Mid October ...

Your Deep Secret rose is a stunner along with your Margaret Fuchsia which is still going strong I bet your home and garden from an ariel view would look fantastic with it being in bloom from your front garden to the back garden and back road Hywel. Hello Bella are you saying take my best side view pose lol she is looking lovely and content Hywel. I think the Indian summer has gone from here now Hywel rain dull and every one catching colds.

Hello puss cat, what a lovely life you lead......Hywel it's hard to believe it is nearly the middle of October in your garden, so much fabulous colour.,..long may it continue.

That rose is really lovely, Hywel! I don't think there are that many roses whose scent can be smelt for someway away, most, if they have any, you need to put your nose to!

Your Fuchsia 'Margaret' is taller than 'Lady Boothby' which I understood is the only climbing Fuchsia. Though I seem to remember you told somebody that this isn't a climbing Fuchsia but gets that big because of the place it's in & a bush close to it.

My 'Lady Boothby' Fuchsia has reached at least 6 foot but, although it has produced many more branches this year, it really hasn't grown as much as last year. Nor has it flowered as well. Perhaps due to the hot weather more than to the sunshine because this plant didn't get direct sunshine till fairly late in the evenings.

Your garden is looking great for mid-October! You were lucky to escape damage & flooding from storm "Leslie" as they were still talking about the clear up after the flooding in your area caused by the storm on BBC Breakfast this morning. They even warned of more possible flooding for low areas as the rain water makes its way down the mountains & hills in the rivers.

Glad to hear you made it through the storm. Hope the after-effects aren't too bad.
I revel in those pics of "Margaret"... what a beauty..and so tall. I've only ever grown fuchsias as house plants and they never grew very large before whitefly or somesuch would plague them. I'd just go back to my saintpaulias in the long, dark and cold winters. Now that I have my kitchen work done I think I'll build some shelves for my houseplants... maybe find a "Margaret". Seeing your lovely plants is an inspiration.
Hello pretty Bella! Keep up the good work.
You deserve a nice long Indian Summer, Hywel. Your weather this year has been as bad as ours. We have finally had our first killing frost and the trees are bare, so maybe we will have a few days of nice weather before the cold sets in.

Oh LOri - frost already? It seems such a short time since your winter finally disappeared!

Hywel your plants are a great as ever and like the others I love the rose and the fuchsia especially, but also much admired the standard Cotoneaster - did you train it from scratch?. So nice to see Bella again - I have missed her in your recent blogs! She is more beautiful than ever.

All beautiful, especially Bella.

I think you and Bella are 'in the pink,' Hywel.

Bella is beautiful. I do like your new heuchera. Did you move your standard cotoneaster from its previous position or is this a second one? It has marvellous berries. They look huge. The seasons seem to be merging in the strangest fashion. It has to be unusual to see so many herbaceous plants and roses appearing at the same time as the yellow winter flowering jasmine at the front of the house.

Just love your Deep Secret rose Hywel, such a wonderful colour contrasting with the autumn leaves. Margaret is spectacular! I have never seen such a tall fuchsia, with so many hanging bells, it's incredible!
Its been cold and wet here today, but after yesterday's gales, I think the garden has enjoyed the quiet calm while it's been drinking in the rain...
Lovely photos of Bella, such a pretty girl...

That first photo of the rose is beautiful, it could have been taken in the middle of summer. The cuttings are a lovely colour and look nice side by side. Your sheltered garden has such colourful plants in it and as for Bella, she is such a pretty cat.

Thank you all for your comments :)

The flood damage is only in a few places (not that that lessens it) but they do sensationalise the weather on the news. They must have a WOW factor :(
Having said that it is bad in the few places that are flooded. I haven't seen them personally though.

I was hoping for an Indian Summer Thruppennybit lol !

Balcony I have noticed that many shrubby plants will grow tall if placed next to a fence or trellis. I have a hybrid Tea rose 'Mischief' and it has reached 6 feet planted by a similar trellis to where the Fuchsias is.
'Margaret' will still reach 4 or 5 feet if planted in an open position though.

Sorry you've had frost so early Lori. Maybe a hardy Fuchsia would survive in your garden, especially if you plant it in the shelter of something.

I bought the Cotoneaster as it is Steragram, about 30 years ago when I had a different garden. It is grafted on to a dwarfing root stock. It came here and has been in three different parts of the garden lol.
Lots of people admire it and I have given cuttings of it to passers by.

It's the same Cotoneaster Scotsgran but it has been moved a few times.

Cold and damp here too Janey such a miserable day.

The storm didn't seem to affect my garden Wildrose and there are still lots of flowers around :)

Thank you all :) x

So was I Hywel then yesterday's weather forecast says snow.

lol …

Is that real, your Rose? Unbelievable. Going into my favorites. Not to mention the Heuchera. Never seen so many flowers on one plant. Thanks for the blog. Is your avatar a painting of yours?

Hi Wells, Thanks for your comment.
Yes it's a real rose. It's called Gentle Hermione and it grows against a trellis.
The avatar is a bunch of roses I picked last week from the garden.
Haven't done any paintings for a long time. I hope to be able to do some in the winter.

We had snow here today. no accumulation mind you...but it was white for a while. brrrr.... too soon.

Lori, is it common to get snow in October where you live?

Snow ! … That's bad.

Everything is looking good in your garden Hywel, Bella included of course!

Thank you Shirley :)