Take A Bow

A Tafetta Bow to be precise.

This is Fuchsia Tafetta Bow blooming at the end of November. It is a tender variety, hybridized in the U.S.A. and introduced in 1974. I purchased it for the first time this year and grew it in a hanging basket. Thanks to the poor summer, it has only recently started flowering. The first severe frosts will not only put an end to the display, but will also kill the plant unless it is brought indoors. I have grown fuchsias for many years, and to be honest, I don't think it's worth going to all the trouble of trying to overwinter them. Much better to buy new young plants next spring. If you have fuchsias that you really want to keep for another year, then bring them indoors into the warmth. They won't survive in a cold greenhouse or porch, not this winter anyway.

Been a bit nippy today, too cold for gardening. Glad I planted my new rose bushes the other day. The recent rain has given them a good watering in, and more rain is forecast for the weekend. I must admit I'm a great believer in working with nature. Much better to have plants watered in by rainfall than by a bucket of water in a dry spell.

A Little Ray Of Sunshine

On this blustery, rainy day.

This is a Lampranthus, a sun-loving succulent plant. Very unusual for it to be flowering in November. I know it looks like it's a houseplant. Well it is now, but a couple of days ago, it was still outside in a hanging basket. I potted it up and brought it indoors, because it wasn't getting enough sunlight to open up its flower buds. As you can see, now that it's on a sunny windowsill, it's in full bloom. I will keep it indoors now until next spring. It won't go outside again until all danger of frost has passed. That's a long time then.

Nearly at the end of November, and the weather is still quite mild. In fact, many predict it could turn out to be the mildest November on record. So what, you may say. Well the current warmest November on record was in 1994. And the winter that followed ?  Well, would you believe that the winter of 1994/5 was the wettest winter on record. I think you can see where I'm coming from with this. Time will tell.

Pigeon Hole

Well, not so much a hole.
More of a perch, really.

Our hawthorn tree attracted five wood pigeons yesterday in that glorious, sunny weather. The tree is very popular with wood pigeons. Last year, they built a nest and produced two broods. This year they built another nest quite late, but still managed to raise two chicks. I always wondered why you never see little, baby pigeons. You know, like you do with ducks and ducklings. Well, last year I found out why. They don't leave the nest until they are fully grown, and even then, they don't stray far from the nest for a week or so. What distinguishes them most from adult birds are their thin, hook-shaped beaks.

Another mild day today, but rather cloudy. So the first two weeks of November are over. Nature has built up quite a debt, and the picture of the first half of winter is beginning to take shape. Such as very cold, very wet, and very windy. On the plus side, we should get quite a bit of sunshine between the showers. A lot of forecasters are predicting a bad winter, but not as bad as last year they say. Of course not, just colder and wetter, maybe ?

Acers High

Well it is an acer,
But it's not very high.

It's hard to believe that less than a week ago, this plant had green leaves. I purchased this many years ago as a sprouted seed. This was long before the days of plug plants or trays of seedlings. In those days, all you could buy was mature plants. It was meant to be grown in a pot, but I planted it in the ground. Big mistake ! When the leaves have fallen, I always prune it back to keep it in check. Acers shouldn't really be treated this way, but this one doesn't seem to mind.

I noticed a heavy dew on the grass yesterday morning. Reminded me of the old adage:

"When the dew is on the grass,
Rain will never come to pass."

And it didn't rain !

A Dollar For Your Thoughts

Hasn't quite got the same ring to it as a penny, has it ?
So why a dollar, you may ask ?

This is Fuchsia Dollar Princess. Ah, that's where the dollar comes from.
Not only is it flowering in November, but it also survived last year's severe winter. It was planted a few years ago, so it has had plenty of time to get established, and it is growing near to a house wall which gives it extra protection. On the subject of plants surviving last winter, have you noticed how all the cordylines that were badly damaged, have recently sent up new shoots from the base ?   What ? You dug yours up. Oops !

So, what about "St. Martins Little Summer" then ? I know it was a day late, but it came, none the less. Who would have thought, in the middle of all these dull and dreary days, that we would have such a glorious one. I must admit I was pleasantly surprised. I must make a note in next year's calendar, to see if it happens again.

Who Ate All The Peanuts ?

Isn't he a sweetie ?
Love the way he looks straight at camera.
What a poser !

We have only recently started getting squirrels in the garden. Years ago, our garden backed onto a field with resident foxes. Now we back onto a new housing estate, the foxes have gone, and the squirrels have moved in. To the gardens that is, not the houses. At least, not yet.

It's been another dull and dreary day again, hasn't it ?
According to ancient weather lore, tomorrow is a very special day. For tomorrow is St. Martin's Day, also known as "St. Martin's Little Summer." St. Martin is the patron saint of reformed drunks, so the connection with forecasting a summer's day is..........erm ?

Shades Of Grey

What a dull, miserable day. It's just like November.
Oh wait a minute, it is November.

