Autumn days and my thoughts on composting

It is a lovely October so far in this part of the country and I am trying to savour every minute that I can. Above is a 'Magical revolution' hydrangea, slowly taking on some autumnal shades.

This is the colour of the sky recently.

The perennial sunflowers are still going strong, but you can see how much more shade this area gets now.

The sunlight on the miscanthus flower heads is always so beautiful.

The asters are also still doing well - this is Symphotrichum Novae-angliae Mrs S T Wright (she will always be an Aster to me!).

More gorgeous miscanthus heads...

...and again.

In other news, I have emptied my compost bin and sieved the compost.  Those of you who are gardeners will no doubt be familiar with the whole compost making process and how to achieve the best results.  

I had a few bad years, because although I thought I understood the process, it needed some tweaking.  However,  I think it is now working well.   I have a plastic 'Dalek' shaped bin and you have to remove the whole bin to get at the compost.  I left it for two years, thinking all would be well, only to find it really wasn't. The compost had condensed into a solid mass  and there were no worms to be seen.  I emptied it out and started again, this time adding a layer of paper and egg boxes in between the kitchen scraps.  I also started to turn the heap a couple of times over the year.  Adding the paper layers and turning the compost have made the difference.  The resulting compost is now lovely and soft, crumbly with an earthy smell.

Having sieved the compost this time,  I shall refine my additions to the bin further.  While tea leaves rot down beautifully, tea bags don't.  Egg shells take a while too, but the pieces that are left in are small and will rot down and also provide some air.  Some compostable plastics take a long time to rot down.  I am not  adding citrus as the worms don't like it.  Potato peelings need to be added in small amounts as sometimes they have a habit of sprouting.  

It has been a real learning process but I am so happy with what nature and those clever worms have given me.  The compost will be added to peat free multipurpose compost for planting and potting on and as a mulch around some plants.  

What a difference a day makes or October in the garden

It was such a warm day yesterday and has been a really wet miserable day today. I made the most of the weather yesterday and planted some daffodils in pots.  I also took the opportunity to have a look round the garden too. (The song 'What a difference a day makes' by Dinah Washington sprang into my head, hence the title of the post, even though the song is nothing to do with the weather, so here's a link to it on Youtube.)

 Autumn is certainly here, as can be seen by the Blueberries, here Northland...

...turning their fiery colours.  They have fruited really well this year and are such an easy to look after plant, as long as they are in ericaceous compost.  Mine don't always get rain water either - it depends how much is in the water butt.

A few last roses from 'Winchester Cathedral'.

 Buttery yellow leaves on Ginkgo Biloba Troll.

 Liriope muscari flowering away beautifully.

 My favourite grasses - Miscanthus Silberfeder.

 Cosmos Dazzler, doing what the name suggests.

 Aster (renamed something I can't spell, but having checked, it is Symphyotrichum, although it will always be an aster to me) Little Carlow, showing which flowers have been pollinated by turning red/brown - really helpful for the bees.

Aster (Symphyotrichum) novae-angliae September Ruby (I think).

Miscanthus Starlight - smaller but still beautifully formed.  I am really enjoying the autumn colours and hope they will stay for a few more weeks.

Star Plants of late summer/early autumn

 My star plants at the moment are my miscanthus.  I have three varieties - here are Starlight and Kleine Fontane at the back. They are elegant plants and bring movement to the border.  I have found them to be really well behaved too and they provide something to look at throughout the winter.

 This miscanthus Silber Feder is in the other border and is a stunner.  It is statuesque and keeps its flower heads all winter.  If I had a larger garden, I would have many more miscanthus, but I really enjoy the ones I do have.  (The fence panel will be painted black at some point, once the clematis growing in front of it has died down.  The miscanthus will show up beautifully against the dark backdrop).

Helianthus Lemon Queen is a perennial sunflower which has grown absolutely huge this year.  I divided it early in Spring and this seems to have given it a new lease of life.  It towers above me and gives a lovely burst of sunshine yellow. 

 The bees love it too, as you can see.

How about this for a colourful combination?  Cosmos Dazzler, which does live up to its name.  This is a single plant shoved rather unceremoniously into a pot, contrasting against the sunflower.  The cosmos took ages to come into flower and I nearly composted it, but it has redeemed itself now.  As well as 'living for the moment' in the garden,  I do look forward to the way the character of the garden changes with the seasons.

Playing with a new camera

Unfortunately, my Kodak camera which I have been really happy with for a few years, has decided to start letting me down over the battery charging.  If I charge it the night before I need it or the morning I need it, it is fine.  However, after that day, no battery.  I bought a replacement battery but it has proved to be the same, so I am thinking there might be something wrong.  It has taken some lovely photos and I have enjoyed using it, but I decided to buy a new camera. 

After a lot of research, I ended up with the Canon Powershot SX420 IS.  It is different, but it has recognisable buttons and functions.  It has mixed reviews online, but for the price I was happy to pay, it was one of the only options.

This photo is from the Canon website.

 So, I went into the garden to have a practise with it.  Cyclamen Hederifolium looking rather glamorous.

 The changing colours of  Blueberry Goldtraube...

...and again.

 One of the final blooming roses - Gertrude Jekyll.

 Lovely Hydrangea Arborescens Annabelle, fading elegantly.

Miscanthus Silberfeder I think, alongside Rose Gertrude Jekyll.  So far, the camera seems to be OK, although more practising is needed I think.  I'm not sure that the photos have quite the clarity of the Kodak, but time will tell.