Summers End And Winter Plans

I have just looked at the blogs main page and realised it has been 15 days since I posted.2012 will not be a vintage blog year I think because of the extreme weather,and working full time.The Summer is officially over (the date was 21st September).The garden looks ragged around the edges and needs tidying up when the weather drys out.We have had the wettest spring, the wettest summer since 1912,and from the last few days probably onto the wettest Autumn.There were widespread floods across the north of England.

The Sweet Peas are still flowering beautifully.A few odd flowers remain around the garden.The Baskets need cleaning up,but hopefully the Pansy's and Viola's will flower over the winter.I liked the Petunias in red,white,and blue.It complimented my patriotic streak in celebrating the Queens Diamond Jubilee and the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.
 I have started to receive seed and plant Catalogues to peruse over.I also bought the James Wong Book Homegrown Revolution.I need to see what exotic varieties I could grow at the allotment alongside the traditional British Vegetables.
  Looking out of the window the Roses need trimming back to encourage new growth next year.The pond needs the duckweed removing again and the plants trimmed.The wildflower area needs cutting down and excess growth removed, so the bare soil can germinate the wildflower seeds that have dropped.I will also use the plant supports next year before the flush of new flowers to keep them upright.
  The Ceanothus will need cutting back.In its third year it is now about eight feet high and five feet wide.I will try to shape it into a giant figure.
 The Butterfly Bush needs hard pruning but the birds love landing in it.From the dining room table you can see the plumage,feathers,and behaviour of the garden birds at close range.
 I want to buy a new greenhouse too as the old one has ripped cover and leaks water.The Grape Vine needs detaching from the frame to stand outside over the winter.There are five good bunches of eating Grapes ripening nicely now.From green to mauve to purple to black.I could do with some more sunshine to illuminate the leaves to make more sugar for the fruit.
 I need to read the seed catalogues and start to make my wish list.Work out what I want to grow next year.The pictures and descriptions are perfect to read in the cool dark nights now it is getting darker earlier.