Autumnal Inspiration

With my trip to RHS Wisley last week certainly bring the autumn into touch with vibrant force I’ve been enjoying the crisper nights and cooler breezes as the season changes. Though summer may be over, the garden is absolutely full of life at this time of the year, and until the heavy frosts later in the season arrive, everything will be doing its best to get the last flowers of the months in.

I always plant my marigolds late so that they’re coming into force at this time of year, spreading vibrant orange through the fern patch along with the soft pink shades of geranium A.T Johnson. Situated at the bottom of the garden they draw the eye along the path, making my smaller patch seem that little bit larger. Newer additions to the garden are thriving too, with beautiful toad lily’s extending architecturally great blooms dotted in magnificent colour in the shady areas. It may be blustery, sweeping all fragrance away in an instant, but Lime Green Nicotiana is offering subtle shape and hues. A plant often overlooked, the gorgeous smell and soft greens are wonderful, especially in the moonlight, and next year I’m intending to maximise on these specimens to make the most of their glory.

Toad Lily’s Offer Extroadinary Architectural Flowers

Nicotiana Brings Subtle Flowers and Strong Fragrance

Shades of autumn are already appearing too, with rudbekia Chocolate Orange offering burnt red and yellow tones. I only sowed these seeds earlier this year and should have probably cut off the flower to promote root growth, but with so many seedlings my curiosity and intrigue go the better of me and allowed the single bloom to develop. Iridescent Callicarpa berries are starting to ripen from their pale green to the vivid purple which will always catch the eye (and beak of tiny blackcaps if last winter is anything to go by) of passers by.

Autumnal Shades with Rudbeckia Chocolate Orange

Callicarpa’s Pale Berries Turn Iridescent Purple For Winter

Sedums, laden down with clusters of minute flowers are opening their buds to the eager tongues of autumn insects, and amongst the foliage of dewy mornings, Araneus diadematus  spins a new web for the day, hoping to gorge herself on dozy wasps not minding their way. Autumn is here but the garden is anything less than vibrant. And with life apprehensive about the months to come, there is never a time more full of the hustle and bustle of garden goings on.

Sedums Conjure Up A Particularly Autumnal Atmosphere

 A Proud Female Nets Herself A Bluebottle