Autumn to Winter

...this last week  it was wetter and cooler...

Not my garden...Bute Park, Cardiff

As you can see the autumn colours are in full riot at the moment.   All the beautiful rusts, browns and golds...also russet and silver here and there.

My own garden hasn't disappointed - there has been richer colour in it this year than previously.

Dogwood (Cornus) with a garland of raindrops.

Dogwood - I chose especially for the lovely red colour the stems turn in the winter when we are looking for splashes of something warm.

The Euphorbia really must be another favourite of mine.   It thrives on neglect and provides great structure and colour year round.  

Euphorbia

Hazel  has a wonderful mellow yellow as the leaves begin to fall.

Hazel

No, I certainly can't complain that there is no colour in the garden at the moment though I know it has a way to go to maintain interest all year round.   It is a good start, it is still a young garden, only in its third season.

Winter bird visitors have increased this week.   I think there will be more now the westerlies are lying quieter for a few days while easterlies blow in bringing the European migrants with it.

Starlings and sparrows

I have noticed a robin frequenting the feeders too - and today I caught a fleeting glance of a wren.  The collared doves are regulars.   Little blue tits come regularly.

Collared dove 

But with JP gone the neighbouring cats also come.   You can't blame them, cats will do what cats will do.   The birds seem to know when one is on the prowl.

This week I will be away so I won't be doing much in my garden.   I have taken down the sweet-peas with Jonah's help.  Most tender plants are stowed in the greenhouse.   The greenhouse needs a bit of sorting out but it can wait one more week.   I am eating salads from it regularly but I need to make room for some plants from G & D's garden and I think I will put my little fig tree in there for this winter.   I have seen them winter out in the garden here in the south of Wales - I think I'll give mine another nursery year undercover this winter.   It isn't the cold so much as the wet I want to protect it from, excess dampness and water logging are what it hates.

Pot of colour

I am taking a small bag of mixed bulbs with me to Mum.   I hope to plant them up for her and J to enjoy from January onwards to maybe April or May.   By planting a variety of bulbs in sequence in a big enough pot there should, in theory, be a succession of flowering spring bulbs for a few months.  Now is the time to plant bulbs....it is still not too late.  Here is how to plant a container of various bulbs if you want to try this trick too.

Let me leave you with one more picture of autumn colour, not in my garden but nearby in Kenfig Nature Reserve, a wonderful flame of colour among the browns and greys of the dunes....

I am not sure what it is, maybe a very young oak.

Meet you hear again next week or maybe in 10 days as I am away I anticipate I won't have very much garden news next Sunday having only got back that afternoon from Cornwall.

But...see you soon....and will be thinking of Christmas containers, Christmas colours, Christmas wreath making and Christmas decorations...not to mention Christmas bird feeding....lots to think about.

See you soon.