Surrounded by cobwebs, the last of the flowers are just clinging on out in the garden at the moment.
Elated by the sunshine, I took a trip out this morning to photograph the few remaining splashes of colour, to try and hold onto them for as long as possible before the garden takes on its winter coat of unbroken green.
Actually, I love all the different shades of green you can find in a verdant garden, but I would like to add a little more colour as well.
I’m currently agonising over whether to cut down a rather large, browning, overgrown conifer that’s moping about next to our pond and planting some dogwood in its place: Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’ (you can see some in my post about trees / shrubs with winter colour from the start of the year). The idea is, the bright red stems in the winter would reflect in the pond and bring a bit of cheer (and contrast) to the otherwise green vistas. (Ha! I’m not sure you can actually use the word “vista” if the total distance you can see is probably about 20ft…)
I had just started to write a lengthy essay explaining to you the pros and cons of the decision, but have deleted the six paragraphs on the grounds that it’s not wildly exciting reading.
Anyway, back to what’s actually there at the moment…
The two pink rose bushes continue to bloom: they deserve an award for outstanding longevity as I think they’ve both been in flower for around six months now.
Meanwhile, my new Rosa rugosa hedge has been making the most glorious red hips.
In an equally impressive display, my perennial sweetpea is still (still!) putting out flowers. For the last month or so, I’ve been thinking every bloom I see is the last, only for another to appear a few days later…
In the back garden, there are lots of bright Hesperantha coccinea by the pond. (More usual name? Not a clue, I’m afraid…) I’ve mentioned before that I’m not a huge fan of red flowers in the garden, but somehow, once the main summer has passed and we’re into autumn, my opinion changes completely and I am delighted to see such rich colours.
Behind them, my Japanese maple is still looking a little unhealthy, but has managed to put out lots of lovely purpley/red seed pods. What glorious colours!
And my lovely pink daisies have just put out a second bloom…
Finally, I just can’t resist sharing this photo of my little photographic assistant. He’s been given use of Daddy’s old camera and has spent much of the past few weeks in poses fairly similar to this one.
I asked him, “Are you taking a photo of Mummy?” and he looked at me quizzically, as if that would be a very odd thing to do, and said, “No! Taking photo of dis plant…” The apples don’t fall far from the tree, eh…
Wolves in London 
I came across your blog today & have loved reading through. I have a conifer too that I wish to get rid of. It stays as I mean to use some branches for Christmas wreaths, I’ve yet to do that in all the years I’ve been at my house. Lovely post.
Thanks Joanne, v kind of you! That’s a good idea about the conifer branches for Christmas wreaths: I shall add that onto my To Do list as well, in the hope I might actually do it! There’s definitely no way the horrible thing is going before then, what with all the work involved in cutting down a tree in a garden with no direct access and having to pull it all through the house! Thanks so much for commenting…
I love “dis” post! And I say go for it! Buh-bye sad, moping conifer and hello beautiful dogwood! But that is my most humble opinion… I would be beyond ecstatic to have a 20 ft vista… as it stands now, I’ve barely 10! Oh and do not dismiss those most lovely red flowers… they’re not THAT red now…. very pretty!
My roses are still flowers as is my climbing bean (can’t remember the name of them but they grow to about 8 inches long!)… long live the garden in autumn! Here in the ‘burbs of Montreal, Canada, winter is wicked so the longer we have in this season, the better, I say!
Ha ha, 20ft isn’t too bad is it? Not for London, certainly, but I dream of giant garden of many acres in the countryside, heh heh.
Yes, if I could click my fingers and remove the horrible old tree for a dogwood, I definitely would, but (in short) it’s the work involved that’s putting me off, combined with the fact the tree stands on a boundary with the neighbour, where there is only a chicken wire fence. So I’m worried if I replace it with a dogwood, there might be large parts of the year when you can see into the neighbour’s garden a bit too much. Hmmm, hmmm, I need to photoshop in place or something!
Very impressed your climbing bean is still going, you must be having a seriously hot autumn over there. Eat as many beans as you can before the winter! xx
Definitely not! I, too, dream of acres and acres!
Bummer for the tree situation. I am so NOT into having the neighbours looking in, nor vice-versa!
I know, eh? I am looking at the red flowers on the runners as we speak!
Ha ha he’s a good egg! Kitty does the same, it’s times like that that make you truly appreciate just how much they take in form what we do in front of them!
I’ve been astounded at how long roses have bloomed for this year, it makes me think I need to embrace the thorny blighters next year. Lovely goings on in your garden and it makes me happy to keep coming here and seeing you posting and dare I say it, you seem as if you are on fine form at the moment, the old blogging mojo back in full effect 🙂
Oooh yes, you must add a rose onto your New plants for the new garden list! Didn’t someone say once that a garden isn’t a garden without a rose?!
And thanks for the blogging mojo comment, now, shhh, don’t jinx it!
aaaaaaaaaaaaah! your pink roses are so delicate and beautiful. and so perfect with the fall beauty.
Amazing photos of lovely blooms! My 4 yr old son also love to take photos but mostly of his toys. Your son is so adorable =) #hdygg
What a sweet little photographer. Mine like to take photos too. I love the red flowers, such a beautiful shade. The roses are wonderful. There were some on the school run that lasted until January last year, they were quite amazing.
So much colour, love it!
I’ve been thinking the same about our blooms yet they keep on producing more.
And you’ve given me the name of my favourite tree in one of our parks, Japanese Maple, thank you
Lovely perspectives and sweet photographer there! My acer seems to be browning too rather than going through the awesome range of colours that it went through last year. I am hoping that there is still a chance…
Oh, go for the dogwood! Imagine how lovely it’ll look in the snow. Assuming we get some snow, of course.
It’ll still look great against a blue sky reflected in your pond 🙂
S
Impressive roses! Ours lasted for a fair while this year (although not as long as yours) and just when I think they won’t flower again a few pop up. Bit jealous of your sweet pea, mine are long gone *sniff*. Your photographic assistant is very cute! 🙂