Sunday

The clocks went back today which meant I was going to work in the light but coming home in the dark. Its stayed mild and damp this weekend so Ben has been staying local and spent most of the day indoors

Saturday

Its been raining for most of the day - not heavily but definitely wet! Ben inspected the outside world briefly and was quick to inform me that it was indeed wet!

Wednesday

The year marches on and it inevitably is dark by the time I get home from work as well as when I am on route. I’ve been sitting looking at seed catalogues dreaming already of the next season and also thinking about bare root plants.

Tuesday

I got on with some more practical things in the Magic Garden today including planting crocus bulbs in small zones around the Thyme zone while Ben watched.

I am finding some lovely rich colours still in the Magic Garden. The gazanias have bloomed all summer and are still a striking colour in the pots. My marigolds are continuing to do well at the back of the garden in the little troughs there together with the fuchsias. The alpine asters are doing well too behind the arch.

Monday

I’ve been beginning to prepare for colder & wetter weather ahead of the winter months by moving plants indoors, into the cold frames and into the summerhouse. I’ve moved one of the alpine troughs into the latter purely because its so wet. I took out some distinctly unhappy plants and hopefully started the propagation of more. I really wish I could have a greenhouse but in reality the Magic Garden is both too small and too windy for this to be a wise idea.

Saturday

I’ve given myself a sore back today working in the Magic Garden but felt much happier about how it looks after a bit of a haircut and some new solar lights. I also did some running repairs to the arbour seat and a bit of re-potting of heuchera and taking cuttings.

Ben stayed around me all afternoon offering advice. I need to clear the patio clutter really and weed the leek troughs but I’m reluctant to accept the end of summer including my sunflowers.

Wednesday

I have 2 new plants for the collection indoors - a Coffea arabica (or coffee plant!) & a Camellia sinsensis (or tea plant). My sprouted ginger is coming on well too.

Tuesday

Its been reasonable weather here today so I got on with a few tasks in the Magic Garden. I’ve given the hazel arch a trim so its back in shape. The rowan berries are being enjoyed mainly by the blackbirds but I have seen the robins enjoying them too.

Monday

Its very windy again today so I expect a lot more leaves to have landed in the garden by tomorrow and a few more overturned pots & horizontal plants. There’s plenty of bloom around though in both front & back garden.

Saturday & Not working!

I had wonderful sleep last night mainly because I didn’t have to get up to go to work. I spent the afternoon in the front garden, clearing the first fall of leaves and litter and planting out four new plants. The geum is red, the echinacea is a dusky pinky & the double Japanese anemone a pink. The penstemon is supposed to be red but its flowers definitely don’t look red to me!

Geum ‘Mrs Bradshaw’

Echinacea Magnus

Penstenom ‘red’

Ben seemed to enjoy being out with me in the front garden & watched me carefully as I brushed up the leaves but didn’t try to help!

Thursday

Life’s complications continue but I have at least got a car again. I was working this afternoon but before I went into town I had a quick reci into the Magic Garden. I’m really pleased still with how the back corner is coming on with Ben’s catmints and the heuchera but there is a good patch of nettles needing dealt with and I need to redo the part of the garden next to the fence divide us from next-door.

Tuesday

Life was a bit complicated today as after going out for lunch, my car decided to die so I didn’t get quite the time I expected to be in the Magic Garden or do any of the many tasks that need sorting out in the house.

I am very pleased with how well the front garden border is settling in and the heuchera are looking superb