October stroll

Lots of pretty flowers still there, Sheila. I do like your raised bed. It should look wonderful in the spring! I smiled when I read your husband's comment: we've had the same idea, so we are rearranging a couple of beds while the weather holds in order to release some pots (NOT for refilling...) and make the borders hoe-able. My back won't stand the crawling about on all fours weeding any longer!
Interesting blog.

Thanks very much Ange. Funny that we’re doing the same thing, so it must be right. What are we going to do with all the spare pots??
Glad you two are also making the most of the fine weather. It’s lucky that friends from the gardening group will be here on Tuesday … not much fun if it was cold and wet.

A really good read, Sheila. You've a lot of colour persisting in to autumn - lucky you 😊
I do love your new raised bed, the acer is a perfect tree to take centre stage. The Lotopetalum contrast so well. Great idea to add a Hakonechloa either side.
Your bonsai collection is fab! I can imagine it's therapeutic.
My sedum from Shirley is slightly behind, possible with bring in Yorkshire.
Hope you are keeping well 😊

Sheila, it must be quite a few years since I sent you that Sedum, glad it's still growing in your garden. Mine seem to have a tiny snail on just about every leaf this year, to be honest, I need to take cuttings and start afresh with them.

Ceratostigma is the plant I asked a question about recently, I saw a wonderful display of it but worry it may be a bit of a 'thug'! Any comments please?

Thank you Kate for your very generous words. Yes, I’m fine, hope you are keeping well too.

Shirley, I don’t think it’s more than a year since your kind gift … this is the first time the Sedum has flowered (which is why I haven’t taken a photo before). Ceratostigma is not a thug in my experience … mine has produced only one “offspring” and that is right across the garden!

Thanks Julia - glad we agree 🙂.

Lovely collection of plants Sheila! I wish I had room for another raised bed as I have too many pots also.
The problem is that where I could put one isn't in the sun at all!
I recently bought a Gaura and wondered if it was frost hardy. It's still in the shady greenhouse at the moment.
I love your blue phlox and have never seen one for sale anywhere.
The acer is gorgeous!

Thanks Rose. Glad you’ve bought a Gaura … great plants as they flower for months and are completely frost hardy! Phlox blue paradise is from Sarah Raven - hope you can find it 🙂.

Sheila, I clearly have no sense of time these days! The Ceratostigma is going back on my wish list then ... :o)

Lovely photos from your garden Sheila, the new raised bed looks very smart. It will be pretty next summer I'm sure :)
I liked seeing your Nandina, it reminds me to get one - my other one died last winter.

Thank you very much Hywel. I’m looking forward to the wood fading, and softening the edges with plants … some gardening friends are coming today, so I might get some ideas. For once in my life I have to be patient!
Sorry about your Nandina, I thought they were supposed to be hardy 🙁.

I thought they were hardy too but mine died. It was in a pot and maybe they don't like being in pots. Anyway I'm going to get another one :)

Thanks Sheila!

Lovely to see so many flowers in your garden, Sheila! 😃That new raised bed will surely look very lovely when you finish planting it up! 😃

Thanks very much Klahanie and David. I’ll be happy when I can think of some good trailing plants to soften the front …I wonder if there is one with flowers like cherry blossom?!