Can you believe it? Its the first day of autumn tomorrow and sadly in England this year we have had summer in name only. I'm beginning to feel as if I've been asleep for the last few months and somehow missed it. But what joy, today has been gloriously sunny, a real shirt sleeves and garden day. My husband has been mowing grass, sweeping leaves and chopping logs. And me? Well, after an initial enthusiastic flurry of general garden tidying this morning, I threw open all the windows indoors and did a bit of spring cleaning (six months late!)
But now I'm back in the garden. I like to capture it in all its moods so I have just walked around with my camera and would like to share a few pictures with you.
Our acer has been this colour for weeks. Isn't it magnificent. It has the canny knack of making it look sunny even when it isn't.
Four very different trees on our lawn. On the left the poplar grows at a rate of knots and loses its leaves earlier than most, probably from exhaustion. We refer to it as the feather duster (hopefully for obvious reasons!) Next to it, the katsura was planted several years ago for its autumn colour and supposed unusual aroma of burnt sugar, but I've yet to smell it. The stately cedar towers over them all. Its going to be real giant. The small tree far right is a liquidambar. This will grow much larger in time but meanwhile we are treated to a glorious display of deep reds and pinks when its leaves change colour each October.
This red dogwood looks better without leaves than with them if that doesn't sound too unkind. The stems remain a wonderful deep red and provide superb winter colour when days are at their darkest. At Christmas it gives me an unlimited supply of festive red for garlands and floral displays.
More red, this time from a rhododendron that is having a 'second flush'. Always welcome at this time of year.
Gorgeous waxy water lilies floating on our pond and today the dragonflies are flitting over the water with amorous intent (or so it appears!)
I was rather pleased with myself for capturing this cobweb stretched across a holly bough, glinting in the sunshine.
The wet summer has meant a few jobs in the garden have sadly remained unfinished. This path has been under construction for several months. The spaces between the stone slabs are to be filled with pebbles in a bed of cement. Will it still look like this next spring I ask myself? Probably!
Today this is the last rose of summer, tomorrow it will be the first rose of autumn.
I can't finish this post without adding four lines that have become a firm favourite with garden lovers everywhere. They are part of a longer poem and you will find the complete version in my 'Poems and Wise Words' section.
The kiss of the sun for pardon,
The song of the birds for mirth,
One is nearer God's heart in a garden,
Than anywhere else on earth.
Taken from 'The Lord God planted a garden' by Dorothy Gurney (1858 - 1932). An English poet and hymn writer she also composed 'O Perfect Love' the popular wedding hymn.
Your garden looks so beautiful!!
Posted by: mumintroll | 20 September 2008 at 07:59 PM
Oh I so want to live in brambly hedge. Clarice
Posted by: clarice | 23 September 2008 at 03:16 AM