Friday 6 September 2013

rambling on . . . friday flowers . . . the garden in September . . . five favourite photos . . . and goodbye to the swallows . . .

SDC18709

Sometimes, in a packet of bog-standard Cosmos seed, you get some little gems – like these white ones with a pink edge or the petals shaped like sea shells.  Although the Cosmos don’t seem to be as prolific as in previous years (maybe they don’t appreciate the dry summer) they are still providing plenty of late-summer colour and make a nice change from the Rudbeckia and Zinnia I have been picking from the cutting patch.

SDC18714 The Japanese Anemones are now in full swing, I can’t remember the name of this variety, but I bought it last Autumn and kept it in a container as I had heard they would colonize the garden, but it has increased in size rapidly I may have to plant it out anyway – I think the silver buds are just as pretty as the flowers.

SDC18700 So many variations in a packet of Rustic Dwarf Rudbeckia seed.

SDC18675 And the California poppies just keep on doing what they do best, brightening up the veg plot.

SDC18686

I am still harvesting produce from the veg garden, although the runner beans have almost finished.  Summer squash and courgettes are slowing down and the tomatoes are gradually ripening, but the big glossy leaves of the Chard keep coming – these were used in a stir-fry.

SDC18705

The James Grieve apple tree has plenty of ripe fruit but has been invaded by wasps who are attracted by its highly fragrant fruit.  I have to sneak out in the early morning to pick them when the wasps are fairly quiet, I should think they have ruined at least half of the crop.  Grrr.

SDC18683

The Swallows and House Martins have departed, they have been collecting on the telephone wires for a few days now.  We didn’t think there seemed to be as many this year, but we counted at least a hundred, I love watching them performing their aerial ballet in the evenings normally, swooping  and chattering all the while – I hate it when they leave.  Bon Voyage, safe journey – hope to see you again next year.

SDC18672

Five favourite photos include a sunset

SDC18707

a sunrise

SDC18715

a charity shop find – I’m not much for wearing delicate jewellery – if I’m going to wear it then big and bold suits me just fine – this one goes perfectly with a chartreuse-coloured outfit.

SDC18718-001

As autumn slowly creeps in I shall be swopping summer cook books (I’m a sucker for great titles) to winter

SDC18721-001

Casserole dishes and soup bowls at the ready for some lovely winter warmers.

‘Til next time – have a great weekend.

p.s. the inspiration for a couple of items in this post come from Fredas' blog Living Simply – thanks Freda.

p.p.s. one week on and my husband still hasn’t noticed the new picture!!!

c s lewis : Isn't it funny how day by day nothing changes but when you look back, everything is different...

21 comments:

  1. I've only just discovered the possibility of Japanese anemones being invasive, which is worrying as I've just put in three!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I really missed having lots of cosmos this year so will make up for it next year as they're one of my favourites.
    A lovely, mellow post with terrific photos. Flighty xx

    ReplyDelete
  3. Those cosmos are lovely Elaine as are your nice selection of photos

    ReplyDelete
  4. The cosmos in our garden has done well this year and we are inundated with both pink and white Japanese anemones, I too love the silvery buds as much as the flowers:)

    ReplyDelete
  5. The Japanese Anemones are quite lovely Elaine!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Those a lovely subset photos.
    The wasps are a nuisance where fruit is concerned aren't they - makes picking hazardous.

    As for cosmos - ours are just starting to flower - I think I was late sowing them.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I just love the name of your cook book - Fireside feasts and snowy day treats - ooh just idyllic and thinking of cooler climes. I guess this Indian summer can't last for much longer though. I love all your garden photos and still envious of your harvest. Have a great weekend.
    Patricia x

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh....those cosmos are absolutely gorgeous, they remind me of an oldly worldy Victorian flower and they look lovely in that little jug.

    I shall be on the lookout for that Japanese Anemone it's beautiful.I didn't know you could get an autumn flowering one.

    Your harvest looks delicious, it's wonderful being able to trot out and come back laden with home grown fruit and veg....shame about the wasps though, they are dangerous at this time of the year.

    I too am sad to see the swallows and house martins go, it amazes me how far such tiny birds can fly.

