September update

There's many things to love in this world but always find one thing, one passion. Friends may scoff but find one thing you do, just one that you love and share it... 

That's what working in the gardening is to me. I was planting some new finds after a wonderful day at Hollister house and gardens (photos to follow) and I couldn't have been happier. The sun was fading, the weather was cooling and the peace was all around me. It's a moment like no other. So with that thought I will share some updates in the garden and also what you need to be doing now in the garden....

September is a busy time :

Collecting seeds

Planting bulbs

Moving perennials that need more space, or just need a new home. 

This month is all about planning for next spring/summer, a time to look forward and plan. At the cottage I'm widening the white border another 2 ft to give everything more room and to let it really make a statement. I want a sea of foxgloves, with a swath of lupines, amongst all my other favorites. This seemed easier said than done as i spent last weekend moving giant field stones, but when i get the intent i go with it.  Suddenly it all made more sense, i was cramming small plants under the larger shrubs, they lupins were suffering for lack of light, so now everything can breath and grow! MOre importantly i get to put more plants in.

Before the work

You can see here the marking out process

Glamour shot :-)

You'll have to wait for an after shot, as i spent Sunday adding a truck load of soil and more needs adding

This is not a proper after shot, but here you can the bed growing wider, i can barely remember a last spring when there was no flower bed here.  Below was just after i put the fence up with the initial willow wips and other native brambles

This continues to be my favorite section of the garden, and i treated myself to a few more boxwoods.  I added four more.  After haggling with the garden chap to give me a deal on a few less than perfect balls and then i got two good green ones as well.  This time of year is the best time to get shrubs in, there all on sale.  You can see below the 2 on the far left are new and the two on the little hump behind the triple ball are new.  The loveliest thing about all the boxwoods is that they are eternally green and this looks so wonderful all year round.  I will of course add more, and this weekend i pulled out the old wild rose just behind those two left balls.  I want to start working on a woodland walk, but that will be a fun autumn project.  Also in the next few weeks more bluebells will be going in so i get a beautiful carpet in the spring.  I started last autumn but will so few that they barely were noticeable so i got to really do it this time.  This is where friends are essential!

Obsessed  with my basked back pack find 

This is a really fun project.  Over the bridge I dug a cut flower garden.  Im liberated from my self imposed colour schemes.  I have pink (yes PINK!) roses and peonies and iris, then there will be more spring planted bulbs to go in.  Giving flowers to friends and having them in the house is something i love (I know i know, I cant believe I write this stuff, but there really is nothing better than giving someone a bunch of flowers)

Glamour shot part 2...

ANOTHER fun project.  Who doesn't love an alée of trees.  Here i am planting the ornamental flowering pear trees.  Ryan and Scott they may or maynot be perfect for a spring wedding, just saying....

There is 6 total and they create an axis up to the fire pit.  They just went in so will really come into there own next year.  There is always so much to get done September as its a race till the first frost and you want to get the plants in with enough time to get there feet under the covers so to speak.

The orchard looks a little bit of a mess.  Im not sure what to do underneath the trees.  Eventually the grass will just go up to the trunks but when there young like this is good to give them soil and keep the grass away as not to compete for moisture and nutrients.  Im just mulching and having to put up with it not being perfect for this year 

Here the pear trees are being trained over the bench.

Just putting up a rope for the wisteria to grow along.  Its really shot up in the last few months so Im excited for next spring, fingers crossed for those beautiful purple blooms 

Ill leave you with some shots of Holister house and Garden in CT.  If your up there you must visit. It make me want to garden constantly.  That said if you need any garden advise, planning etc drop me an email

Last shot, the clematis Montana is blooming up a storm.  This time of year is always hard as the garden becomes so tired with little blooming, so its nice to have this showy climber.