Five on Friday - Autumn has arrived

Summer is my favourite season, so I always feel a little sad with the approach of Autumn and try to hang on to Summer for as long as possible. This week has marked the turning point when I can no longer deny the seasons are changing. The days are becoming shorter, getting up in the dark and having to turn the lights on earlier in the evening. It will not be long before the clocks go back and the winter months will be upon us. However, we have had plenty of sunshine, showers too admittedly, but compensated with wonderful rainbows. I have not been lucky enough to capture them with the camera, (I always seem to be driving or loaded down with shopping when they appear) but they gladden the heart and bring a smile. 

So for my Five on Friday with Amy at Love Made My Home this week, I am going to think positively and share some of the beauty of Autumn. 

1. Blue skies and golden leaves

The garden is filled with golden leaves and many autumnal shades from limey greens through to russet reds. 

There is quite a lot of clearing up to do too but I am turning a blind eye to that for now.

2. Sparkling rain drops

This is the first year I have grown Verbena Bonariensis successfully, probably because we had a damp Spring and they managed to get established. I have been amazed at how long they have flowered and although a little tatty now they still manage to sparkle after a shower of rain.

The roses are still providing flowers and the raindrops in the early morning light enhance their beauty. The leaves and flowers look like they have just come out of the shower and are ready for the new day. 

They certainly look brighter than me first thing in the morning.

3. Vibrant Sedums 

The sedums are particularly vibrant at the moment with the deep red of the flower heads contrasting with the bright lime green of the leaves. 

Like the Verbena the flowers have lasted a long time this year. 

  At the last JETS meeting I noticed some deep red, almost black leaved sedum in the garden of our Parish Council offices. Something to look out for at the next visit to the garden centre. 

4. Fading Hydrangeas

The Hydrangeas are all changing colour and fading gracefully. They had a difficult time with a very dry August as I mentioned in a previous post. They are fascinating in the way the colour either leaches out and fades or becomes more intense as they age depending on the variety. A blue and a white hydrangea would be great additions to the garden if I could squeeze them in. Perhaps they could be grown in  pots as I believed blue ones need certain soil conditions to keep their colour.

5. Looking ahead

The pots were emptied of the tired annuals earlier in the week and are looking a little sad. I had been putting it off for a while and kept telling myself the begonias still had some flowers and it would be cruel to rip them out. After a couple of cold nights they looked very bedraggled and the flowers dropped off (which then got walked into the house). There is nothing like trying to scrape red begonia petals off the carpet to concentrate the mind. They had to go.

They look very forlorn at them moment but bare, sad pots equal a trip to the garden centre don't they? 

While out shopping yesterday some Spring bulbs found their way into the basket.....

..... and at the weekend I plan to visit the garden centre for some winter flowering pansies or violas.

(Maybe a red stemmed sedum too if I can find one!) 

The pots will have some colour again and the bulbs will be safely nestled in for the Winter ready to burst into new life next Spring.   

Whatever you are doing this weekend I hope the sun shines and it is an enjoyable one.