It's that moment in the garden now when you can sense everything tipping over from high summer into late.
I love the languid feel of August when hot colours fill the pots, everything has reached for the skies and our view is seen now through a swaying, elegant trellis swamped by butterflies and bees.
I don't use any pesticides in my garden so what gets lost to slugs and snails, is made up for by the whole range of wildlife visitors from our little ecosystem.
There are insects galore, frogs and toads, a snuffling hedgehog, Mr Mole, house martins nesting above the bedroom window, all sorts of bird life, bats that flit around the birch tree at dusk, a buzzard family soar high overhead and a glorious, menacing sparrowhawk swoops low on occasion.
It's a precious space to us and I'm enjoying watching the changes day by day as we slide into summer's end and wait for Autum's glory to come x
26 comments:
We have nearly two months of summer left being as how we are at the beginning of August and Autumn will be here at the equinox and not at the beginning of September. The trouble is people now go into seasons too early as they can't wait and then hurry through them. The met office says summer started at the beginning of June but tradition which is eons older has always had it starting at the equinox several weeks later. This makes far more sense and is much more appropriate. Of course in the end it is nature that decides, not that we ever listen to that.
Yes thanks for pointing out the obvious, I am aware of that. I'm talking in horticultural terms not meteorological terms. Autumn in my garden therefore is September, October and November. I always listen to nature. The swifts have already flown from here and we have a month left with the swallows and housemartins.
Lovely photos, thanks for sharing - my garden seems to have lost all its colour quite quickly :-( xx
Gorgeous photos - esp the first one. (I'd have deleted that first comment ;) ) x
Thanks! Was tempted (its getting a regular thing ever time I post so thought i'd stick up for myself.) appreciate your lovely kind words :) xx
Had to laugh at Vintage Tea Time's comment. I can't wait to have a garden again, the problem with our life is we move too much to create any long time impression. We are hoping that this next will be one of our last and that we may be able to start looking for a house of our own at some point though. :)
Lovely photos! I know what you mean about the feeling of change in August. It whispers in, doesn't it?
Since I live in the state of Florida where we have seemingly unending summers, I love seeing and reading and experiencing your seasons through your blog. I am not a lover of warm weather and have always dreamed of living further north. There is something very natural about the change of seasons, and we have to watch closely for the subtle changes that take place here.
Lovely post!
Since I live in Florida where we have very long summers, I am enjoying your seasons via your blog. I have always dreamed of living further north where the seasons are more distinct, but we learn to watch for subtle changes.
Thanks for the lovely photos.
Paula
Your posts are always so beautiful, I feel very peaceful and restful when I look at your photos. I'm glad you responded to anonymous, it's especially gutless not to attach your name to a comment.
Have a lovely week,
Anne xx
love the blowsy seed heads. gorgeous. maybe don't allow anonymous comments? always seems inappropriate to me to leave criticism and be untraceable.
Oh that's a lovely phrase, perfect description. Thanks for visiting x
Thanks for the lovely comment. Yes the contrast in seasons is what I really treasure, over in Florida they must be quite subtle but still very beautiful I imagine x thanks again for visiting c
Lovely photos of the seed heads.
Your spot in the garden is just perfect for a cuppa and a read.
A good place to watch the seasons.
Lisa x
Absolutely gorgeous photos as always. I love your blog and find it very inspiring. Thank you for taking the time to share your lovely life with us all x Rebecca
Even in England we can have big differences in the timings of the seasons. And weather too!
I love the fennel plants and let mine just grow as they are so pretty, and tall!!
Such lovely photos of a lovely garden. I'm oh-so-jealous as I live in drought stricken California and our poor garden is sort of crispy around the edges and no longer blooming at all.
Sorry about the duplication of my comments....I wasn't sure I had actually hit publish after writing the first one:)
Paula
Hey Steph,
I snorted a little at your reply to anon! I think your garden looks rather lovely. I enjoy my garden when it looks all bed head in the morning. The wildlife seem to love it better too!
Leanne xx
Cheers Leanne -hope it was a good snort! It's getting to be a pattern of receiving a lecturing/hectoring message after every post. I'm so bored with the patronising tone I couldn't resist responding this time. Well if you can't take it, don't give it out I say!
Thanks for liking my garden, I have so little time to spend in it these days but I've always liked the wild look fortunately. Bet yours is looking fab at the moment x
Hi Steph, Few days behind the other comments but autumn is also my favourite time of year. Living here in Canberra, Australia, we do have seasons (probably a bit gentler changeover than yours, although we have just had over 2 weeks of -4 to -7 Celsius at night with winds off the southern snow fields during the day, bit nippy)and autumn is lovely. I'm a bit of a black thumb but I do love pottering around after work - our air seems like silk at that time of year.
Thanks Meg. Ooh I love that phrase "air like silk" beautiful. Gosh you are having a nippy spell. It's cooler here this week, coat back on today, but doubtless it will warm up agin and fingers crossed for a balmy September. Thanks for popping by x
It's always a treat to get a glimpse of your gorgeous garden, just how I'd like mine to be if I could wave a magic wand and persuade the youngest not to uproot the sunflowers! Remember, if you're ever on holiday down in Cornwall come and look us up :-) Antonia x
Oh Antonia you're so kind! I daren't show you the border below the patio -total carnage!
Planning a week in Cornwall next summer and hoping to go more west than we usually do. Would be lovely to meet up. Will keep you posted :) same goes for you if you're up in the Peak District some time - I'll show you my weeds!! Xx
Hi Steph,
We're the same here, no pesticides and lots of wildlife. Definitely feeling Autumnal here, the temps are plummeting at night and the seedheads are well on their way. CT :-)
Beautiful again. Here in Australia we are of course looking forward to the spring. I can't wait!
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