November - with attitude.

As we move from autumn into winter most of the trees in my garden have lost their leaves.  The few remaining are putting on one heck of a display this year, most thanks to the acers.  The first two overhang from our neighbour.  The third is in our front garden.

Moving inside, "The Toad's" Christmas cactus is flowering spectacularly this year.

A rose by any other name

Would smell as sweet

It was my birthday this week and among my lovely gifts I received a new rose "special daughter" 

The perfect spot was created in the Terrace Border, in full sun for its dusky pink scented blooms. 

New roof.

The roof on the shed in the Pink Garden suffered damage in the remnants of hurricane Maria a couple of months ago.  After trawling t'interweb and with a little trepidation, TMTC stripped off the old felt.

Measured twice and cut once, the first section was fixed with clout nails. 

Edges secured, it was time to attach the second and third section using special adhesive and further clout nails. 

Once all the edges were folded and nailed, the new barge boards were added to the front and sides.

And painted to match.

All that remains is new guttering to connect the waterbutt.

Mulching

An hour's graft was all it took to lick the front garden back into shape.

I've pruned back some of the older wood on the huge lacecap hydrangea, trimmed all the herbaceous perennials, and removed all the dead leaves beneath the berginia clumps along with a great many slugs and snails hiding within...eeeuch! 

The Man That Can dug up the sambuccus nigra and verbena bonariensis that really didn't seem happy in the front garden, and replanted them in the Terrace Border. 

The little cobbles had a good weed and were swept, and the fallen leaves were collected. 



Finished off with a thick bark mulch, it's ready to face the winter.

Hues of Autumn

Another few days of high winds has played havoc with my timing.  Some plants that produce a spectacular autumn display, like cotinus (smoke bush) have very few leaves left, while others have yet to start losing their chlorophyll to enable their colourful finale.  

Cotinus 

Acer

Wisteria 

While The leaves of cornus provide some lovely autumn hues, it's the firey stems that I'm after.

I'm really hoping this acer bounces back in the spring.  It's a great shape but we had a problem with scorching on this particular specimen and it's leaves frazzled up before having the chance to share its display. 

In the pink garden, late splashes of colour pop among the fading foliage forms.

On the patio, the sedum is taking on a richer, deeper shade of pink. 

The variegated Weigela has developed a sprinkling of late flowers. 

Ivy, verbena Bonariensis and grass combo.

Our neighbour's acers are only just beginning to colour up...

...Weigela Wings of Fire however is really showing off.

The hydrangeas fading to papery bracts that will remain in situ over winter to help protect the plants.

There are very few leaves remaining on the new tree in the Long Border and in the early morning light it was tricky to get a good shot of the colours.

The Photinia has reached the top of the cane now so come spring I will start to create the desired shape. 

In the front garden, the staghorn tree is spectacular.  The winds have depleted the foliage somewhat, but there's still enough to create a wow factor. 

Next up, the autumn tidy up reaches the front garden. 

There's a nip in the air

Some parts of the country have had frosts this week.  It's been pretty chilly here, but as yet no frosts.  It is time however to lift my Pelargoniums.  I've grown 5 this year in my containers and as I've removed all the bedding plants and composted them, I've potted up the Pelargoniums to bring into the porch for winter.

Each of my containers has received fresh compost and been planted with a vibrant pink cyclamen, three pale lilac-pink violas and a couple of clumps of yellow wallflowers.  I'm not sure why, but I like the clashing colours of pink and yellow.   In the spaces between these plants I've pushed early blue iris bulbs which will flower around February- March.

Bumblebee's pot has also been revitalised with a white cyclamen, deep blue violas and the same blue primula from last winter which spent the summer in a little pot out of the way, patiently waiting for its turn to shine once more.

Both roses in the terrace seat have been pruned and given a good mulch of  well rotted manure.

The Man That Can cut back the two honeysuckles remaining on the patio arch and dug up the roots.  The red crocosmias from either side of the arch were removed and replanted in the Yen Garden. 

He then cleaned up and prepared the arch and gate and set about giving it a lick of black paint to tie in with the Yen pergola, under the watchful eye of Angel.

Meanwhile, having left it too late to find suitable white varieties,  I've planted two types of pink tulips in the right hand side bed, after tidying up some of the fading foliage of the hardy geraniums.   The gap created by removing the crocosmias either side of the arch has been filled with allium siculum (Sicilian honey garlic) and allium Purple Sensation.  As both are from the onion family I'm hoping they will not only provide a pretty combination, but will also lend themselves to a spot of companion planting since planting a garlic clove has proved to be useful in helping prevent aphids on my roses.

Once the paint was dry, the new climbing rose "Shropshire Lad" was planted.  This David Austin rose promises a vigorous, healthy plant with peach-pink highly scented repeat blooms.  

And finally the Viburnums have been moved into place as the hydrangea pots fade.

I'm looking forward to next summer already!