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A Feast or a Famine
The short Indian summer has been perfect for sea swimming and in recent weeks the water has been at its warmest this summer. However, the garden has not done so well and it looks dry and dull before its time. I have little hope of stunning autumn colours as many of the leaves are have…
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Colour – In Spite of Everything
Regardless of the weather there is one truly sheltered spot in my garden – behind a shed. The only acer that is truly thriving resides there, where I placed it on a temporary basis when I moved into the property, but it is now there to stay. My less successful attempts have led to some…
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From Paradise to Paradise
Three to four times a year I have a visit from pair of bullfinches who come to feast on the berries of the spindle trees and the seeds of the Sow thistle. It is possible that they may visit more often, but I tend to see them when they are by the house where there…
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This, That and the Other
Despite the constantly changing weather there is still a summer feeling to this area of the garden. The Autumn Hawkbit (which opens and closes on a regular basis in response to the showers) provides a sunny contrast to the cosmos and the Fuchsia in the background. It is a nice contrast to some of the…
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An Indian Summer
This second flowering of Geum has produced a dramatic background for a mature Green Shieldbug. I don’t imagine that this is the safest place to be if you need to be inconspicuous, but it makes a lovely picture. This has been a bumper year for Puffballs and Earthballs and they have expanded their territory to…
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The Little Picture
This Vapourer moth caterpillar has picked the perfect background to show off its dramatic coat – you could hardly call it a disguise! It always amazes me that I can find just one of these creatures a year when there must be many more around for the species to survive. This one was on a…
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Fantastic Fungi
It has been a very strange autumn in the garden. In the last few weeks bumble bees, hoverflies and even the odd butterfly have made the occasional appearance on sunny days. The holly offers plenty of food but some of my catmint plants have started to flower again and are equally popular. Even the Eleagnus…
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Stone Walls Upon
Stone FieldsOctober 2021 Red sky at morning … Normality has returned at last. The wind is howling in the chimney and the rain is streaming down the windows drowning out the sound of the seals. (That is if they sing in stormy weather). It is still very mild, but at least the plants are getting…
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An Indian Summer
At last, we have had some rain and the garden is beginning to recover from the long hot summer. Even better I no longer have to lug gallons of water around the garden every evening. This hydrangea Madame Emile Moulier struggled in the dry weather despite growing in the shade and required careful nursing unlike…