And all at once, summer collapsed into fall.”– Oscar Wilde
I had no time to post last month before leaving for the last of summer, holidaying in Cornwall. Always we gardeners fret about our plants when absent but I need not have worried for there were so few sunny days that the plants only needed one watering (though potted plants are obviously thirstier than most).
And just at the equinox, Autumn’s cooler damp days swept in and there seems to be hardly a dry day since, as these images show.
The Peacock Orchid (Gladiolus murielae) is on its last bloom and some of the plants came up blind so I should pull these out.
Another disappointment has been the Balloon vine (Cardiospermum halicacabum) – clambering nicely with lots of tiny white flowers but no sign of any seed setting. I’m wondering why or am I being impatient?
The more diminutive fuchsias like Tom Thumb are resplendent with bloom still and in the Salvia corner, the later blue and purple ones (S. amistad; S. farinacea) are mixing with the summer reds and whites of ‘Hot lips’ and ‘Royal bumble’. I miss ‘S. Phyliis Fancy’ though which did not make it through the winter this far North
This time of year reflects both permanence and change and it shows in the selection of foliage which is the first rule of planting whilst the backbone of a garden is its winter plants including evergreens like the Sarcococcas which will smell sweet by the back door if I venture out in the cold!
My Japanesque Garden 
Wow so colourful still! In our garden the dahlias are the remaining stars right now, everything else apart from the quite persistent Gaillardia is done.
I’ve been impressed with the variety of dahlias you have – do you dig them up and store over winter? Have never grown Gaillardia but might give them a go next year
Yes, the dahlia bulbs get dug up at the end of autumn and stored in the basement.