The Equinox

The equinox is now past and the days are getting shorter. However, even in the Pennine garden there is still a bit of colour. Some of the heathers are in bloom, the marbled white fuchsia keeps going and the patio still has some pots with a bit of life left in them. But there is no getting away from the fact that the garden is now past its best and the sweet peas have now well and truly gone over.

I confess to enjoying this time of the year, even all the spiders. As predators they are crucial in maintaining the biodiversity of our gardens, woodlands, field margins, hedges; so they are welcome in our patch (providing Hecate does not feel peckish!). At this time of the year the males are most active seeking out the females. Incidentally, I have noticed that there is still a large number of butterflies around the garden. Is this usual?

So the trees still have their leaves and their is plenty to keep me and the cats out of mischief. An update on the still, as yet unfinished steps will follow.

Garden Steps

The current project is the garden steps, a new handrail will be put up and the entire flight dismantled and rebuilt. But what a surprise the dreadful weather gets in the way again. I must confess to enjoying the hard landscaping but it is frustrating when you are a hostage to the weather. I do not feel confident enough to mix mortar and use concrete when the weather is not just right. Hecate is keeping an eye on proceedings; being somewhat less agile than Mili I am sure she will appreciate it when the steps are usable again.

Late Summer

The tail end of the summer brings a final flourish to all our gardens. With luck there will still be time to enjoy some sunshine and relax with the critters. Mili is an expert at both.

From the top of the garden we can see the farmer getting in the hay. Another sign that summer is all but over.

Meteoroligcally speaking it is now autumn but the pictures were taken in the last few days of August and finally, the grey skies have given over to a little sunshine. The red admiral is enjoying the break in the weather. It is quite hard to imagine a creature so fragile has arrived from across the channel.