In a Vase on Monday: Fading

The farmer has been muck-spreading. I can’t describe the smell other than to tell you that it catches in the back of the throat and almost makes your eyes water. On the upside, there are insects galore and swallows and martins swooping about, feasting and twittering, building up their strength for migrating to Africa for the winter. There are also flocks of finches in among the seed heads on the clifftops, rising en masse as I approach with the dog, making their tinkling sound, settling again as I walk past. Witnessing these birds going about their age-old business makes me feel all is right with my little part of the world. It’s cooler now – I needed a jumper this morning – but the air is calm and there’s a softness to the light. I found this conker slap bang in the middle of the lane to the farm, it’s shiny burnished skin caught my eye. Not unusual at this time of year apart from the fact that there are no horse chestnut trees there or anywhere nearby. Curious.

The garden is feeling distinctly past its best. We’ve not got on top of making sure there is year-round interest yet. In our previous garden we were all fresh from studying horticulture and keen to ensure the garden looked good all year round. Still, it’s important to take your time and ponder these matters. I’ve picked a rather random selection of slightly imperfect and fading blooms because I think they’re still beautiful – a couple of sunflowers (the yellow one is ‘Valentine’ and the dark one is ‘Claret’), cosmos, Japanese anemone (white and pink, unknown varieties), Ammi visnaga, Perovskia (Russian Sage), Echinops, Verbena bonariensis, lavender, an aster that’s appeared from nowhere, and some tendrils of jasmine foliage.

I’m joining in with Cathy at Rambling in the Garden where you’ll find her vase of colourful blooms (her garden flowers are still going strong) and links to others from around the world.

Have an excellent week.