Topic: In the garden today

[Grandma]

It's only just over six weeks until the nights start drawing out - (lovely thought!) - and there's still so much colour in the garden.  As it's a beautiful, sunny day, I've just been out with my camera and thought I'd share my 'little bit of heaven' with you!

Unbelievable for November, there was a painted lady butterfly on the fatsia flowers - but I scared it away!

(I cheated a bit with the last two pics - the verbena and the angel pelargonium - they're in the greenhouse.) xxx 

[windygale]

you have some nice plants there gran, ;D ;D

what is the plants with the mauve picture 17 / picture 6 pink berries, as i want them ;) ;D

how long will your pelargoniums last before the flowers drop,

windy ;D

[Georgie]

Very cheerful.  Thanks for sharing.   ;D

G x

[Sinbad7]

Lovely photo's Grandma.

Sinbad

[manicscousers]

lovely photos..you're doing better than we are, our passionflower was killed by the frost last week  :)

[star]

Lovely..............just lovely ;D

[Grandma]

Thanks for all your nice comments.  :-* It's not the most 'organised' of gardens - no themes or colour-schemes - but I've tried to plant things to give year-round interest and colour.  I can get a bit 'down' through the dark months - (can't we all?) - and having a few bright spots outside really cheers me up.

Windy - the pink berries are pernettya. Easy to grow but need lime-free soil. I've got 3 - the pink one, a white one and a very dark pink - (sort of cerise?) - one. The berries last throughout the winter - don't get taken by birds. Just a word of advice - garden centres can be a bit crafty! The plants are normally sold in berry - but to have berries in subsequent years you have to have a male (non-berrying) plant and very few garden centres sell them.

The mauve-splashed plant is a verbena. The label just says ''TWINKLE' verbena Purple(P) - not very helpful, botanically! I have another one - same label, but Crimson(P) instead of Purple(P)! Both very pretty. I'm not sure if they will survive the winter but I'll keep them in the greenhouse and see what happens.

Re the angel pelargoniums - I haven't a clue how long the flowers will last but the plants are still looking very healthy and there are lots more buds to come out so I'm hoping they will last for a while yet!
 

[Garden Manager]

Lovely photos. One of the good things about climate change is that the colour lasts much longer in our gardens these days. I still have plently of colour (mostly foliage but some flowers) in my garden. I like to make it last as long as possible to shorten the winter.

It is often a nice surprise to get a 'summer' flower like the oriental poppies, repeat flower in autumn.

Thanks for sharing.