Summer Colour in Autumn

 Our visit to Tyntesfield a National Trust property in North Somerset revealed a great deal of late summer colour as well as the Autumn hues in my last post. There is a beautiful secluded and sheltered garden huddled between the glasshouses, the kitchen garden and the Orangery and it is here that summer is still present.

There is a mixture of perennials, dahlias and chrysanthemums. It’s the dahlias that are particularly showstoppers.

There are some great blousy blooms that I would be happy to see in my garden.

Excuse my farmer rough hand in this one. Note to self to use a bit more hand cream!

I am not a huge chrysanthemum fan but these are a beautiful colour.

The rose garden was another haven of colour and also tranquility. 

The two back corners have beautifully restored gazebos.

A peaceful and sheltered spot to sit.

I have sat here many times on my visits but obviously need to look up more often.

An example of the intricate craft work of this fascinating estate. 

 

Autumn at Tyntesfield

 Last Thursday I met up with my sister for a walk around Tyntesfield. We live less than 20 miles apart but we don’t get many chances for a day together. Various commitments just seem to get in the way. So it was a day of a lot of talking as well as walking. Once we were fuelled with a coffee we headed up into the woods past the summerhouse.

Then on through the woods which are beginning to look quite autumnal.

My last visit was quite soon after reopening after lockdown when we were required to keep strictly to the designated route. Things are a little more relaxed now and you can wander wherever you want to.

There was a little bit of sunshine struggling to shine through the leaves.

The wet warm weather has encouraged a variety of different fungus.

I have noticed in a lot of places and Tyntesfield is no exception that there are a lot of holly berries this year. That of course according to folklore means we have a cold hard winter ahead of us. 

There were also berries in the kitchen garden too. These little red berries were all over the asparagus.

Autumn also means pumpkins and a display was being prepared in the Orangery.

Some prize winning specimens there.

The array of colour continued on our walk back through the gardens.

This could be my colour fix for now having just looked at how booked up places like Stourhead and Westonbirt are.

More Happiness

I have been busy gardening most afternoons this week making the most of the dry weather. There is quite a lot to do tidying up, digging up shrubs and plants that are getting out of hand then planting bulbs and wallflowers. It’s still not a complete tidy up because a lot of the summer annuals are still flowering. It means however that I have little time for taking any photos. Never fear! I still have some more scarecrows to show you.

You will recall that the theme is Happiness and some are a little tenuous! Here are a few more. Who remembers this children’s programme? Somebody has put it a lot of work making it.

This is actually a model of a whole street in the village and includes little figures taking part in the Clap for Carers.

Going on holiday? A happy time for all!

A clever use of a common phrase. I can’t help but ask if that is Boris clambering out of that hole?

So what is the answer to this one? The clue is Loves the Great Outdoors and the category is Activity. Could it be ‘Happy Up’ or ‘Tour of the Valley’? It could be ‘Holidays’ but surely that must be the travellers on the plane above? 

This is a well known character. Clue: Baaaah-Roman! 

Poppy was quite perplexed by the sheep. 

I was more perplexed by the accompanying shepherd. Those kind of eyes that just stare. Farmer Daughter wondered if it was real cider in the flagons. 

There has certainly been considerable time spent on the thinking and creation of these scarecrows!

Giving a Name to Happiness

 It’s that time of year when around here lots of interesting scarecrows have appeared. The trail is a fundraising event for a local charity called A Siblings Wish which was established in memory of local boy  called Harvey Hext and provides support for bereaved children. The theme this year is Happiness which is a wide but cheering choice. My friend and I went on a little walk round some of them. I thought I would share a few of them with you.

When you buy a map it includes an answer sheet giving all the names of the scarecrows. Each entry has a clue and a category to help match each scarecrow to it’s name.

You maybe able to see that this one is in the TV and Film group. The main clue is in the face.

Not all are actual scarecrows.

Most of you will probably recognise this chappie.

This household always produce a large and elaborate entry. This is obviously The Gruffalo but that is not the actual answer...

The church has a very appropriate choice. The best day of your life.

Then the community shop. 

You probably need to be of a certain age to recognise this happy chap and I guarantee he will start you singing.

Who remembers fuzzy felt?

You can see there has is quite a range of subjects and style!

The Adventures of Tiggy the Cat

Farmer Husband and I only have one cat now. Tiggy was always a little aloof and spent a lot of time outside when we still had Socks but in the last year he has settled very comfortably into his solo cat status. Occasionally he will join me for a walk and other times I will encounter him out hunting when I am out in the fields with Poppy.

The other day Tiggy joined us on one of these walks.

He has novel way of getting through the gates. 

Then it’s off again across the fields.

It appears that he is also an accomplished tight rope walker.

Ouch! How does he do it?

Feeling a little proud of himself.

Then it’s off to do a bit of hunting.

Meanwhile what a beautiful sky.

Snippets of the Season

 It’s surprising what you can find when you wander out with the camera. My afternoon walk with Poppy took me down around the quarry. Signs of the fruitfulness of Autumn. The first field which is next to the house has a mixture of Horse Chestnut and Sweet Chestnut trees. The recent wind and rain has resulted in a scattering of conkers and sweet chestnut.

Would you be able to resist picking up a shiny conker?

Poppy was soon looking to see what was holding me up.

The warm damp weather combined with a north facing wooded slope on one side of the tump (old slag heap) has created the ideal conditions for a riot of toadstools.

The windy weather has also brought down a sycamore tree. I can just a climb over it.

Note as well how muddy the track is where the sheep have been walking about. The sheep are put in the quarry at this time of year to eat back the grass once the wild flowers have finished dropping their seeds.

A few sloes left around. I’m not a fan of sloe gin.

The oak leaves are turning and there a large number of sizeable acorns around.

Even a Flower Can Tell a Story.

 Last year I bought two plants called Cosmos Atrosanguineus  commonly known as Chocolate Cosmos. This is a tuberous perennial which has dark red almost brown flowers. It also tends to be on the tender side. The first came from my visit to Highgrove House and the second from the local green grocer. Unfortunately I omitted to realise that they needed protection over the winter. The first became completely lost whilst the second looked decidedly miserable! Meanwhile my mum had one also from Highgrove  which she had in a pot on her balcony and then her gardener sensibly over wintered in the greenhouse.

Roll on to the Spring. Mum’s came out of the greenhouse looking vigorous. Mine looked liked twigs! I kept a beady eye on it and then one afternoon when Farmer Husband was tidying up the border I noticed it was missing. There it was discarded in his wheelbarrow...... On fishing it out I was quick to point out that although it looked dead if he had put his glasses on he would have seen two tiny shoots. He has not been allowed to forget this. I potted the saved plant and kept my eye on it as it gradually recovered and then replanted it. I removed at this stage a shoot and brought it on in a pot.

By now it was Summer. Mum’s was flowering profusely. Mine were growing leaves...... Constant mutterings aimed at Farmer Husband....

Mid September comes and we finally have some buds on the potted one. 

There is hope at last!

The end of September and finally a flower. Early October and flower number two.

Farmer Husband would probably say that throwing it out was the best move. I would say that patience is always rewarded. There is one certainty. I shall be putting them somewhere in pots that is safe from frosts this winter and also away from somebody’s wheelbarrow.