The autumn decay continues, amidst some oddly warm weather. I’ve focused on form this week. here are some slightly spooky snaps of the garden to celebrate the season.

I’ve had a good look round, few flowers now, but the anemone seedbeds pop out like mini lollipops.

Much more colour can be found in what was left when I cleared out by runner beans. They were very late this year, so late that I missed rather a lot. I have harvested the seeds, some for next year’s planting, some for adding to soups in winter. What amazing colours!

Plomus do very well here and I’ve always enjoyed their rather elegant look, which continues into autumn and winter with stately seed heads.

Back to some colour now. It appears that our cold, damp and fairly miserable summer has provided the perfect conditions for growing Swiss chard. The leaves on many are almost 50cm long this year. Not sure why, but the red one amidst the greens does seem a bit spooky, sort of.

Another firm favourite on the seeded front, teasel have had a good year here too. I’m hoping for more self-seeders next year.

To finish up, the remaining nasturtiums have just the right colour for this time of year, bright, cheerful and Halloweeny.

I hope you enjoyed my slightly spooky selection as much as I have. Need to keep up our spirits as the clocks change and the dark really comes in. And thanks to those leaving comments on the blog – sorry if I don’t always get back to you on time! The blog is going well, but it would be great if more folk on Mastodon, or other parts of the Fediverse got into tooting a Six! Go on, it’s a much kinder form of social media, not controlled by crazy billionaires. 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

There have been robins courting and blackbirds fighting in the garden this week. As I clear the veg plot for the season, they are all busy helping me with the insects. Despite being very much in clear-up mode, there are still a few surprise blooms having a last go, and some wonderful autumn leaf colour. Here are my #SixOnSaturday.

First a big flush of colour from the Boston Ivy. I do like the way each leaf flushes from green to yellow to red. These won’t last much longer.

A surprise against the house wall. Somehow a lupin has seeded itself between the path and the wall. And somehow it has managed a second flush of blooms. I’m reluctant to pull it out now, even though it blocks the doorway.

Twisty hazel has lost all her fruit now. I never find any, instead the husks of the nuts are hiding in a corner of the garden where the red squirrels drop them after a feast. The new catkins are coming through, even when the leaves have not quite fallen yet.

This year, Japanese Anemone have not been great, but one or two plants have saved themselves for a late season wave, just before the clocks go back this weekend and gardening turns into a morning job.

Roses, roses, what a year they have had. And still a few are trying to bloom. This one has a rich spicy smell and perfect tightly packed petals.

I think my favourite colour in the garden this week are the blueberry bushes. Now bright pink before the leaves fall. A joyful colour, even on a gloomy late-October day.

I hope you enjoyed my autumn colours as much as I have. Need to keep up our spirits as the clocks change and the dark really comes in. And thanks to those leaving comments on the blog – sorry if I don’t always get back to you on time! The blog is going well, but it would be great if more folk on Mastodon, or other parts of the Fediverse got into tooting a Six! Go on, it’s a much kinder form of social media, not controlled by crazy billionaires. 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

I’ve had a tour round the garden this morning, looking for lovely colours and textures, before the first ‘named storm’ of the season rolls in tomorrow. Here are my colourful #SixOnSaturday. First, some proper colour from neurones, which have burst through the remains of other foliage to show off.

Some of the decaying foliage looks wonderful, especially with some raindrops on it. The last of the hosts have just flopped, soon to be contributing to my garden compost.

The chives are having a go at their last (I assume?) burst of flowering before dying back for the winter. Wonderful colour and texture in close-up.

I have a diminutive little shrub, that isn’t noticed for most of the year. It does look lovely in autumn, again with rain drops accentuating its glossy rich red coat. Is it a photonia? I’m not sure.

A cool wet summer with low light levels has not done much for my sunflowers. This one is finally trying to have a go. I’ve never seen one deliver such little petals.

This is the time of year for the sedum to come into its own. I have a few of these. Some of the long heavy stems will soon be gracing a vase of flowers for the living room. Wow, what fabulous colour.

I hope you enjoyed my autumn colours as much as I have. We shall see what is left after storm Ashley has blown through tomorrow. And thanks to those leaving comments on the blog – sorry if I don’t always get back to you on time! The blog is going well, but it would be great if more folk on Mastodon, or other parts of the Fediverse got into tooting a Six! Go on, it’s a much kinder form of social media, not controlled by crazy billionaires. 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

My first #SixOnSaturday of the month, as I was away working last weekend (and sad to be stuck indoors on a gorgeous day). There have been some lovely autumn days lately that really show off those rich autumn colours and stand-out shades. Here are a few from my garden this week, from whites through pink to purple.

First up this week, I thought my hebes had flowered much earlier, but they have saved some joy for mid-autumn. Here is my favourite, this large shrub is repeated several times around the garden, the structure and colour are pleasing.

Something else that really finished months ago is giving a last blast of colour too. This clematis is a touch frost-burned around the edges, yet still giving a glorious surprise when I walk along the garden path.

