autumn changes

Im back again after a little gap.I felt motivated today to go outside and tackle the tangle of the backgarden.A sloping, one foot high mass of grass, aggressive weeds, and damp ground.
It was strimmed , then mowed with the hover mower, and finally trimmed around the edges with scissors.
The summer bedding plants were removed, as were the phlox because they gave slugs a place to hide after midnight feasts on my plants.Several were strimmed/mowed which pleased me.they are rotting in the compost heap now.My green bin is virtually full now.Half compost, half refuse.
I still have the side and front to do but my muscles ache and i felt tired.
The gladiolus have flowered now,They have big showy flowers like silk hankies,Reds,purples, and pinks.However they do need staking as mine have flopped over.
I made Sallyanne a flower display with five flower heads.
Strangely with gaps between the shrubs the garden looks better.Maybe less is more?!
I am designing in my head again.The imagination is like the paints and strokes, the garden is a canvas.You can always do away with the old and start again.For me its a case of working out what worked, what did not, and ways to improve my clay, luggy soil.
I write this on a new laptop, need to find digital camera to take photos.The photos make the blogs work.And they can give you ideas for new plants or flowers.
The hot/wet summer is drawing to a close.The hospital where i work has beautiful grounds surrounding it with blackbirds, magpies, and squirrels.The leaves are dropping now.Fall as they say in USA.
Its magic as the leaves turn from green to golden brown, reds, and oranges, and all hues in between.They make a multicoloured carpet to kick your way through.(somethings remain fun if you are eight or eighty!)
More regular posts soon honest.Keep on growing.

Garden update

hello again.I have just finished my garden tidy up after being away for two weeks.I had visions of everything dying or flowering before i returned.
However it was a nice suprise.My pot marigolds have grown one foot in the air and have the maddest yellow/orange flowers.They were not like mums pot marigolds that self seeded a thousand times.I always liked the pungent green leafs and bright orange flowers, showy but short lived.
Three of the gladiolus have flowered.They definitely need support though as they flop around like drunken sailors at midnight!!
The evening primrose have grown bushy but all the flowers have gone.The snapdragons have flowered again and made seed heads.
My violas have gone over, some flowers remain and lots of dried seedheads.
The rose bush has risen again with new leafs and an orange flower bud.The french marigolds continue to bloom spectacularly.
I have some purple flowered umbrellas from summer bulbs.I dont know the name now,i forgot already.
The grass has been cut at the front and side.The back grass has gone wild,its about a foot tall.Notice the overgrown photo......
My dead busy lizzies have regrown and have flowers on them again.The lavender still has flower spikes on it.
In my abscence the weeds have grown equally.To my horror and hurt hand there were stinging nettles, brambles, and the evil bind weed choking whatever it could hold onto.
I have begun to formulate plans for next year once the summer starts to end.I have a short list of what grows and what died.I have some ideas for the terrible soil and moisture retention.
Going to put pictures on now....

wild back yard 

gladiolus two 

gladiolus 

kitchen window border 

calendula (pot marigold)