September Plants

 It is certainly heading towards autumn now.  We have had some lovely sunny days but there is a chill, both in the mornings and once the sun has gone.  The plants feel it too and the autumn flowering plants are starting their display. Above is a New England aster (September Ruby?) with colours that echo the echinacea below.

 Helianthus Lemon Queen which is about six foot tall this year, with a background of beautiful blue sky.

A summer bedding snapdragon, with bigger and more open flowers than the usual ones.  It was a bargain plant and has flowered really well with its large primrose yellow flowers.

 Astrantia major had flowered earlier in June and hadn't done terribly well.  However, I cut it back and it has rewarded me with a second flowering.

 Another aster (Snowstorm?).

 The aforementioned echinacea purpurea 'The King', which was a relatively recent purchase, prompted by seeing the lovely echinacea at The Garden House, Saxby.

A lovely miscanthus sinensis 'Kleine Fontane', which has reddish flowers which open to fluffy seedheads.  I like the way the sun is shining through the leaves and flowers in this photo.  I'm pleased to say that there is still lots going on in the garden at the moment (and I planted some narcissus bulbs this week too).

Things I like about Autumn

 A few things I like about Autumn...  The last flowers making the most of precious sunny days (aster novae-angliae, Hydrangea Endless Summer Pink and Clematis Rebecca), giving me colour in the garden.

 A beautiful blue Autumn sky with wispy white clouds.

The right time of year to read Persuasion, accompanied by a cup of tea and a bar of my current favourite chocolate (Lindt Extra Creamy is my top all-time favourite, but Galaxy Bubbles comes a close second).  I indulged myself last week and watched the dramatisation of Persuasion with Amanda Root as Anne Elliot - a perfect treat for this time of year.

Final images for Late Summer/Early Autumn

 Try as we might, there is no denying that Autumn, if not here, is just around the corner, and according to the weather men, will descend in earnest from this coming Wednesday.  However, to celebrate the glorious weather we have been enjoying for the last five days, more like July than September/October,  here are a few images from plants in the garden.  Above is Salvia 'Icing Sugar' which I bought at Gardeners' World Live and which has been flowering since June, despite the difficult conditions.  It still has lots of buds, but is not hardy so I don't think it will survive over the winter.  I'll just enjoy the bright cerise flowers for as long as I can.

 Aster Ericoides, which has become one of my favourite asters.  It is smothered in tiny lilac flowers which the bees love.  There is also a scent, but I haven't yet identified it - there is a honey perfume, but something else too and I'm not sure whether it is pleasant or not!

A lovely combination of an aster with the ever reliable Helianthus Lemon Queen, which has been featured on my blog several times.  I just can't resist the happy yellow flowers.

 A new plant, bought yesterday at the last garden visit of the season for us.  It is Spiraea 'Gold Fountain', although I'm not sure it is, because that is supposed to have white flowers.  Still, whatever it is, it is very pretty and the golden/green leaves give a real splash of colour.

I couldn't leave out the roses, so here is Blush Noisette, with a self seeded verbena bonariensis (and the washing line ...oops!)  Blush Noisette is a pretty rose with a lovely fragrance and I think this is the penultimate cluster of flowers, to celebrate the very last of the summer.

Asters in Autumn

I had intended to plant my narcissus and muscari bulbs over the weekend, but the weather wasn't conducive to staying outside for any length of time. I did manage to take a few photos and was very pleased with the aster display at the moment. They are the aster novae angliae varieties which are resistant to mildew and are very reliable. The yellow accent is provided by Helianthus Lemon Queen.

This delicate aster ericoides has taken a long time to start flowering but is worth the wait with small lilac flowers. I have been interested to watch the buds develop and was concerned that the weather would change before it had a chance to flower, but I needn't have worried. These plants are giving that final flourish before the onset of autumn proper.