In the greenhouse, somehow the last few bunches of grapes have avoided rot this year. I’ve been opening up the greenhouse on sunny days to keep it aerated, seems to be working!

A late flush of colour has appeared on some low shrub roses. The colour is really striking, although these beauties have no scent. Great for an autumn vase though.

Despite a couple of slightly frosty nights, cosmos are blasting away. I always forget how late into autumn these plants can hang on for. Good for them, great for me.

Last this week, it’ll be time to winter my snap-dragon pots in the greenhouse soon, but for now, I’ll let them grace the garden for a little longer. Wonderful form and colour.

I hope you enjoyed my autumn colours as much as I have. And thanks to those leaving comments on the blog – sorry if I don’t always get back to you on time! The blog is going well, but it would be great if more folk on Mastodon, or other parts of the Fediverse got into tooting a Six! Go on, it’s a much kinder form of social media, not controlled by crazy billionaires. 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

The nights are drawing in, and getting cold, the courgettes are about to die back, but my late summer favourites, dahlia, and still going strong. Here are 6 wonderful dahlias for my #SixOnSaturday. Regular visitors to this blog may spot some familiar faces, but who cares, these plants look so great at this time of year.

First up, a simple red bloom, still caught after by the slowing bees and the odd hoverfly. This one is probably Bishop of Llangdaff.

Despite their uselessness for foraging insects, I’ve grown to be quite excited by cactus dahlia. I have a few this year. Love the orange-red of the petals and the spiky appearance.

This plant is a biggy, and so are her blooms. A wonderful pastel peachy colour.

Another huge blooms comes from this plant, delivering one flower at a time, but has been doing so for 5 weeks or so now.

A few plants are still hanging on in pots in the courtyard, although the house wall now occludes the sun for too much of the day. This one has still managed a lovely pink flower. These colours are almost metallic.

Last, but not least, flowering, flowering and then some more. This is my favourite dahlia for the 2024 season.

My discovery of the loveliness of dahlias for the end of summer, a few years ago, still makes me happy every season. Hope you’ve enjoyed them too. And thanks to those leaving comments on the blog – sorry if I don’t always get back to you on time! The blog is going well, but it would be great if more folk on Mastodon, or other parts of the Fediverse got into tooting a Six! Go on, its a much kinder form of social media, not controlled by crazy billionaires. 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

In eastern Scotland there have been some warm bright days, hastening the harvest. The hum of harvesters is in the air, and the dust! In the garden, I’ve finally a lot of fruit and veg to choose from. Here are some of my crops for SixOnSaturday.

To emulate what’s happening in the fields around here, I dug some tatties. These are Shetland Black. Deep purple outside, inside a creamy white, with a purple stripe in the flesh about 1cm in. VERY tasty, especially when roasted.

Back in August I could barely find 3 courgette to enter into the village show. Not so now, courgettes are everywhere, with the yellow varieties doing best this year. I’m hoping for some warmish nights to keep them going as long as possible.

Most fruit are finished now, yet a few blueberries are still ripening. They have done so well in the cool and very wet summer. Blueberry muffins will cheer our autumn and winter as a reminder of summer. These fruit freeze very well for baking later.

Into the greenhouse. I have a fine crop of achocha, as I do most years. These are a Peruvian vine, grown as an annual (doing best in the greenhouse this far north). About the size of a plum, they will be deseeded and used in stir fry a bit lit a bell pepper.

Even a few of my chilli plants are finally making a show of some decent fruit. These are ‘lemon drop’. Nice and spicy but with a lemony flavour.

Tomatoes have been wonderful. I’ve yet to taste this variety: ‘blue fire’ has really taken its time, still not quite ripe, but very pretty so far.

I hope you enjoyed my fruitful harvest. And thanks to those leaving comments on the blog – sorry if I don’t always get back to you on time! The blog is going well, but it would be great if more folk on Mastodon, or other parts of the Fediverse got into tooting a Six! Go on, its a much kinder form of social media, not controlled by crazy billionaires. 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

Some sunny days, but we almost had a frost last night in eastern Scotland. Keep up the summer vibes!!! Here are another colourful late summer SixOnSaturday.

First up, I have come to remove the snap dragon. A friend gave me some seeds a couple of years ago, I’ve kept a few plants in the greenhouse, and propagated cuttings, seem to have lots of pots of these lovely flowers now.

There are some lovely dahlias still coming into their first blooms. I have a peach one with a strange virus or genetic defect, a single white petal.

Red dahlia are finally coming into their own. This one is almost a pillar box red, or even tomato, coming into its full cactus variety loveliness.

I do like a pink one too. This is a plant I grew from a seed, it has managed to make it to its second year, but flowering in September is leaving things rather late.

And for something a little different, finally zinnia has flowered. this year I sowed the seeds late-ish, in May, and left the pot in the greenhouse. It has finally delivered for me!

At the very end of the season I’m getting one or two interesting sunflower now. So many rotted before getting to flowers. this one has some lovely autumn tones.

