Colour swatching

Colour swatching is one of my favourites things to do when I have got new paints/inks/crayons.  Previously, I put these into my techniques book but have recently decided to make a swatch book separately from anything else.  The pages of colour are just so satisfying to look at and make a very helpful directory so that I can see what I have and choose what I need to use for a project.  So far, I have done gouache paints,  sparkle inks, inktense pencils (my new favourite watercolour pencils), Woodys and Neo Colours. 

Lovely rainbows of colour...

These make me happy - so bright and colourful.  I still have dye inks, oxides, pigment inks, stickles, pixie powders and more watercolour pencils to do.  I can probably find other supplies that I need to make swatches for...

Late Autumn in the garden

It has certainly turned more wintry this week and we have had a couple of frosts. The garden has reacted accordingly, with leaves falling quickly.  I took these photos last weekend, before it all changed. Above shows one of  the miscanthus grasses which changed to a buttery yellow.

The blueberries are taking on their fiery Autumn colours.

They are such good value plants.

Lysimachia Clethroides is also showing changes of leaf colour.

These little cyclamen in the shady corner bring me joy with their beautifully patterned silver and green leaves.

My Fatsia Japonica is trying to flower.  This flower is just starting to open...

..this one is much further along.

A bright splash of orange/red is provided by the pyracantha berries.

One of my little ginkgos has buttery yellow leaves now too.  I have put a standard ginkgo on my 'one day' wish list - they are such beautiful (and ancient) trees. I am trying to have something of interest in the garden every month of the year and I am slowly getting there...

Tulips for 2022

 

I have finally started planting my tulips for next Spring.  I have gone for Brown Sugar (pictured above from this year)...

...Ronaldo (again pictured from this year)...

Ballerina (on the left, pictured from a couple of years ago, with Brown Sugar,  in the border)...

Beautiful blowsy Danceline (photo from a couple of years ago)...

...and just because I can, another photo of Ronaldo and Ballerina together (photo from a while ago). I do love the combination of orange and purple for tulips.

These are favourites and have proved to be a good buy as they have all come back once planted in the borders.  I also have some from last year which I need to plant in the borders, somewhere.  The borders are pretty full, so that may be a challenge!

  

I have also bought some double orange 'Sunlover' tulips, which I haven't grown before, for a couple of pots at the front and they need to be planted too - hopefully this week!

November - the seasons turn

The temperatures have gone down a bit this week (although surprisingly, have gone up a bit this weekend) and the autumn colours are starting to glow.  However, there are still some plants bravely hanging on. Above is the 'old velvet' colours of the hydrangea flowers.

The standard cherry Kojo-no-mai is showing fiery shades...

...as are the blueberries.

Salvia Nachtvlinder is still in bloom, with its deep purple flowers.

Rose Kew Gardens is also still putting out the odd flower.

Fuchsia Thamar is the only fuchsia I have now - the others got rust and I got rid of them.

Liriope Muscari is such a reliable plant for me.  I really need to divide the poor thing and give it a bit more space.

Hydrangeas are still flowering at the bottom end of the garden.

I like the mix of the bright white flower against the earlier flowers which have turned green

The Magnolia is now losing its leaves - and that is a proper November sky.

There are still some autumn fruiting raspberries ( I ate this one straight after taking this photo).

Lysimachia Clethroides in the front, starting to go yellow, with the cherry behind.  I need to start on the pot insulation I think.  We have had one frost so far and there will certainly be more to come.