Late summer moving in to Autumn.

Apple picking = Autumn for me. The cool brisk Autumn air is so welcoming after heatwaves like this.

Our apple trees always give us bumper crops. I recently found a new use for them. If you put them in beside potatoes it will stop the potatoes sprouting. A larger bag of potatoes is always cheaper than a smaller one but I would normally buy the size I can use quickly because they do sprout and lose their appeal. I am trying this out and will let you know if it works. Most of the crop will be donated because I don't make chutney or jelly now.

Let us know what you find please - sounds a good wheeze!
You have some lovely plants there - especially love the lilies.
I love the pink Hydrangea - is it a dwarf and if it is what is it please? I have just the spot for that if its a small one!

You are the only other person I know that has a Scotch Bridget! I love it...especially its knobbly bottom! ;)

Steragram this is the third flowering of those white lilies. The scent is heavenly. The orange one is another favourite because it flowers so well and over a long period. I think the hydrangeas are small because of where they grow. It is quite shady. It is Hydrangea 'Selma'. It is variously described as slow growing to a height of 1m-1.5m in 10 years. It was very slow probably five years before I saw any flowers so this one might have been the runt of the litter as it must be at least ten years since I planted it. Cottagekaren I thought this was a James Grieve. We inherited it when we bought the house 40+ years ago. It has moved three times since we got it. I was trying to ID another apple and took all four apples to an apple day. I was informed it was definitely a Scotch Bridget. I did mean to thin the crop out in July but did not get around to it so I hope it will not mean a poorer crop next year. The other apples above are Lord Derby by the gate, then Bramley and last is Worcester Pairmain. I also have a Golden Hornet and a small red fruited crab. I had a look on the Apple tree register and it shows 6 Scotch Bridget trees in the UK.

You have some lovely colour there. What is the name of the 2nd to last one. I had it in my old house? I don't know if it is the norm but we lived there over 15 years and planted by previous owner but only flowered our last couple of years there. Know it was probably down to my neglect 😀

Thank you Scotsgran. I was hunting the internet today for a dwarf pink hydrangea and Selma wasn't mentioned, and I was for giving up. A dodgey spot anyway as it doesn't get much sun, just early mornings an later evenings, but another hydrangea nearby flowers well if rather late.
Burncoose have it for £13 but withpostaghe it comes to £27 which is a bit desperate...

Thank you Jenlewis, that is Acanthus mollis. I have a love hate relationship with it because it has so many vicious spines. I got it from my brother years ago and he forgot to take a piece with him when he moved. I offered to dig up a root for him when he was up on holiday but we decided it would be safer to let it die down a bit before I tackle it. Ouch Steragram.That is steep when you add the postage. It may be more widely available next year which might mean it could be cheaper.

Thank you Scotsgran

Lovely blog scotsgran you garden is full of beautiful flowers ! Enjoy your apples 🙂

Thank you Kidsgran. I got my bulb order from Pottertons yesterday so am praying for a dry day to get them planted. I will plant more lilies next year as they make a great splash of colour and the scent is heavenly. I think this has been a very good year for fruit and berries. We had to laugh at a young robins attempts at catching the holly berries by taking a flying leap up at them. They are not quite ready yet and the blackbirds will chase him once they start their annual stripping of the tree.

Steragram the placing of apples with potatoes definitely stops the potatoes sprouting. I opened a bag today and no sprouts. A friend dropped in for a coffee. I had forgotten I told her about this 'trick' and she was delighted that it has worked for her too. We are being blown away again today. I have added two photos showing the lovely Sternbergia lutea which has only been flowering for a few days and one alongside a white Colchicum.