This is Aster frikartii Monch. What a mouthful. It's also known as a Michaelmas Daisy. I grow this particular variety because it isn't prone to mildew. I bought it this year, to replace the one I had that succumbed to the recent winters. It's growing in a pot at present. I think I'll overwinter it in the greenhouse and plant it out next spring. Strangely enough, the ordinary Michaelmas Daisies in the border have done very well this year with very little mildew, probably the dry weather had something to do with it.

Despite the dull weather, it has been a little warmer today. If it hadn't been for the damp and the drizzle, it might have been quite pleasant, but it wasn't was it ?

And So Ends The First Week

So that's my first week of blogging completed.
Not too painful, was it ?

Hung this fat square up to attract long-tailed tits, but as you can see, a Starling got there first.
Then he decided to tell his brothers and sisters, aunts, uncles and cousins. And before long, about 30 starlings descended on the garden. When the fat is gone, I won't replace it for a while, because I don't want to encourage a flock of starlings to spend the winter here. They would just take over the entire garden. Although our resident robin did chase them off the bird bath.

So the first week of November started mild, then turned colder. It has also been quite wet and cloudy with only 2 days of sunshine. If the old adage about Nature paying her debts is correct, then the beginning of Winter should be very cold, mainly dry and sunny. Snow ? Well who knows, it only needs one heavy snow shower to cause chaos. Only time will tell.

Turned Out Nice Again

Another nice November day with glorious sunshine,
But it's a bit nippy when you step outside.

This is Dahlia Happy Princess, but she's not been very happy this summer. In fact, now it's November, she's only just got a smile on her face, or should I say a flower. I'll wait until the frost blackens the leaves, you know, in about a couple of weeks, and then I'll dry it off and store under cover until next year. And. hopefully she'll have a happier time next summer.

Remember, Remember

the fifth of November. Because ?
Oh yes, the gunpowder plot.
That's where we English celebrate the anniversary of a plan that was a complete and utter failure.

This cyclamen was a gift from my neighbour, and it's been flowering its socks off for the past few weeks. Not that it had any socks. When it finishes flowering, or just before severe frost (whichever comes first) I will be bringing it under cover until next spring. Cyclamen come in two distinct types; the hardy ones that are planted in the garden, and the florist types like this one that require winter protection.

A little cooler today, but still quite pleasant despite being dull and cloudy. The sparrows were making a lot of noise in the garden today. Know not why.

Birthday Boy !

My dad is 90 years young today. What a trooper.

He was really chuffed when these flowers were delivered this morning.
Thanks Pat.

According to the Biodynamic Calendar, today and tomorrow are the ideal time to plant flower bulbs.
Biodynamics is the study of the link between the moon and stars, and their effect on sowing, planting, pruning, beekeeping etc. The link has been scientifically proved, so it's not just a 'pie in the sky' idea.

Did you notice the halo around the moon last night ? Reminded me of the old adage:

'Near ring, far rain.
Far ring, near rain.'

And sure enough, it rained afterwards.

A Pot Of Gold

Well its more a flock of Goldfinches really.

A flock of about 20 goldfinches landed in the hawthorn tree this morning. Such exotic looking birds you would expect to find in more warmer climes, but here they are in soggy Sheffield. When I was a child, the only place you would see them was in pet shops. Our gardens were full of sparrows in those days. Now the goldfinches are as regular visitors as the sparrows once were. I first enticed them into the garden several years ago with niger seed, because that's what was recommended at the time. I now feed them sunflower hearts which they absolutely adore.

Another very mild day today, but at least we're getting buckets of rain, so when Nature pays her debts it should be with very cold, dry weather. Hopefully.

A Rose Among Thorns

Well it's a rose among apple trees actually.

This is Rose Graham Thomas that I purchased several years ago. It is an English Rose bred by David Austin. English Roses have been specially bred to produce blooms like the old shrub roses, but unlike old roses they are repeat-flowering.

This rose had been competing with a nearby apple tree that I had removed this summer.
The apple tree was always lacking in something. Now what was it ?  Oh, I know.  Apples.
And now, as you see, the rose is thriving. Not a bad display for November.

Weather not as nice as yesterday, but it's still a bit mild for this time of year.
Looks like we'll be having a cold snap in a couple of weeks then.

In The Beginning

....And so it begins, my first ever blog entry.
So here I am, on this world-wide-webby thingy with a potential audience of 7 billion, and nobody is taking a blind bit of notice.
Story of my life !

Any road up, are you all enjoying this rather unseasonable mild weather ?
Well I'd like to remind you all of a very old saying:

"Be it dry or be it wet,
The weather will always pay its debt."

The one thing I have learned, above all else in my years of observing the weather, is that the above saying is extremely accurate. Just look at November 2010, the first week was extremely mild and the last week was extremely cold with heavy snow. Oh it's November again now isn't it ? Oops !