Indian Summer

Sunday, 27th September, 2009

The Indian Summer has continued and we have had an amazingly warm and sunny weekend. Yesterday I cut back some of the climbers on the wall that divides the back and front gardens. They had become horribly overgrown so decided they would all have to be cut back now even if it wasnt the right time of year for some of them. I also planted some garlic, which I bought at the Isle of Wight Garlic Festival, harvested courgettes ( which are now baby marrows), basil, more salad leaves, yellow chilis and tomatoes.

David's sweet peas are still flowering.

I added the sweet peas to the posy I had picked for the kitchen window sill




This morning I drove to Southampton as my brother Stephen had been invited to preach at PearTree Road URC Church. This is a beautiful church with a very friendly and welcoming congregation.






Back home in time to water the pots on the patio



This is a Geranium Maderense ( or Giant Herb Robert). I bought it from Ventnor Botanic Gardens a couple of years ago. It has survived two winters and is now starting to seed around the patio.


This perennial yellow Helianthus provides a glorious splash of gold every autumn in my south facing border.Unfortunately it can be a terrible thug so I pull up dozens of plants every year to keep it under control. I have tried planting them elsewhere in the garden but it is very contrary and will only grow where it wants to.





Another autumn favourite - Leycesteria Formosa