Garden Update

Autumn has arrived in Yorkshire.The trees are gradually shedding their leaves.It has been wet and windy for a few days.The plants are getting blown around outside now.It needs tidying up and the new winter bedding plants need planting in the pots,baskets,and sunken border.This was the view from the backdoor a few days ago.The Toad Lilys have begun to bloom in earnest.They have such beautiful colouration on their petals.The stamen seem to float over the plant like something from a sci-fi movie.The combination of warm sunshine,and wild weather has caused the Lady Emma Hamilton to put on a second flush.This year has been a bad year for the amount of these Roses.I think the plant needs trimming back in the Spring to reinvigorate the plant.The Roses she produces are gorgeous to look at,and heavenly to smell.The Apricot coloured blooms seem to sing out during grey days.The soft light seems to make them glow like copper coloured candles.Another job to do is to try to cut back some of the pond plants.They have exploded in growth and totally covered the pond.There are now baby Newts in the pond.The summer newts laid eggs and left in August.The Lily pads and pond weed provide perfect cover for the nifty one inch mini newts.There are a lot of Frogs in the pond though who eat small Newts.Hopefully some Newts will survive the winter and go on to lead productive lives.The Flag Iris pot is the favoured home for the Newts with its coloured stones.They wedge themselves between the stones.The Norfolk reed needs splitting and potting into an aquatic basket.It is vigorous!the Wildflowers around the pond will be left to set seed and will only be cut down in the Spring to clear some soil ready for the new plants to germinate.the only thing I want to move is the eight feet Teasel.They have made giant seed heads,like architectural sculptural pieces.I will leave one lot for the birds.I will spend the next year digging up Teasel plants from all over the garden!The Frog here was chilling in the water balanced on the pond plants.I love Frogs.I hope that the water is deep enough not to freeze solid..The Seed heads of flowering plants can be quite decorative.As the flowers start to fade they add some magic to the Autumn garden.Once the first frosts hit they will look magical with hoar frost on them.I will try to leave as many as possible for the birds to eat,and for the decorative effect until spring.It takes training to leave a garden a little wild after the beautiful flowers of summer.This years Apples are still growing on the Tree.One is almost Apple sized,the other two are catching up.The Tree has grown six Apples in 3 years.I am planning on planting it in the winter with lots of compost and manure into the ground.I need to buy a tree stake to keep it growing upright.Once it is bedded in the fruits should grow more plentifully.I love the idea of growing fruit in the garden.The Strawberries have been a great success.The raised sleeper bed has provided us with pounds of fresh juicy Strawberries.They need more compost digging into the bed and the weeds removed.I will pin down any Runners and maybe buy more new plants for the last section that is not full of plants.The netting has kept bird damage down to a minimum.the bruised ones get put on the grass for them.The Verbena Bonarensis have flowered quite well in their first year.These will grow better next year as they find their feet.The birds loved landing on the tall stems.these plants look great en Mass so the purple flowers can shimmer in the air.The Gladiolus have flowered secretly in the sunken border.They have been blown over and hidden amongst the debris of other plants.The pink and white blooms look lovely when they first bloom.I always forget to stake them and they always fall over.Next year i will remember.
The birds have started to visit the garden again.The spring garden was full of hundreds of birds.As the natural food becomes more available they come less.Winter will drive them back into my garden bird buffet.I have mixed seeds,fat balls,Sunflower hearts,and Nijer seed.I am looking for a new peanut holder as mine keeps getting wet then going mouldy.I need one that keeps the peanuts dry.Most seem to be open cages.The Yorkshire garden is quite exposed to the elements.
I have some new Tulip Bulbs to plant.These are called Tulip Purple Prince.They came as part of the offer with the winter bedding plug plants.Violas,Pansy's,and Sweet Williams.These will provide the bridging colour between Autumn and Spring.