Absolute Stars

These stars have been especially good value.

Corydalis, originally brought (legally)  from Darwin's garden at Down House. 

It has flowered all year, seeds itself around in a friendly but not thuggish manner.

County rose, Hampshire. In flower most of the year, even on Christmas day. Has grown in deep shape as well as sun (now the leylandii hedge has been removed).

Leysesteria formosa - shrubs, hedges, birds love the berries, seeds around easily even in terrible soil.

Modern rose, has flowered most of the year.

Phygelius, cape fuchsia. In the right spot (allowing roots to run in poor stony soil) it will fill a barren patch. To stop it becoming an enormous plant, plant it in its pot with the bottom removed - then it won't spread sideways.

Pineapple lily (Eucomis). 

This one has set itself in a rough crazy paving and endured minus 20 degrees.

Some Like it Hot

Kaffir Lily, with asters behind

 First frost - mandevillia and friends (including cats)

Hot lips, front, kaffir lily behind

and other way round

Dahlia, 'Sunglow'

Cyclomen, with yellow heather

Cosmic

A frost last night so tender plants are coming in to shelter. More on that later. The plant on exhibition today is the cosmos - I always thought that a cosmos was a cosmos - but look at these beauties, all from the same packet of seed. Wonderful show for October, along with Japanese anemones, verbena, and sweet peas.

And this final group, I never noticed the trumpets before - a bit like a Tornado fighter...

Oddments

This philadelphus, (Mock Orange) is nicely variegated AND

AND fancy having flowers in October

 Compost trials: this load spent several weeks in an enclosed ex-water butt, and now nicely decomposing is moving on the a larger compost bin. Also used green garden sacks to do the first fast rot before transfer, mixing weeds with grass clippings.

This load spent a year in the plastic butt, laced with composting worms. Hibiscus in the background.

 Cyperus, 'Dwarf Umbrella Sedge', a relative of papyrus, but hardy enough. This plant has lived outside for 25 years. Note the pot into which the leaf heads are placed to root, as they would in nature.

 Finally, two dahlias, oddments because they are still in the polytunnel, as we never had time to plant them out. Top is Pooh

 and this, a bishop I think, has a lovely purple tinged centre.

October flowers

After a fairly dismal year in the garden, Autumn is turning out quite well.
Dahlia, from seed

 Cosmos (annual)

 Michaelmas daisy

 Kaffir lillies

 Caryopteris ("Bluebeard") variety Heavenly Blue.

 Salvia, Hot Lips

 Penstemon 'Mother of Pearl'

 Salvia Gregii 'Dancing Dolls'

 Anenome 'Whirlwind'