End of Month Review - November 2014

November has been one of those elastic months; in many ways it seems long time ago since the constant fireworks of Bonfire Night (or should that be nights, it lasts at least a week it seems).  In other ways I am sure it was only October the other day.  Christmas is approaching at speed!  We have had a good selection of weather this month as well.  It has been sunny and mild, foggy, drizzly, misty and frosty.  Currently as I write the garden is saturated after several periods of heavy rain.
In the front driveway the Magnolia 'Little Gem' is settling in, I shall now be watching it anxiously wondering if it will flower next year.
The Aconite Lawn is waiting its time to shine.  Under the grass the aconites are stirring and will burst into colour in the Spring.  They will, I know they will........ well they might......
The Sarcocca confusa by the front door is now covered in black berries and about to flower.  I think it will need repotting in the Spring but it is ok for now.  The Quince hedge under the lounge window has bushed up well this year, to the point that I have started to gentle trim it to encourage it to get a better shape.  It has decided to flower for some reason, it is rather early.
In the Gravel Garden the crocii are on their way up.  These are a sign of good things to come.
Whilst the garden is saturated, it is still quite green and the late Autumn sun makes it shine quite well.
It does not take too close inspection though, much of the borders resemble a quagmire.
In the Courtyard the Camellia and Rhododendron luteum are covered in buds.  The Photinia 'Pink Marble' has not grown vigorously this year, but it is still growing well and is healthy.
The Dombeya has been covered up for the Winter.  I keep catching sight of it out of the corner of my eye and I think it is an M R James ghost about to launch itself at me.  Good job I do not have an over-active imagination isn't it?
The three beech pillars that lead from the pond through the Prairie Borders  (or through the Prairie Borders to the pond) are beginning to fill out well.  They have been little more than twigs for their first few years of the garden, but I have started to trim these now to encourage them to 'pillar up'.  The colour of the leaves is just amazing.
It is the time of year when I have to stop walking on the Dancing Lawn because the crocii will be coming up through the lawn.  I do not want to damage the flower shoots.
I can walk along the Long Shoot as there are no bulbs in this, the formal lawn, it is very boggy though and it squelches a little when I walk on it.
The gorse is having a little flower to itself and is lighting up it's rather dark corner, this is what I hoped it would do.
The Bog Garden is decidedly boggy.
and the Winter Honeysuckle is starting to flower.  This is one of my all time favourite scented shrubs.
The Mahonia and the hellebore near the top boundary are also flowering.
I just love the light on these Autumn days, it has a lovely colour to it and makes the green of the lawns shine so well.  This view down the Wild Garden pleases me.
The shadows are long and the days are getting to their shortest.
The teasel patch has been fairly modest this year, but the seed heads are providing food now for the finches.
The Four Sisters are doing well, the Edgeworthia has largely shed its leaves and I shall now be watching it anxiously to see that it gets through the winter.  I think I can see flower buds forming, which is almost too exciting to contemplate.
The pleached hornbeams still have the remnants of colour left, but not for much longer.
and there are signs of bulbs coming up.
Lawrence is keeping watch over the compost heaps, hoping for something furry to make a dash for it.
The greenhouse looks like the ghost of Miss Havisham has visited, she has whirled around with voile curtains (probably making an oooooooh noise) and left the greenhouse shrouded.  Or, a less dramatic way of thinking about it is I have put some fleece over my tender plantings.
The pond remains full, of water and pond weed
but look, I have made a start at clearing it.

Thanks as ever to Helen for hosting this meme, only one more of the year to go (crikey).

Comments

  1. I sympathise re bogginess, I am still planting bulbs but generally only where I can reach them from a path. The lawn is like a sponge. Flowers on the Edgeworthia! How exciting is that!

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    1. fingerscrossed that they are buds and of course that it survives!

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  2. There is still alot going on in your garden Alison, and already so much Spring potential showing. I'm curious to know why your Sarcocca confusa has black berries and mine are red. Or maybe my red ones will turn black? I'm, well, confusa!

    It is all very squelchy out there. I've got moss growing on parts of my borders. So, when do we get to see you dancing on the Dancing Lawn?!

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    1. My sarcocca berries started off red, but then turned black so yours may well do the same.

      All dancing is always not in front of cameras - rules are rules :)

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  3. My garden is boggy too despite being on a slope and I am fed up with fog. I would even welcome some colder but crisper days just to finish tidying up.
    I will have to peer at my edgeworthia to see if there are any signs of flowers.
    Thanks for being a loyal supporter of the meme

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    Replies
    1. I prefer cold crisp days, the greyness does get a bit much.

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  4. I love it, year on year you see the structure developing.

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