The Autumn of the Oak
A lovely autumn week has slowly but surely passed. I've done rather more marvelling than gardening - mainly at the autumn tree colours. More of the dogwoods are reddening, and 2018 is definitely the Autumn of the Oak. And who knows why? Maybe a couple of colder night here, the warm autumn sun for a couple of days there - trees will do what trees will do. And often the wind strips the coloured leaves before I've had a chance to appreciate them. Some years the Oak trees are unspectacular, dull and brown.
Scarlet Oak Tree
Yesterday I rekindled the autumn bonfire, burning a large load of dry rubbish. Then last night there was an almost-frost. A gentle reminder to the dahlias and the nasturtiums that their flowering season is very, very soon to be cut short.
Seasonally proactive...
Today I could be seasonally proactive and dig a large spiky (and far too floppy) pink dahlia out of the Allotment Garden. Some rescued roses (rescued from my own garden, that is) are going in its place, while it over-winters in the garage in a cardboard box.
Red Oak Leaves
And I can spread some horse manure. There's always horse manure to spread. Bags and bags of it, wormy, waiting...
Three Hours Later...
Cancel the above. I was enjoying the sunshine, so decided to weed right along the Allotment Garden. I found a huge green pumpkin (now hanging on a long stalk in the sunny hedge). It looks horribly like those ornamental ones that turn bright orange and are carved up for Halloween, with which my pumpkin season is six months out of sync. I also scooped up eight little strawberry plants. I pulled out old Calendulas and scattered white Clary Sage and Red Orach seeds everywhere. Love, love, love these plants. The blue Salvia uligosa is almost finished, with no visiting bees.
The Dogs
The trouble is that I've left piles of mess everywhere, and I need to return to clean up. Everything's too green for the bonfire. C'mon dogs - lets go for a walk around the driveway.
Animal News
+10Aha! Escher the big brown dog is visiting tomorrow. And Tiger the cat has a thyroid issue. This is why she's been drinking so much water and piddling in the fruit bowls. Alas - my very last harvest of red onions had to be donated to the compost because of her. She now has special food, and another blood test in six week's time.
Oak Trees in the Willow Tree Garden
By the way, it's not just in my garden. Oaks everywhere are looking spectacular - deep claret, light rose, and all the colours expected of a good red in between.