I was mostly watching rugby. Thanks very much.
The dahlias caught my eye from today’s crop, particularly the pink one.
Thanks very much, Susan. I find the pink and red ones difficult to photograph
I know what you mean.
The roses are stunning. Outage pie seems to be a favorite lately. What is it, exactly?
It’s cottage pie, Steve. Minced beef with potato topping – traditionally made on a Monday with the leftovers of the Sunday joint. Jackie always makes enough for two or three meals. Thanks very much.
‘Outage’ pie. Oh, my, that’s the one you serve when you lose power from storms. 😂😂😂 But ‘cottage’ pie sounds good. And we follow the same ‘leftover’ pattern. Sometimes, leftovers taste better than the original. 😊
They do, indeed
Gorgeous colors!
Thanks very much, Ribana
Mother Nature always wins in the end. 🙂
The care you and the Head Gardener take with your garden shows. It’s nice that you have the greenhouse to keep some colors once frost does come.
Thanks very much, Merril
As always, I admire your roses most of all, although your photos of the rest of colorful flowers are marvelous, Derrick.
P.S. In Russia, yellow roses symbolize farewells, thus an old romance “Yellow roses, the emblem of grief…”
Thanks very much, Dolly. https://youtu.be/_dggAQk5peA
My pleasure, Derrick, and thank you for the link. In this song, however, the yellow ribbon serves to establish connection, rather than severe it. Interesting contrast.