I've said it before but I think it's worth repeating, it's been a dreadful year for butterflies here. The picture is of the only Red Admiral I've seen and it certainly didn't want its picture taken! But I quite like the composition of the Verbena Bonariensis and blue sky so I'm sharing it anyway.
I had to move the Tree Spinach today. I have two plants in 12" pots and they have grown to a massive 6' high. Currently flowering they were just too top heavy and kept falling over so I've put them by the fence and tied them to it. The leaves are now turning to brilliant yellow, orange and red and looking great. I'll certainly be saving seed for next year.
I picked one of the last of the Richmond Green Apple Cucumbers, more Tomatoes, Physalis and a couple of Alpine Strawberries. Apart from the Strawberries the plants are all looking a little worse for wear now and I suspect it won't be long before I gave to pull them out. Just as well really because I'm going to need the pots for the spring bulbs.
The hardy Fuchsias - Alice Hoffman, Beacon, Hawkshead, Lady Boothby and Tom Thumb - are still flowering their socks off, but most of the most tender ones (apart from Swingtime and Carmel Blue) have finished flowering, so I've cut them back and popped them in the greenhouse for over-wintering.
There are still plenty of bees around and some of the biggest garden spiders (and webs) I've ever seen. I've read that lots of spiders means a healthy garden; I do hope so. But I wish they'd learn to build their webs lengthwise down the garden rather than across it - it breaks my heart when I have no choice but to destroy them.
Georgie
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