The sigh of relief that is autumn

When the garden has worked hard for me all summer, as it has this year, and as autumn arrives albeit with mighty gusts, there’s an almost audible sigh of “oh well that’s that then” from a tiny plot satisfied with a year of moderate progress.  Even though my garden is surrounded by large trees and suffused with green shrubs and one or two smaller trees, its cool appearance belies a desperate struggle for moisture amongst the flowering plants.  At the beginning of the year my hope was, that I would have flowers right through until the first frosts and I’ve achieved that - so far.  We’ve survived the twin horrors of too hot days and too little rain with feeding, mulching and a resort to the watering can and tap water, which never quite hits the spot, but holds the line until the heavens open.

Runner Beans

The runner beans have done marginally better than last year.  In a large pot on the patio, they’ve been cosseted and cooled and cared for by us all.  They are still full of flowers, and there are many young beans to come but I fear they will soon perish from the noticeably cooler nights and early morning chill (in spite of the “Indian Summer” we are experiencing for the remainder of this week).

Nasturtiums
A last word on the lowly nasturtium.  These stalwarts have flowered all summer without faltering and they still are.  I deadhead them almost every day for fear of a plague next year, and I’m afraid the inevitable “aroma” still persists, but the bumble bees are still rummaging through them so I’ll keep them going for as long as I can, I may even grow them next year into the small sorbus that I keep clipped.  It could do with brightening up.

Cannas

Once again I am attempting to overwinter two cannas I purchased early in the year, they have grown beautifully, but I lost my nerve through the recent cold snap and have brought them into the conservatory.  One burst its buds and flowered in the warmth within a couple of days, but the other one was a little more circumspect and resisted my blandishments of shelter and just a little warmth, but has now succumbed.  The next test will be finding a way to keep them over the winter and coax them into growth.  This is something I haven’t managed before.  They come through the winter intact, but then rot when regrowth begins.  I need to do some more research.  Perhaps I kill them with kindness.  I don’t plant them into the ground as I’m convinced the clay would claim them and I would lose them anyway, but other folks seem to manage it - ‘specially the ones on the internet, so why not me!

Morning Glory
Morning Glory has been very tardy this year.  The seed germinated well and the plants made good growth, both in pots and in their final ground spot, but they’ve been very reluctant to flower and the approaching chill will, I fear, do for them.

Michaelmas Daisies
Michaelmas Daisies (big Asters) have also been slow to flower but are getting their act together in this late autumn heat-wave.  They grow so big, 4 feet plus, drawn up, I imagine by the trees, but I Chelsea chopped them last year and they hardly flowered at all, so, biting the bullet, I have resolved to dig them out.  We are always told that plants in a small garden must earn their keep and I’m sorry to say that these don’t, much as I love them when they eventually do arrive, and its no use saying “grow the small ones” because they’re just not the same, not to me anyway.  I aim to find something to replace them that works harder and for longer - hey ho...