Darling buds of Dahlias

BEFORE too long we will hear the ‘C’ word mentioned in advertising and we will all tut tut about how the marketing people start the run into C too early nowadays.

Whatever your feelings on that one, what is certain is that the year is certainly in its final third and the days are getting shorter.

We are now heading towards the autumn and as a gardener I can really understand why the Americans refer to this season as the Fall. The burgeoning new growth of the spring is by now a distant memory and the fresh leaves and flowers of the summer are beginning to fade. Many trees are already beginning to shed the first of their leaves, effects of the drought-like conditions we have experienced so far this summer. I love this time in the garden. We get to relax a small bit as the manic work load of the summer begins to lessen and you find the odd moment to in your oasis to enjoy the fruits of your labours earlier in the year.