I hope you enjoyed another burst of late summer colour. I’m aiming for a few more before the summer is done! I hope we can hold onto summer for a couple more weeks yet. And thanks to those leaving comments on the blog – sorry if I don’t always get back to you on time! The blog is going well, but it would be great if more folk on Mastodon, or other parts of the Fediverse got into tooting a Six! Go on, its a much kinder form of social media, not controlled by crazy billionaires. 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

There was no #SixOnSaturday from me last week, as I was exploring Scotland’s beautiful Moray Coast. A lovely week, with fewer garden visits than expected as I managed to up my hip-rehab and get onto my bicycle for some scenic rides.

Home now and the garden is bursting with late summer colour at the start of September. Was the warmest day of the year in Scotland on Friday this week, I do hope some of that warmth continues. Let’s celebrate with some vibrant colour for #SixOnSaturday.

POW, a simple dahlia that is a brilliant post-box red, this dark leafed Bishop’s Children variety has been late, but worth the wait.

The late yellow pom-pom budlija do a great job now to look right and cheerful and feed the pollinators. Bees, hoverflies, and finally eve a few butterflies have made it to September.

Another cheerful dahlia, this one has a delicate dark pink edge to the pale pink petals. Will be trying this one again next year.

My garden seems to be one of the very last where echinops flower, but here they are, with their perfect spherical form.

More dhalia, I alwasy want more, including this simple form that may well be another Bishop’s Children. A nice combination of colours runs across each petal.

And to end on a high note, this is still my favourite dahlia this year, and this one plant just keeps flowering and flowering.

I hope you enjoyed my burst of late summer colour. I hope we can hold onto summer for a couple more weeks yet. And thanks to those leaving comments on the blog – sorry if I don’t always get back to you on time! The blog is going well, but it would be great if more folk on Mastodon, or other parts of the Fediverse got into tooting a Six! Go on, its a much kinder form of social media, not controlled by crazy billionaires. 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

The last weekend of august, wet and windy, is summer over? I hope not as half my dahlias have not been polite enough to flower yet. Having missed the local flower show by 2 weeks, at least my greenhouse tomatoes have decided to fruit, there are quite a few for my #SixOnSaturday. I’ll start with today’s harvest. This lot might get chomped tonight, or chopped for the first freezer bag of the season.

As you’ve seen above, I try to grow a few different varieties each year. Despite some advertising themselves as ‘early’ I’ve had nothing at all this year until mid-august. Aside from cherries in red and yellow, I’ve got a lovely new one this year, huge zagadka, a stripey beefsteak.

More solidly yellow, and fairly early, this yellow mid-sized offering is sweet and juicy.

Nowhere near ready yet, but my most radical attempt this year, has been blue fire. Currently a bit greeny-black and rock hard, there may be promise to come. Even the stems and parts of the leaves are dark on this one.

Another strange one, these are red-green striped, and a hint at being heart shaped. Audrey’s love! She’s quite tasty too.

Last but I’m hoping very much not least, Costoluto, not quite there yet, but these have fruited very well and becoming a very pleasing bright red when they ripen.

I hope you enjoyed my longed-for tomato harvest. And thanks to those leaving comments on the blog – sorry if I don’t always get back to you on time! The blog is going well, but it would be great if more folk on Mastodon, or other parts of the Fediverse got into tooting a Six! Go on, its a much kinder form of social media, not controlled by crazy billionaires. 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

Last weekend was our village Produce and Flower Show. No cups for me this year, but at least I got a 1st prize for raspberries, a second for a ‘dish of peas’ and a scattering of 3rds. AND I got a 3rd prize in a craft…new hobby is crochet as I’ve been laid up for months after hip surgery. I won for a crochet bag…yippee. And in the mean time my flowers have been busy blooming in celebration. Here they are for my #SixOnSaturday.

At the top of the bill, having flowered for what feels like weeks, these sweetly scented lilies are still stealing the show and attracting oodles of pollinators.

After what feels like months of waiting, dahlias are now doing their thing, mostly in garden pots. First up, the huge dinner-plate sized red and white one that reminds me of raspberry ripple. Always a joy, though some critter is beginning to nibble it.

A new dahlia this year is my next-up, much smaller, but with similarly striking colour and rather delicate pointy leaves, I think this one will offer a lot more flowers and I love it already.

So, far this simple peachy bloom could be my best pom-pom dahlia for years. Its fairly small (tennis ball sized), hard to show in one photo, but is showing a close-to-spherical fush of curved petals.

A final dahlia this week, this is ‘bishop’s children’, dark leaves, the quorms seem to last over winter if dried and stored, and the hover flies love them. This bloom features 3 feasting hovers.

And for something a little different to end on, the warmer days have brought out the agapanthus, looking lovely juxtaposed against my still-flowering herb fennel.

I hope you enjoyed my celebratory mid-summer flowers. And thanks to those leaving comments on the blog – sorry if I don’t always get back to you on time! The blog is going well, but it would be great if more folk on Mastodon, or other parts of the Fediverse got into tooting a Six! Go on, its a much kinder form of social media, not controlled by crazy billionaires. 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