Hyde Hall-oween!

At RHS Hyde Hall in Essex, pumpkins and witches abound this week, but for me the only scary thing was the price of the cakes! The gardens still have plenty of colour, as you can see!

Time to Tidy

Saturday afternoon was spent tidying up around the garden. Lavender was cut back, the greenhouse was cleared of weary tomato plants, then cleaned, and dahlias were deadheaded. I also planted a dozen foxgloves in a tricky area of dry shade - fingers crossed! Sunday was meant to be part two of the tidy up, but the weather was so lovely, and the sea, which I can see from my sofa here, was looking so beautiful that a walk seemed in order. Sitting on the beach with a flask of coffee on a Sunday morning with a warm October sun on your face - does life get better than this?

Cube-cumber!

Having been given a cucumber plant back in June and being a total novice in growing them, I'm afraid I just left it in its pot in the greenhouse and forgot about it. Yes, I watered it, but I failed to give it any support. I don't think I even knew what I was watering as it was stuffed behind a tomato plant. However, the poor neglected thing did bear fruit - just one. But I spotted it too late, as you can see:

Hey presto! The world's first square cucumber, perfect for sandwiches!!!

October Heat at Wisley

Well who'd have thought it?! My last visit to Wisley (read here) in June was all about dodging storms, and now here we are in October dodging sunstroke! This weekend's glorious weather certainly brought everyone out and about, I've never seen Wisley so busy - lots of families too, which is great, as long as the kids stay off the borders! How the gardeners at Wisley keep the interest going throughout the year is a constant source of amazement to me - every month of the year seems to be the best time to visit!

The summer borders are at the height of their powers:

The Glasshouse had some unusual offerings:

Coleus - now called Solenostemon

Calliandra selloi

Brugmansia x candida

And here are some other shots of the garden:

This cheeky heron wasn't perturbed by onlookers!

The delicate autumn crocus