We passed the equinox this week. A time I always find a little sad as we dip away into the darkness now. For my Six this week, I’ve found some bright pinks and reds that are dotting the garden, to cheer us all up. So here they are, a cheerful #SixOnSaturday

First up, just a few sweetpea are still in flower. This is much later than most years. I did keep up with watering in the summer. I’m fairly sure they are still going strong because the nights have been warmer than usual, and still are — we’ve only had 2 night with sub-10 degC temperatures so far. This one provides a stunning pop of colour, the last one on this plant.

Into the greenhouse, it has been a good year for peppers and chillies. This one is jalapeño , tasty and hot, reliably hot this year.

Another plant that is having a go at a second flowering are my snap-dragons. This one is a wonderful bright pink, I like it at this time of year.

More seasonally, cotoneaster is now fruiting, blackbirds are sneaking into the courtyard where this one lives to feast. I’m disturbing them every time I exit the front door. This is a different variety than the one you saw here last week.

Back into the greenhouse, I suspect the dry weather slowed down the grapes. There are more than usual this year, but they are smaller and less sweet. I’m going to try turning more of them into raisins (using an air-dryer) that will offer pops of summer sweetness on winter breakfasts.

Again and again, dahlia are delivering. It is almost time to move some of them into the greenhouse for some final flowering. For now, they are still feeding the bees as they struggle to keep warm enough in the cooler more blustery days. There seems to be a tiny shield bug (I think) enjoying this flower.

Collecting this week’s Six has cheering me up, I hope you have enjoyed viewing them too.

Do join in with your own 6 things from a garden. Thanks to those leaving comments on the blog. I do read them all, keep them coming. And do join in with #SixOnSaturday. All you need to do is find 6 things in your garden to show us. Then post on social, or add a link at Jim’s blog below. For regulars, our organiser is Jim at https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. And I’m on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot