Autumn is a Second Spring where every Leaf is a Flower

As the week has gone on the autumn colours have intensified on the trees and some perennials too. Driving to and from the nursery is a joy on a sunny day as the trees glow in the valleys I drive through. Thankfully the strong winds we've had over the past few days haven't taken all the leaves off just yet, so we can enjoy them for a wee bit longer. Here in the nursery the pace has relaxed as I finally catch up and finish of tasks in readyness for closing up for winter at the end of October. The gardens now slide into autumn and winter with nothing more done to them until after new year when I start tidying up the nursery, ready to start all over again. Here are some photos of whats looking good in the sales area this week. We still have spring bulbs left and now is a great time for planting bulbs and plants.

Viburnum carlesii

As well as flowering in spring and good for ground cover many Bergenias have great autumn colour

There is still plenty colour in the sales area

Evergreens are great for carrying interest on through winter

Use stem colour on trees and shrubs to add interest when the leaves have fallen

Try something different in the shady border, Sinacalia tangutica has these lovely yellow flowers and great autumn foliage colout. It needs a bit of space, ideal at the back of a large border

At the other end of the size scale is Gentiana sino-ornata
and Carex 'Allgold', perfect for pots and alpine troughs

As well as doing a lot of propagation, some late season cuttings and dividing plants up I've been working on a couple of borders in the nursery gardens. As you may know I've been working on a pink border for the past few weeks and this week, finally got it planted and finished - Yay! The weather on Friday was lovely, perfect for planting, this is a great time for getting plants in the ground as the soil is still warm and plants can get established before winter.

The last of the plants ready to go in the pink border

Finally finished, looking forward to seeing the plants fill out and grow together,
hopefully it will look like how I see it in my head

The other border project only took me a couple of days over the weekend. This is a small area in the wildlife garden between the herb garden steps and what will be the winter garden. First it needed cleared of the weed infestation of years of having nothing done with it (pre us). There are some plants there though and I am keeping some and removing others. I started here because the planting scheme I want to try has a yellow and orange theme with Euphorbia griffithi as a back drop. There is a lovely large, established Euphorbia there, so it made sense to create my wee border there. Having cleared and dig over the area, I then dug in some of our own compost and planted it up with:

Before

Bergenia ‘Bressingham White’

Euphorbia amygdaloides ‘Purpurea’

Euphorbia ‘Fireglow’

Heuchera sanguinea 'White Cloud'

Lysimchia ‘Fire Cracker

Narcissus 'Thalia'

Origano vulgaris 'Aurea'

Smyrnium perfoliatum

Tulip ‘Apeldoorns Elite’

Finished

Adding in compost

I've been enjoying having time to do some more photography in the evening including some photographs of a still life for a book review I want to write. Watch this space. I'm finally getting through my book mountain and now reading a series of botany and plant books while waiting on Dan's school bus in the morning. 

A vase of autumn flowers from useful plants

Opium poppies, one of many plants that changed history

We made rosehip jam, see the link below for the recipe

On Monday we looked at the weather forecast and headed east where the only dry weather was to be had and visited Archerfield Walled Garden. If you are in the area (between Gullane and Dirlieton on the north coast of East Lothian then you should visit and it's dog friendly. We took Bracken for a walk around the walled garden and on the willow walk. The walled garden is a restoration / lease of new life work in progress and there is lots happening with lots of lovely plantings, potagers, wild life garden and things for kids to spot. Heading back out of the walled area turn left and follow signs for the fairy walk, this takes you on a nice leisurly circut with views of Archerfield House and Berwick Law in the distance, keep going if you have small fairy fans with you.

Views of the walled garden at Archerfield

After our walk we had a lovely lunch in the cafe where we chose their sharing plough mans lunch which arrived in it's own basket, super cute and very tasty too, a fantastic idea. We finished with coffee, cake and a wander around the deli and gift shop.

Our plough man's lunch

Bug houses in the walled garden

So much colour in the potager beds

Bracken is not amused and he
is not an elf he says

Bracken exploring

One of the willow tunnels

A view of a view

Another week gone already, only three until we close up for winter, then we're free! Sort of, there will still be lots to do over winter in the nursery, but we can take out time as the weather allows. 

Have a great week.

Hedgerow Bounty Part Four - Rosehip Jam

Archerfield Walled Garden


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