September Flowers

I can't believe September has slipped for another year, we are passed the Autumn equinox and are heading towards the winter solstice. I'm happy for the garden to wind down as it gives us time to reflect on what needs changing and plan new beds....always expanding....that's the thing with gardening - it's addictive and you always want more. We are planning a huge prairie border for next year but more about that in another post!

September was rather mixed weather wise - typical autumn weather....gales (from the north!), showers and sunshine but the flowers have managed to keep going. The cosmos and dahlias are still flowering their hearts out and the catmint must excel all others for stamina & endurance - no matter how much I pick, it keeps on going - I love it!

 

New blooms for September include the lovely kaffir lilies which love our heavy moist clay and the asters are also a success with "Little Carlow" my favourite - disease free, really floriferous and each stem is like a bouquet in itself. As an added bonus the wild bees and hoverflies love it...on a sunny, calm day, it is literally alive with humming and buzzing! In a vase, the little flowers open and close which I love....they have a fantastic vase life. In our rich soil, they grow rather tall so it helps to give them the "Chelsea chop" - in May, reduce their height by half - this will help them stand straight in the autumn winds and they flower slightly later which helps when there is less available to pick.