The tenth post in this series of wanders around our garden already! Just two to go! What shall I do for a monthly garden post instead next year? Any ideas for me?
October started off with days of endless heavy rain but after a fortnight it changed to steady drizzle. A bit of sun would be welcome right now.
The first frosts have visited us forcing us to bring the Aeoniums, Echeverias and our other tender plants under cover. We shall have to keep them safe in the “bubble wrapped” greenhouse, by giving them virtually no water and removing any dry or damaged foliage and when the temperatures drops below -15 C give them additional snug coverings of fleece and bubble-wrap. Another sign of autumn is the log delivery which was tipped off the back of a truck onto our drive mid-month. We sorted them and stacked them around the front door. The wonderfully evocative woody aroma of oak and birch trees mixes with the sweet scents of the woodland floor. The scents of the season.
We visited the gardens at our favourite nursery yesterday, The Dingle at Welshpool, a superb autumn garden on a sloping hillside leading down to lakes. (Look out for my post in the next week or so) As usual we returned with a few acquisitions – a tiny orange Kniphofia, Cornus canadensis and Clerondendron bungeii.
We have planted the Kniphofia with a trio of bronze-leaved grasses and near to our darkest blue Agapanthus. As the “poker” is flowering now, its head of tubular orange flowers glows alongside the Agapanthus’ developing seed heads of blue and pewter.
Sometimes autumn hues aren’t just provided by deciduous trees changing the colours of their leaves but by foliage on perennials, grasses and shrubs. Euphorbias are a fine example, as are grasses which have the added bonus of seed heads. Look out for the pic of our Pentstemon Huskers Red which always surprises with its deep red autumn explosions.
But amongst all this red hot foliage we mustn’t lose sight of the flowers that continue to add colour to the garden. There are now fewer so each one is a precious jewel.
I shall finish off with a few pics of autumn coloured leaves, just what you expect in October! And then take a look at one border and take a walk down just one of our many grass paths.
greenbenchramblings 
6 replies on “A Wander around our Garden in October”
Two post suggestions for you: what kind of camera equipment you use and more info about your bubble wrapped greenhouse.
Thanks for ideas.
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You and your wife always go on great explores, so maybe you can highlight places you visit where there aren’t gardens, more architectural stuff and such. As always, a lovely post my friend, Margie
Hi Margie. Will do. Great idea. We live just 6 miles from our county town, Shrewsbury, famous for its historical buildings. So many great buildings going back centuries, enough to fill lots of posts.
Malc
Some of the nicest fall colors in my garden come from the ornamental grasses as well, Panicum ‘Blood Brothers’ is really nice.
We have so many grasses in our garden and they are wonderful plants for most of the year. The Autumn colours are as you say most impressive and to be honest came as a surprise.
Malc