    Lol....love your book titles, and beads....and ....Husbands, I despair!!!!xxxx

    ReplyDelete
  9. Love the CS Lewis quote. So true. Cosmos are such great flowers. They come up every year, look gorgeous in pink--love the with the edging--, and they re seed themselves. You have had a good harvest. Love the photos of the clouds at sunset. Wouldn't they make a pretty room? Have a great week end. And thanks a bunch for visiting my blog and leaving such kind comments.

    ReplyDelete
  10. My Japanese anemones are running riot, Elaine, but I like them like that. If the whole front lawn were to turn into a huge sweep of them, I'd be delighted. Your pink edged cosmos flowers are particularly beautiful, and I'm impressed by the homegrown vegetables.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I do wish the wasps would keep to the wind falls but sadly not. Even the bumper crop of plums is slowly getting eaten before they properly ripen. Grrr indeed. D

    ReplyDelete
  12. The cosmos are lovely plants. I was stung by a wasp recently; they are such a nuisance.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Fall does seem to have wonderful skies. I like the final C.S. Lewis sentiment- so true!
    Seeing your cosmos I wish I had made another attempt to grow them. I always seem to get them to produce great foliage, but few flowers. Then early frost carries them off just as the flowers start to appear.
    Fall does put one in the mind of cooking. Just yesterday I was thumbing through a cookbook just before bed and thinking about soups and other hearty fall dishes. Have a great weekend Elaine!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Lovely reading again! Your cosmeas,Japanese anemones and Califoenia poppies are so beautiful. Good idea changing cooking books with the seasons, love their titles.
    Wish you a nice new week!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Nice post Elaine, as you know I'm mainly into veg growing but this year I've actually managed to introduce some flowers to my plots, Dahlias, Marigolds and Gladioli at the moment, so I hope you don't mind me looking in on "Rosebank" in future, your advice is always relevant, interesting and useful.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Flowers are always useful on the plot bringing in lots of beneficial insects and for companion planting, as you well know, the more the merrier I say.

      Delete
  16. So much abundance! I love this time of year :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. That rampant character of the Japanese anemones is just what I'm looking for ;-) Well, we'll see what happens. Yours has a very pretty pink bloom. I've only seen the white varieties around here.

    Lovely cosmos, too! Do yours reseed well or do you have to collect seeds and sow?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have never known the Cosmos to re-seed I usually sow fresh seed every year.

      Delete
  18. Lovely little tour around your flowers, Elaine. I love to see Japanese anemones growing but that's been in a deep border in the college grounds! I know what you mean about cookbooks; I took a soup book out of the library the other day, I was drawn to a recipe for pumpkin and nasturtium soup. Now I'm wondering if they appear at the same time in the garden - surely the nasturtium flowers will have finished by pumpkin time? !! A few of my Braeburns have been infiltrated (half of them I don't know about as someone has scrumped over half my crop!) but I wasn't sure if it was wasps or codling moth.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hi my friends how are you hope you fine me also share with you some tips hope you like. Anyone new to gardening could be excused for thinking the process is rather daunting, especially if they read some of the books on the market. Often these books are so loaded with technical jargon that the average person can't understand it. One exception is Yates Garden Guide which should have a place in every home. Gardening expert Colin Campbell has put together this list of 10 basic gardening rules which will help to make gardening a satisfying leisure activity. Get to know your soil type. When you know this, you will know how to manage it and get the best out of it. There are three basic types - sand, silt and clay - and if you are not sure about what you have, ask your neighbours if there isn't a nursery or garden centre nearby. Use plenty of organic matter, regardless of the soil type. Organic fertilisers, compost and mulching materials enhance the nutrient level and encourage life-giving soil microbes and worms. The more you can use, the better. Fertilisers should always be used in accordance with manufacturers' directions. Keep the soil well-mulched all year. Mulching helps to minimise weed growth and this is important because weeds compete with plants for moisture and nutrients. Mulching also modifies soil temperature - in warm weather it helps to keep it cool and in cold weather it keeps the soil warm. A thick layer will also reduce moisture loss through evaporation. It doesn't really matter what type of mulch is used - it comes down to personal choice. I prefer sugarcane mulch, but others opt for lucerne mulch, straw, tea-tree or bark mulch.
    Trees For Sale Online

    ReplyDelete