Autumn Lawn Care

This week has been one of my least favourite garden jobs, forking the lawn (at my age the knees seem to ache afterwards). This must also be accompanied by scarifying and removing the dead thatch and moss, to let the air get to the soil. Keeping a nice lawn in our climate is a perpetual challenge. It is certainly one I have yet to master but like most hobby gardeners I will keep persevering. Given that the only other option is to do away with lawn altogether I will have to keep at it. Personally, I think most gardens are lacking something without a bit of grass to sit on, I would go so far as to say it is a complete anathema if you have the space not to have a piece of lawn. It is also rather British to have a lawn to mow! It also makes the perfect relaxing space, just ask Mili.

I am aware that there is conflicting advice about whether or not to fill in the holes after forking. Brushing sand in may just prevent air getting down to the roots or does it help long term to improve the drainage? Personally, I leave the lawn sand but do apply a helping of proprietary autumn feed a few days after it has been mown. However, I remain to be convinced that this is entirely the best regime for our plot.

Shorter Days and Colder Nights

The cottage beds have now had the last of the potatoes harvested but there is still a little colour left in the flowers.The two cats are enjoying the limelight. Steps are now even closer to completion while posts and bricklaying are now complete. Treads and handrail still tbc. Autumn is very much about tidying up. Most of the lawns have been scarified and forked as deeply as I can. I find the advice about lawns quite contradictory, to brush sand into the holes or not? I think most gardens benefit from a little lawn but my goodness they are certainly the most time consuming part of the garden. My advice is grass is lovely but beware of becoming a slave to the lawn!

Days are noticeably shorter and temperatures are falling. I am awaiting the first frosts so the half hardy plants will be brought under cover. Agapanthus, dahlias and some of the lilies are now in the cold frame. This protection of the more tender plants is something the gardener should not take for granted. Learning what will survive in your garden is often a matter of trial and error, I have found to my cost that even plant labels can be misleading. 

Successes and Failures

It seems to me that 2017 has seen more than  usual garden disappointments. So to cheer myself up I thought I would list the surprise successes to try to balance matters out. I am realistic enough to appreciate that gardeners will inevitably have their set backs and out right failures. Perhaps I  have a higher proportion than most, partly because of the hostile conditions but also because of stubbornness. I admit to not taking defeat lightly; why I imagine I can grow certain plants I do not know.......

Failures
~ the blackberries, victim I suspect of a virus from the neighbouring wilderness just beyond the top of the garden
~ the dahlia, not a single bloom despite being over wintered very carefully in the conservatory
~ the millet jester, for the second year I have attempted to grow from seed. They germinate and start to grow but promptly die when taken outside!!!

Right the black bamboo is beginning to from a screen
Below the water lilies are still blooming in October!  


Pleasing Successes
~ the water lillies, which produced more flowers than I can recall for a long time
~ the black bamboo, growing splendidly despite its rather miserable appearance back in March
~ the agapanthus, all of which seemed to flower this year (again they were over wintered inside but this time were not repotted)

In short the gardener must be philosophical.

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.

Plant of the Month for August

More grey skies but this does not deter us from our outdoor activities. However, it does not allow the garden to be shown off at its best. Even the heather beds are a bit more drab than usual.


Hecate and Mili are obsessing about all and any little, insect, amphibian, bird or mammal. Naturally the pond is a prime observation point.

On the other hand I am enjoying the grasses in their summer glory and my plant of the month is the Bunny Tail grass (right) just ahead of the pony tail grass (left).

It is the tactile nature of these grasses that I find so appealing. My planting allows for them to be easily touched as you ascend the path towards the blackberries and the composting area.