End of October garden..

Great crop of crab apples Janey - are they for jelly or for the birds? Probably enough for both there. Berries have done well this year haven't they? And I love the pot next to the pyracantha. Autumn here doesn't do red leaves, I don't know why.I bought a Berberis sieboldii which is supposed to turn red in autumn but even that can't be bothered...so I'm depending on Goy pics!

Hi Stera, they're for the birds, but are dropping early this year, it usually has a few still on at Xmas. Yes so many berries, lots of fruits with all the heat we've had. That pots a really old one, the creeper is holding it steadfast..lol! Usually Berberis have great Autumn colour don't they, do you think it may be that you're near the sea? Anything to do with salty air?

You have some lovely colours there for Autumn love the crab apple tree.

I LOVE your garden, Janey! Everything is looking wonderful, but pic 2 is my favourite :)

I've always fancied a cloud-pruned tree, and last week "did" my Chinese Elm bonsai - just for fun. How old is your Lawson Cypress?

lovely garden Janey and lots of food for the birds. That hebe is stunning, mine never did do well.

Stera - reds are enhanced by frosts perhaps you don't get cold enough temperatures in October to trigger the red pigment development.

What a picture Autumn splendour indeed, still waiting for our garden to partake!!

Lovely autumn colours in your garden Janey and busy greenhouse...

Have you noticed how the birds seem to be storing seeds and berries these days? Ours pick up a seed, fly off, return,take another, fly off. I get tired watching them Wonder if it's a portent of a hard Winter?
Even saw a tit using an old nesting box during the day. Maybe it's thinking it would make a good B&B.

Your garden looks fabulous Janey ,Autumn was made for it to show off its glorious colours ... x

Your autumn garden is nice and colourful Janey :) Lovely photos !

Sbg, I think you may be right about the mildness of the climate here affecting the red leaves. I don't know if being near the sea has an effect too, but we are four miles away. I was sure Bathgate mentioned abut the effect of cold too but that comment seems to have disappeared for some reason.Most of the trees round here are sycamore and ash, and they don't go red anyway. The only really red leaves I've seen are on a Virginia creeper at the bottom of the lane!

Eirlys, I noticed a tit in a nest box a week or so back, pecking noisily away at the wood as if it was nesting time - goodness knows what it was up to!

The wind has been taking my Crabs as well Janey. Butterball is nice....:) some great photos of your garden.

Thank you Dawn, that little tree is a treat, and I know it's crying out to be taken out of its tub, so when it's dormant, I'll plant it out in the garden, then it can spread its toes next year..:))

Aww, thanks Sheila! I've been pruning my silver birch this afternoon, didn't intend to, but once I got my hands on the loppers, that was it..:) Your Chinese Elm sounds very interesting...hope you let us see it. The Lawson Cypress must be 10 years old, but it became too large and dark.. I knew I couldn't dig it out, so I gave the cloud pruning a bit of a go...it's coming on...

Hi Sbg, yes the Hebe is looking really good, I must admit this year I did feed the shrubs and tubs, more than usual, and I've noticed the small camellia I have has chunky flower buds...:) Yes, I heard that too yesterday about the low temps bringing out the Autumn reds, I think with the Virginia creepers though, they colour up anyway..

Thank you Dd and Lincs...soon have to start putting up the bubble wrap in the GH...I love going down the garden and seeing the pelargoniums through the glass...

Hello Eirlys, well here I've already been filling the feeders, and there are so many sparrows! They claim them all, so don't fly off till everything's gone.. I've heard that it may be a very hard winter to come, and it's usually the animals and birds that know this before we do...

Aww thank you Amy, I like the last photo best, I posted it later.. Are you finding your new garden has some colour now too..? I've a huge pile of birch branches and twigs
now on the lawn, all decorated with Lotties toys...she doesn't like me to be working too long! X

Thank you Hywel and Karen, hope you're feeling happier Karen..

It has been an odd year temperature wise Stera, I had a mother Woodpigeon sitting on two eggs in the bowl of my tree, they didn't fledge till the end of September...everything is topsy turvy....

Every photo here shows a very colourful and pretty part of your garden.
Our greenhouse is full of pelargoniums too - how do you protect yours from the frost? Our greenhouse is unheated so we cover ours with fleece on the cold nights. It works as long as the winters aren't too severe!

Hello Wildrose....my greenhouse is unheated too and last night we had frost. Have checked the gh all ok, but later I'll line the glass with bubble wrap and also wrap the pots too. Other years, I've taken the pelargoniums out and wrapped them in newspaper for the winter. Maybe lost a couple like that, but they usually do ok.

I’ve kept Pelargoniums alive in an unheated greenhouse since learning that they are happier kept fairly dry . . . but you probably all knew that! (and no wonder you’re proud of your cream Clem - it’s gorgeous)

Ok Janey, I will try a shot of my little Chinese Elm to show you.

Goodo Sheila, looking forward to seeing it....:))

It's great to see your garden again, Janey. Your 'Oregon Grape' bush is really showy! I especially loved the Hebe! It's wonderful to see such an abundance of flowers on a bush at the end of October/beginning of November!

Your Geraniums are looking great in the greenhouse! Do you remove the flower buds before they open? I remove them when they are as small as possible to conserve the plants' energy & to stop the flower petals from going mouldy during the winter.

This year, for the first time since growing Geraniums here, I've taken lots of cuttings & put them on the kitchen & bedroom windowsills. Next year I would like a better display even than this year! This summer they did me really proud! I've never had them flower so well before!

Thanks Balc, yes, the Oregon Grape is very lovely, it does light up that shady corner well, and the flowers are scented! I know, the Hebe still has more buds to open, so will be flowering well into November...another bonus is that it's evergreen..

The geraniums will be ok for another couple of weeks, then I will tidy them up and keep them dry, get them bubble wrapped and hope for the best, but yes, keeping them mould free is paramount to them surviving through the winter. Depending on the type of winter we have, I may pop them in the shed where it is less damp then the greenhouse. Like you I love them, and I've had some really good bargains this summer, a brilliant orange and delicate lavender were end of season bargains, and they glow in twilight.. We had such a good summer for heat and light loving plants didn't we....:))

Lovely pics, Janey. Your October garden was pretty !

Thanks Tt... roll on Spring, I feel we'll be on the way now Feb is here..X