The apples are filling out and the hollyhocks are going to seed. There is definitely a feel of autumn in the air. I lifted the last of the potatoes this week and finally accepted that the onions are not going to get any bigger. They are pretty small in spite of the rain that we have had. But then it doesn’t feel like there has been enough sunshine. I am just keeping up with eating the courgettes but the cucumbers are out running me. The first pickings of the outside tomatoes have come through this week just as I bought some seed for next year. I also bought green manure seed which has been sown in the bare ground left by the potatoes. And so it all begins again. Meanwhile there are a few more months of flowers to enjoy. Here’s this week’s six.
One
It has been day lily time for a few weeks and every week I aimed to show my favourite white one ‘Gentle Shepherd’ but the rain turned each transient flower to a soggy mess. These ones, ‘Golden Chimes ‘ seem more resilient and do manage to put on a show despite their more shady location.
Two
I don’t usually see a second flowering from the weigela but this year’s weather seems to have suited it and I’m not going to object.
Three
This is very much a tale of two pots. Last year’s bulbs of gladiolus murielae were left in their pots and overwintered in the greenhouse. Wow, I thought, what a lovely show I will get from all these green leaves and what a shame that the other pot hasn’t done so well. But the reverse is true, not one flower stem is hidden amongst those leaves while the other pot has at least managed to flower.
Four
Something started for next year’s flowering. These are eurybia divaricata, or wood aster, sown from seed supplied by The Propagator himself. I have planted about half a dozen out in the garden already and I am planning to donate these to a local Horticultural Society Plant Sale. Always a satisfying part of gardening when you can pass on the good turn. Thanks Prop.
Five
The roses work so hard in this garden and although some have really suffered from black spot this year, ‘Gertrude Jekyll’ is holding strong.
Six
I am also enjoying the second, very generous, flush of ‘Blush Noisette’ growing along the wall. The gloomier days mean that the pink tinge stays a little longer. In bright sunshine they fade all too quickly to white. Every cloud has a silver lining!
My gardening jobs for this weekend will be to cut down the hollyhocks before they self seed too vigorously. And I’m planning out a new planting area for the very back border. It’s a difficult spot I think. Not enough sun to support my dream of an asparagus bed but, tantalising, it does seem to get a good amount of late afternoon sun. I want to grow tall grasses to hide the end of garden fence and so, throwing caution to the wind, that is what I am going to do. More to come on this one. More from other SOS gardens can be found at The Propagator’s site. Enjoy.
n20gardener 
The blush rose looks rather lovely. I don’t grow roses myself so appreciate them second hand. I hope it’s a scented one.
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It certainly feels like we’re at a turning point in the year. It’s always nice to get a second flowering to keep things looking colourful. ‘Blush Noisette’ looks particularly fine!
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I also grow the gladiolus murielae (acidanthera for me) and it has not bloomed since October 2019… I had planted it in 2018 and had magnificent flower spikes in 2019. Since then I have only leaves every year. I lift up bulbs every winter to overwinter them. Maybe they are in a too big pot, a bit like the Agapanthus which need to be tightened to (re)bloom?
‘Blush Noisette’ is very pretty, one of my favourite rose
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It seems to have accelerated hasn’t it?! Bit scary really. Still you have a new grass border to look forward to and I look forward to admiring it. Love your golden daylily, the white one next week perhaps? The rose is a darling, classic and beautiful.
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My gladiolus murielae are like yours! I have two pots full of lovely lush leaves and in one pot I have two flower spikes (same last year). When are these bulbs going to flower properly? I keep mine in the pot over winter inside, but reading Fred’s comment it seems even lifting them and repotting doesn’t help. Sigh… Your ‘Blush Noisette’ is stunning though.
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I think tall grasses are an excellent choice, they look so wonderful in afternoon sun, which will you choose? Your Noisette rose looks magnificent, especially for a second flush, and great daylily too, mine are well and truly over so I guess this must be a late-flowering variety.
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It’s a shame the rain spoiled ‘Gentle Shepherd’. Such a lovely name. I have never heard of Gladiolus murielae. A quick search tells me it isn’t easily found in Australia and the bulbs are rather expensive.
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Gladiolus murielae is pretty sharp. It was the first perennial gladiolus that I wanted, before Tangly Cottage Garden sent Gladiolus papilio to me. I have been SO awesomely pleased with growing Gladiolus papilio that I did not bother with Gladiolus murielae, . . . . but acquired a few from a neighbor last year. So far, they have not bloomed again, but I know they will after they find a permanent home in a landscape.
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I love the photo of Blush Noisette. It’s a lovely looking rose. I acquired a wood aster from an open gardens plant table, labelled as ‘white aster’. It’s a really good looking plant – simple and delicate.
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We share the same good taste – I bought two new roses this year, Gertrude and B. Noisette. Will you give the Gladiolus another chance?
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