I am tempted to open the gate.........

I love this time of year......

when summer is still very evident but autumn is waiting at the garden gate.

Rosebay Willowherb is invasive but I have a forgiving nature. The seeds are just so pretty, wrapped in feathery fluff. I shall have to keep an eye on her.........I want her to stay but not to wander. I am sure we will get along fine.
Have you noticed how the light changes at this time of year? Everything becomes just a little softer.

The colour change always leaves me slightly melancholy......

and cooler mornings refresh me.

I adore autumn......my very favourite season. I almost want to open the gate and say come on in, I am ready for you.
With age, comes patience. There is still much to see and enjoy in the garden.

I shall keep the gate shut tight, for a little longer........

Gardening and the joy it brings.......

I cannot believe that we are in August already. Time is so fleeting.

I have felt at one with the garden this year. There have been disappointments........the chamomile and alpine strawberry meadow didn't make it. For some reasons the rabbits took delight in digging up most of the plants. Eventually I gave up, and the plants that survived were put into the borders.

Native wild flowers have changed the garden completely and I feel like I have at last found 'my way' Many have just appeared and I have been relaxed enough to just leave them.
My chaotic planting may not appeal to all, but the birds, bees, and butterflies seem to be loving it.

and I must say in all honesty, I really fit into this garden. Each morning and evening I walk the area I have a wonderful feeling of being connected.

I thought I would share with you some of my favourite plants and plant combinations. I love hops, there will always be hops in this garden. Not so long ago Kent had many hop farms.....sadly most have gone. During the war, my mother was evacuated to Kent and spent much time on the hop farms. She tells some wonderful stories. I shall cut the flowers in autumn and hang them over the fireplace.......

Persicaria amplexicaulis 'Firetail'.....I am totally obsessed with persicaria. I have many running through the borders......I love them and this is my very favourite.

I have at last found the seed packet.....this lovely vine is Ipomoea x Imperialis 'sunrise serenade' I have nine plants, all grown from the seed Beckie and Rose sent. They are climbing obelisks, shrubs and running through the borders. The blooms are so delicate.....and beautifully crumpled. I really really love this vine and shall be growing it again next year.

Combinations I like: sweet peas, wild carrot and clematis.

Jerusalem Cross and dill...........

Marsh mallow and verbena bonariensis.......

Echinops and Crocrosmia 'lucifer'.........

Mallow and purple loostrife.............

The above were all planned.....this was not.......mother nature does it far better than I ever can. Ragwort and purple loosestrife........I have plans for this lovely combination. I would love to know which is your favourite combination, it is always nice to have some feedback.

I sent for a new bird table. Really like it, fits in well. The birds seem happy with it.

and finally this little bird flew into the summer house window. I put her amongst the long grass in the copse. She eventually flew away.....hope she will be alright.


Hope you are enjoying your weekend..........and the weather is doing just what you want it to.

In celebration of 'the blues'

Aren't they just exquisite??

Shy little butterfly.......

Sitting by the pond, watching Riley and Poppi clearing blanketweed, I noticed a tiny blue butterfly flitting amongst the wild flowers.

The holly blue is unique among British butterflies, as its caterpillars have different food plants, at different times of the year - holly buds in spring and ivy buds in autumn. I have host plants for her.

In the absence of holly or ivy the caterpillars will feed on the flowers of dogwood, spindle, gorse and bramble. I have spindle and bramble. I was, therefore, most surprised to see her depositing her egg on purple loosestrife buds.
Eventually she rested on a comfrey leaf............stayed a while.........and then took flight.

Butterfly days................

In perfect harmony.......

Peacock
There was a mist hanging over the garden this morning. A chill in the air.

Comma

By mid morning the sun had appeared, not hot, gently warm.

Comma.
The perfect day for butterflies.
Common Blue

The perfect day for me.

Common blue

Rain is expected tonight. I am looking forward to rain............

Small Copper
I miss my childhood summers. Sunshine and rain. Long dry summers do not suit me or the garden........
Purple Hairstreak on ragwort.

the butterflies like it though.......I am happy for the butterflies.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.......

I always add fuschia to my borders, they are good gap fillers. In all truth I am not a lover of them, but they do very well here.

'Annabel' is a favourite, as you all know, I love white blooms.

also this tiny bloom. Fully hardy in my garden, I cannot remember the name of this fuschia and couldn't capture the lovely pale green tinge at the end of the petals......

I love this bloom. Seeds sent from Beckie and Rose........I have lost the seed packet (that is fairly normal here). I believe it is a glory vine, something sunset, it I remember rightly. Help me out here someone!!!! I shall definately be collecting seeds, I just love the colours........

Gayfeather, an annual here. I shall not be planting again, but couldn't resist trying these beautiful prairie plants.

I really have a passion for Echinacea 'white swan'........I adore the blooms. I planted ten during the spring, sadly, only one survived. I shall not plant them again, but this solitary plant will get all my love and attention. I want her here next year........

Sweet peas, who does not love the perfume this beautiful plant releases. It's fragrance travels on the breeze, taking me back to my father's garden and warm summer days.

Stokes Aster loves my heavy soil and flowers beautifully. I cannot imagine my garden without them.

Don't ask me how this tiger lily survives here but it does. Kept on the patio in a tub, the sheltered position obviously suits her.

Hope you all had a pleasant weekend.............