Mid-October and we visited Oakgate Nursery and Garden in order to purchase a few new plants, asters and grasses for our Prairie Garden which we are currently revamping.
It was so good to see salvias still looking so floriferous. They seem to grow really well in the garden here. We were hoping to see some early signs of autumn so we looked out for shrubs and trees showing early rich coloured foliage. We also hoped to see plenty of flowers around as every month manages to produce some flower colours.
Around the outdoor seating areas for the cafe, autumn had arrived with Acers and Cornus contraversa ‘Variegata’ commonly called ‘The Wedding Cake Tree’ showing extra colour on their foliage. Hydrangeas were still flowering well!
A general view across the first part of the garden showed how foliage colour can add so much interest, while looking downwards just in front of our feet this lovely circle of cyclamen was flowering well.
On our October visit we also witnessed several shrubs and trees displaying berries, such as Callicarpa bodinieri and Euonymous alata with its startling orange and deep pink berries
And berrying trees are performing well this year especially Sorbus. Each cultivar has its own berry colour.
Other shrubs were showing that autumn has arrived by developing their leaf colours into yellows, oranges and reds and occasionally pink.
Taking a small path through a wide border and then a coniferous hedge we realised how the orchard trees were full of fruit, mostly apples but also a medlar.
The Rose Garden presented us with a surprise as there were so many roses in flower and bud. There were a few other flowers around giving welcome colour to the border.
A good way to finish this look at Oakgate gardens is a gallery of photos showing autumn foliage colours.
greenbenchramblings 
2 replies on “A Monthly Wander Around the Gardens at Oakgate Nursery and Garden – October”
Lot of talk about early autumns but this year it seems spread out. Some are in the full garb of fall, some are leafless already while most are still full green.
I couldn’t agree more, Graham. We have been to Bodnant today after talking to Troy, the previous head gardener there, now head gardener at Sissinghurst. He told us this weekend would be very colourful and he was right. What we saw there backed up your point.