..may indeed catch the worm, but here in the garden at the moment the early rising Gardener is catching the sunrise. And what beautiful sunrises we have had recently, the sun, now low in the sky, is casting a glorious soft golden light across the garden, just skimming the top of the hedge and illuminating the seed heads of ornamental grasses amongst others. Just as atmospheric are the mornings when river mist swirls round the adjoining pastureland, right up to the hedge but never coming into the garden.
Swallows and House Martins are still flying round the fields but now also to be seen on telephone wires lining up ready for the moment they will depart for their long journey to warmer climes.
Colour in the garden is coming from many sources. Dahlias, Asters, perennial Sunflowers, annual Sunflowers, Zinnias, Chrysanthemum and Penstemon to name just a few. However as we head into late Summer/early Autumn I am more interested in the leaf colour of various trees and shrubs. We have planted many, many trees and shrubs always planning for autumn colour. Leaves on a Persian Ironwood tree and a Liquidamber tree are both starting to turn; these trees now happily growing in their new home in the orchard with room to spread having been initially planted ten years ago in the front garden. That is another story but suffice to say they were hard to dig up, heavy to carry and I will not be transplanting trees again (ever!). More thought as to eventual size will be given before any more trees are put into the ground. Two Viburnums are brightening the garden, Viburnum plicatum with beautiful deep red leaves and Viburnum opulus with glistening red berries and on the west wall of the house Virginia creeper is now turning all shades of red.
I have discovered a love of orange flowers! Certainly at this time of year you can’t beat the small orange blooms on a dahlia whose name I have forgotten, together with the various flower colours of Dahlia Bishops Children grown from seed this year. Both look particularly good when teamed up with deep red Dahlia Rip City in a jug in the house. I have even found a stray orange nasturtium which has popped up unannounced and obviously self seeded from a previous year.
Tales from a Country Garden 
A beautiful autumn description of mist rolling up to the garden hedge. Does the frost stop at the hedge? People do not understand as much today the difference in ecosystem within an area of land. My favourite dahlia is the orange David Howard which I highlighted in my most recent blog.
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Unfortunately the frost comes over the hedge! The orchard is on a very slight slope, if we walk round late in the evening we notice the temperature change on the one side. Interestingly at the end of April this year when we had a very late sharp frost, we tracked the path of the cold air through the garden. Leaves on some plants being decimated whilst ones adjoining were unaffected. A swathe of plants through both garden and orchard were affected. Will look out for Dahlia David Howard to continue my love of orange!
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