Bestember

September is not usually the month I look forward to, as it's the month I've always had to go 'back to school', first as a pupil then for 18 years as a teacher. This September is different, however. It marks the start of a new adventure for me, as I am now only teaching two days per week. And the difference it is making already to my stress levels is huuuuge! How lovely to come home on a Friday evening, cast off my tie, and think that I don't have to wear a suit again until the following Thursday! So what will I be doing in between? A little more gardening, some composing, some socialising, and some domestic chores which seem exciting in week one but possibly won't by December....

The other reason for this being my best ever September is that the garden is still looking good, after a pretty wet summer. Sweet peas are still coming thick and fast:

Rosa 'Lucy' was given to me by a girl in my class called.... Lucy!

This geranium is a lovely shade of pink, not quite captured here.

This Verbena bonariensis seeded itself in this pot.

I like this border for its foliage. Origanum flowers in the distance.

This Gallardia still wants to entertain with more flowers.

An unusual Clematis which does not climb.

The 'Middle Garden', so named because I can't think of a better one...

Picked this lovely grass at Marchants, home of plant genius Graham Gough

Aquilegias by the pond, building energy for next year.

Stipa gigantea still looking glorious.



Antirhinnums with Sedums in the background



Rudbeckias making a naughty but nice clash with Cosmos

My self-seeded fennel is eight feet tall now!

Echinacea, Sedum, Campanula in the distance in their second flush.

Mum's Cosmos has finally taken off.

How could anyone not love Dahlias?!

The Summer Garden in September

Stipa tenuissima has adopted a punk hairdo!

 I hope you are all having as good a September as I am. Ta-ta for now.

Sussex Prairies

We enjoyed a fabulous afternoon at Sussex Prairies yesterday. Not only is September a wonderful time to view this amazing 6 acre spectacle, but it was also their Unusual Plant and Art Fair. The range of plants on offer was staggering, and I couldn't resist filling a couple of boxes with some choice specimens. Just a few of the exhibitors were: Dutch nurseryman Coen Janssen,  Madrona, Edulis, Usual and Unusual Plants, Chris Ghyselen, persicaria breeder, from Belgium, Nymans, Rose Cottage Plants with their bulbs, The Plant Specialist, Daisy Roots, Dysons Nursery, Brighton Plants, Plantbase ,Kevin Hughes Plants, Colin Reader with his wildflower meadow seeds and Pineview Plants .

There was a jolly good turnout for an overcast day.

All these fabulous stalls were set within the beautiful garden at Sussex Prairies (see my previous post here).
The planting is just sublime, and just goes to prove how successful Prairie-style planting can be in this country. Let's face it, this fairly young garden has had to put up with two horrendous winters and the wettest summer on record, and still it looks fresh and vibrant, as you can see from the pictures below.

And the good news is, the Unusual Plant and Art Fair will return to Sussex Prairies on September 1st 2013.
I can't recommend it highly enough, so put it in your diary if you can get there! You can even say hello to the piggies!

Kipling Gardens

Rudyard Kipling

In the heart of Rottingdean, near Brighton, a charming garden with an interesting history delights locals, but most people who live outside the village wouldn't know it was even there. Hiding behind high walls, this council-maintained garden once belonged to Rudyard Kipling, who lived there from 1897 - 1902. In the latter part of the twentieth century the garden became neglected, but was rescued since 1980 by the Rottingdean Preservation Society, which still assists in its maintenance to this day. What a delight to discover a garden, free for all, planted and maintained so beautifully. If you are in the area it is well worth a visit!

Garden Visits

I have visited a number of gardens recently but have not found the time to post about them. So I shall try to put that right over the next few posts. Firstly Nymans, which I visited on Sunday. There's been quite a bit of work going on there recently, and some of the new planting is not yet established. However, the classic double borders did not disappoint. I couldn't get many photos without people, as it was jam packed - the one decent day of the bank holiday brought people out in their hundreds. We even had to queue for coffee - not good!

This Eryngium pandanifolium caught my eye - it was huge!