Autumn is Here!

I can tell when autumn is here not only by the changing colours of the leaves, or the low hard sun in the sky but by looking round my garden

My Caster Oil Plant, I can still remember the first time it flowered, I believe two years ago on this blog, since then it has been dug up cut back and re-planted and this year yet again it shows me its different developments of its flower..









It always flowers at this time of year, and I love it because it is so different to anything else I have in the garden,

I was given a tuber of this flower Impatiens tinctoria (I believe)





yes there are other types of 'Bizzy Lizzie' lots and lots I have the book to prove it! This one is currently 1 metre tall and flowering away merrily, a sight for sore eyes at this time of year!!


My tree ferns have loved our awful summer and have grown amazingly well, I will stuff the crowns with fleece and leave them to there own devices this winter. This is the small one



and my bigger one has masses of fronds





A sure sign of colder days and nights is I can find the cats relatively easily

Jake's favourite position is half in and half out of the cat flap, I have yet to get a pic but I will



he comes and goes as he pleases now, but I lock them all in at night! Although he is timid he acts quite dominant on occasions, Sassy does not like him at all and avoids him at all costs, when they do meet everyone can hear it. Funnily enough neither Sassy or Tango have given him a swipe, Chimarnie my old cat would have, its all Jake needs, maybe its not in the nature of a Burmese?? Watching him round the house I understand how important a tail is to a cat, he is definitely not as agile.

Sassy likes to be as close to me as she can



sitting on the chair next to me when I'm on the computer. She is so sweet.

Tango is sneezing alot



and is not complaining to much about being shut in, which is unusually for him. I have checked for other symptoms of 'Cat flu' but he doesn't seem to have them, he is drinking and eating so maybe its just the sniffles.

In the autumn I come in from the garden and start to make and do in the home, I have been quite busy so have some nice things to share with you, but not right now. I am away for a few days visiting my mum so will be back next week.

Don't forget the hour changes this weekend!

Busy & Beautiful

Well it has certainly been a busy weekend, phew! I'm plum tuckered out!

Having had a lovely day on Saturday at Akamba and spent just a little bit of money!! Oh by the way I used my garden vouchers at last!!

Sunday was so warm that we decided to plant one or two plants!
The Trachycarpus Fortunei, that has been in a pot for quite a few years and has now got to the stage where we struggle to lift it, so it had to be planted. Here is hubby in his stripes (he does like his stripes!)digging a big hole and next to him is Trachy!


Trachy, now planted, I took of a few palms and will feed it with Palmbooster

I am pleased how this looks as the far side has room for me to plant a couple of my brugmansias. I have decided to plant alot of them this year as this should hopefully reduce the need to water so often, then late autumn I will dig them up and over winter in the greenhouse!

My Tetrapanax Papyrifera 'Rex' which has been overwintering in the greenhouse has speeded up its growth rate, so for the last week I have had it sat outside to harden off. At long last after much deliberation and tea drinking I have decided where it should be planted.



I have taken a pic of it with a standard unit of measurement you will all recognise and we can all watch it grow!I hope to do this about once a month, as I believe these can shift!!!!!

Sassy was exhausted with all this going on and found somewhere cool to lie down!



The Borneo Giant unfurling another leaf! I hope we get some good weather soon as I want to move this up onto the patio where its nice and hot, or should be if we get a good summer!!


Sparmannia africana,(House Lime or African Hemp) probably not the most sensible buy, but these leaves are soft and fluffy! Another one that will need to be lifted in for the winter, maybe a bit tender but should be ok on my south facing patio!



You will like these......did you know there was such a thing as Hardy Impatiens? (Busy Lizzies) not that they look like your standard Busy Lizzie

on the left we have Impatiens omeiana and on the right Impatiens tinctoria now aren't you jealous!!!! I have always loved busy lizzies and often have them planted in my window boxes.
I was so impressed by these I bought a book about them.
Off for a cuppa and a read!!!!!