October 1st - how on earth did we get so late in the year? The trees are slowly changing colour, the swallows have left and the garden is preparing for winter ... but there are still glimpses of summer to be seen if you know where to look, especially as this week we have had fabulous weather with daytime temperatures around 20ºC.
These self seeded marigolds have been flowering since early in the year and are still turning their yellow faces sunwards hoping for a passing honey bee to come and pollinate them.
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| English marigolds (Calendula) in a Normandy garden |
Most of the sunflowers are over but this small one is just starting to unfurl.
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| Sunflower |
The butterflies, though, seem to prefer the sedums by the gite. I snapped these 2 where they spent all day hungrily gathering nectar.
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| Painted Lady on Sedum, Autumn Glory |
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| Peacock butterfly on Sedum, Autumn Glory |
I mentioned on a comment on Claudia's blog that I would not see any more Morning Glory flowers until next summer. So imagine my surprise when I went to check how my beans were drying and I found this glory in full bloom ... and in late afternoon too. Like it was hanging on to every ray of sunshine before winter takes over.
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| Morning Glory (Ipomea) |
More summer is shining out of these tomatoes that I harvested from the polytunnel - although that pretty much is all of them but for a few green ones I'll turn into chutney and some very small cherry ones I shall probably oven dry.
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| The last of the tomatoes? |
But to be truthful it is autumn that is really winning over summer now - misty mornings, a chill in the wind and foliage changing colour. I love the colour the blueberry leaves take on. It is pretty much the first plant to show it's autumn colour and looks as fiery red at hot embers. If you are wondering how autumn colours come about then have a read of the blog I wrote about it.
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| Fire in the blueberry bush |
Finally, I just had to include this picture of the gite I took on Sunday. Without a cloud in the sky it could have been high summer not late September!
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| Eco-Gites of Lenault, Normandy, France. |
As with every Thursday I am linking this post up with other gardening posts on How Does you Garden Grow with the lovely Annie at Mammasarus. Why not head over there and have a nosy at other gardens from the comfort of your on home.
Hi Rosie, we are starting to leave summer behind too. I like to think of this time of year as a second spring as everything seems to spring back to life before winter sets in.
ReplyDeleteI love the picture of the butterfly on the sedum. When we moved in we had Morning Glory all up one side of the house which my husband along with my Dad got rid of! I never knew why, but I am glad to see it now climbing up the telegraph pole outside in the spring.
I love the colours of autumn too.
xx
Definitely a second spring to give us sweet memories during the long months of winter to come.
DeleteI keep asking myself the same thing! Our blueberries have taken on this beautiful colour too, I love it. Your gite is looking lovely with a blue sky behind it :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Gemma and there is something about autumn light that is so beautiful isn't there?
DeleteIt's rather fantastic when the sun is out and warm, flowers are still blooming, but it's actually October!
ReplyDeleteSeptember and early October are invariably gorgeous here in Normandy. I love this time of year.
DeleteSunny late Septembers and early Octobers are amazing. I have had the washing out to dry and there have been many late blooming flowers. Extra time for the tomatoes to ripen.
ReplyDeleteI got all the gite mattress and pillow protectors washed and line dried in one day this week - FABULOUS (I even took a photo!!)
DeleteStunned that it's October! What a fantastic haul you're having from your garden. Mine is unproductive in that sense. However, I've been inspired by a Twitter friend to try a pea tee-pee (pea?!) next year as I love the idea that something playful and with big impact can happen so quickly and with such colour and use. Such gorgeous butterflies on your lovely sedum too. Lucky you, what a place.... From Heather https://wordathlon.wordpress.com/
ReplyDeleteThank you, Heather and good luck with your pea tee pee :)
DeleteSedums are proving popular with butterflies here too, I've even cut some to bring into the house (sedums not butterflies obvs!) I love the yellows of the sunflower and marigolds,, it's as if they are showing the leaves the colour to turn next.
ReplyDeleteI can almost sniff the tomatoes looking at that photo - it's a smell that's hard to beat , may be with the exception of gin ;)
Thank you for joining in again Rosie x
I am actually not that keen on the smell of tomatoes on the vine - maybe it is too reminiscent of all the side shooting and tying in I have to do and then scrubbing my hands to get rid of the brown staining ... but once they are in a salad or cooked, well then that's a totally different and delicious smell.
Deleteoh how i miss having seasons and the changes of colour to the countryside
ReplyDeleteI bet you do. I think it is easier to appreciate the year if there are seasons.
DeleteI think the weather in the afternoons has been better here this week than in the summer! So lovely to see butterflies still about.
ReplyDeleteYou might be right a;though we didn't have a bad summer overall. That peacock butterfly was still there yesterday!
DeleteSuch a lovely and gentle transition from summer to autumn, love the butterflies, such delicately beautiful creatures.
ReplyDeleteIt amazes me that anything so delicate can survive at all. They are still flying today and it's really blustery out there.
DeleteIt is slightly bonkers that it's already october, but loving the colour of the sedums and it's the perfect excuse to roast the last of my tomatoes for pasta sauce to fill up the freezer! #hdygg
ReplyDeleteWe had soup made from the last of our roasted tomatoes a couple of days ago ... but I have plenty more in the freezer for midwinter treats.
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