Saturday 6 September 2014

Harbinger of dooooom ...



I hate to have to say it ...

I don't want to say it ... but ... autumn is here !

There was a mist yesterday morning, hanging over the fields, and I could hear the rooks in the trees nearby. The nights are now chill enough to merit a log fire, and outside it is properly dark again.
When the sky is clear and the sun is shining it still feels like summer, but it is clear that the season is marching on.



All this is usual for the time of year, but what is unusual is that foliage has started to turn colour and to die back, as you would expect in late September or October. I think the signs of autumn have arrived in my little spot on the planet, about three or four weeks ahead what is usual.

I first noticed it in the Horse Chestnuts, in about mid August, but they are always the first to show autumn colour , and it is often visible at the end of the month.

The next thing I noticed was the hostas, which are on their way out ! They are definitely yellow and dying!



The strawberry leaves are turning fashionably red...


The Ligularias are edged stylishly, with dark red...



... and not so stylishly brown!


Berberis Rosy Glow has rekindled the embers and is now turning into a fiery furnace.



The anenomes have barely finished flowering , and yet the leaves are  beginning to die off.


Rodgersia is turning up its toes earlier than usual this season.


But don't despair, its hard to feel sad when there are still fuchsias like this is flower ...



... and 'Gentle Hermione' is just starting on another massive flush of blooms.


All the sedums are just coming into flower, and will be around for several weeks yet.


Because I am worried about things dying back and disappearing altogether, I have started the Great Autumn Move Around ! I don't usually do this at the beginning of September, usually it is at the end, or even through October, but if I don't start now, I will be looking at bare earth, wondering what on earth was growing there. Luckily the soil is ridiculously moist for the time of year, so I have no worries about moving things, as they will not dry out. This is usually the most restful time of my gardening year, as there is usually two or three weeks when there are few jobs to do, and the garden can be enjoyed before all the autumn work begins. Not this year though!

Spring came very early here, and I noticed the first leaves on the hawthorn hedge in mid-February, so maybe everything has just run its natural course. This process was probably accelerated by some very chilly days and even chillier nights in late August, which must have triggered the process of die back leading to dormancy. I've a horrid feeling that it is going to be a long old winter ....











22 comments:

  1. It's the same story here, autumn is definitely early and I've started the great move around too. At least it means all the work should be completed a bit earlier this year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's interesting Jessica, I wonder if there is an early autumn throughout the uk? A little rest is beginning to sound attractive !

      Delete
  2. Yes, also here autumn is 4 to 6 weeks earlier as usual and in the morning we had yesterday and today low hanging mist and it was very silent. I love it but it is a bit too early I think. I have not yet started to move plants around because I just don't want it but in coming weeks I certainly have to start autumn work.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Janneke, 4 to 6 weeks ! Wow, that is early! It is a lovely season, but more summer would have been nice !

      Delete
  3. Lots go autumn signs in your garden already Jane, and I thought our Rhus changing colour so early seemed strange enough. Autumn work will start early but also means it would be less manic for you early too :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Mark and Gaz , have you got any other early signs, other than the Rhus ? You are much further south than me !

    ReplyDelete
  5. But September is a lovely month, specially if we get some warm days. I don' t mind signs of Autumn in September, it is Autumn in August that I object to.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Chloris, totally agree, autumn in autumn is great, autumn in summer is pants !!

      Delete
  6. Wow, Jane. Your change of seasons is ahead of ours. There are a few trees, mostly Maples, changing color here. It's been so dry that lots of perennials are dying back but......now that I think about it, some of them might be getting ready for winter too. It's been terribly hot here. It was 75F at 7:30 this morning. The prediction for the Eastern US is an unusually cold winter.....I won't mind that as much as snow! Here's to a short winter for all of us!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Flower Freak - a big 'yes' to a short mild winter for all! Did you see Janneke's comment that their winter being 4 - 6 weeks early! Weird weather!

      Delete
  7. Hi Jane, I am surprised that autumn is showing up already at your garden! I do like the change of the seasons, since I feel that each one has something special and unique going on, that is well worth celebrating.
    The photo of 'Gentle Hermione' is jawdroppingly beautiful! Wishing you a nice rest of the weekend,
    Christina

    ReplyDelete
  8. I totally agree about the joys of every season but I just wish they would keep to their allotted times ! I feel I have been cheated of the last drops of summer somehow!

    ReplyDelete
  9. There are lots of signs of autumn around here too. I was only thinking on our last visit to the allotment how it was taking on an autumnal look with lots of cleared beds. I suppose spring came early so we can't have too many complaints if autumn does the same. I may not feel the same about winter arriving early though.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Martyn, no we can't really complain ... but I fully intend to :-) One thing I can't complain about is that I predict zilch green tomatoes this year as they will have all ripened !

      Delete
  10. You had me worried with the title. It was really misty last night around 10:30 but now it's lovely and sunny.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi Sue, phew same here - hot sun but everything is saturated, including me! Must have been lots of rain through the night too.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Yes, autumn has arrived early here too, the garden certainly looks autumnal, with coloured leaves and plants dying back, hopefully it will give us more time to get all the jobs done. We have been promised a good week weather wise, so plenty should get done over the next few days.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Definite signs of autumn here too. Still lovely warm sunny days at times but the nights are pulling in fast. Busy moving, pruning and over hauling parts of the garden. Spring bulbs to plant as well... busy busy :o)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Enjoy your moving around in the mild September, though I refuse to associate autumn with doom!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Ha ha ha ! I think I must be in the minority feeling the way I do about autumn, as most people seem to love it ! I have a 'rant' on 'Garden Rant' about it , currently, and the majority of comments are in favour of autumn and winter ! I just don't get it ! It makes me really sad !

    ReplyDelete
  16. I am in your camp, Jane. I have trouble enjoying fall, because our winters are cold, and a few weeks too long for me. I enjoyed seeing what's going on in your garden. I am starting to do some moving of things, too. Thank you for visiting my blog!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Funnily enough warm weather and summer returned soon after I posted this ! Pleasure to visit your blog Sue.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for visiting and reading.
I really welcome comments and have learned much from them, over the years of leaning over the virtual garden gate ...