Autumn is in the air

Himalayan_Hydrangea_in_full_bloom — The full splendour of Crepe Myrtle. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Hello again. How can we be at the end of another month already? When I wrote my last post, we had been having some very hot weather and a distinct lack of rain. Since then, the rain has started falling, the air has cleared and it has been feeling a lot cooler, with some mornings feeling positively chilly.

Close-up_of_Crepe_Myrtle_flowers — Crepe Myrtle flowers. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

The garden is far more advanced this year with quite a few favourites finishing their display much earlier than before. The Himilayan Hydrangea is looking quite spectacular at the moment. Recently, I discovered that it is also known as Crepe Myrtle which is a charming name. The other Hydrangeas in the garden have started to fade from bright blue petals to mauve and pink.

Fading_blue_Hydrangeas — Blue Hydrangeas fading gracefully. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Another blue flower I captured at its peak about a week ago, is my potted Agapanthus, Regal Beauty. Last year it had 3 flowering stems, but this year, after splitting the plant in Autumn, I had a single, very large flower stem. it is such an eye-catching shade of bright blue.

African_lily_Agapanthus_Regal_Beauty_Augut_2022 — Agapanthus Regal Beauty, August 2022. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

More blue from the Globe thistles (Echinops) which grow alongside the bright yellow Golden Rod stems. Such a great contrast on a sunny day, and both are very popular with the bees and other flying insects.

Golden_Rod_and_blue_globe_thistles_under_a_blue_sky — The blue and yellow of Globe Thistles and Golden Rod. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

It’s not all blue in the garden. For a few weeks now, the Japanese Anemones have been in flower. They seems to survive all weather conditions and haven’t been affected by the extreme heat or lack of rain earlier in the month.

End_of_the_summer_favourite_flowers_Japanese_anemones — Autumn favourites: Japanese Anemones

At their best this week, the Star-gazer lilies which grow in 2 separate places in the garden, both nestling beside high shrubs which offer support for their very long stems.

Pink_star-gazer_lilies — Blue sky Star-gazer lilies. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

It looks like I will have a good crop of apples this year, and the birds will be pleased that I managed to dry the head of the greenhouse sunflower successfully; they will have plenty of seeds to pick at very soon.

Lord_Derby_apple_tree_late_August_2022 — Ripening apples on a blue sky day. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Dried_sunflower_head — Dried and ready for the birds. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Apart from the birds and bees, the occasional frog, squirrel and the neighbours’ cats, the garden is quite quiet. Once every couple of years, a young deer, completely disorientated, has ended up in the garden. I am always unclear as to how they get in and get out again. This one visited one evening and took quite a liking to the flowers of several Japanese Anemones. Quite exotic taste-buds don’t you think?