Dew drips

I can't help but love seeing the dew on the Euphorbia leaves. That makes me as drippy as they are.

September star

This is Sedum 'Matrona', one of three I bought last year after seeing them on Gardeners' World. I was lacking colour at this time of year (though have made up for that with my aster, Helenium, Evening Primrose, Lavender (Alexandra), Penstemons and various shrubs). My gaps now are after the spring bulbs when the garden is really lacking colour. Good excuse for a shopping trip.

Autumn harvest

We are picking tomatoes every day now (and keeping an eye on the forecast for the first frosts, hopefully not anytime soon). I've lost a couple of plants to blight but it's not spread. My beetroot just didn't come up this year, despite a few separate sowings. All I had were about four or five beets, very poor compared to last year. I bought some smaller seedlings which I planted a few weeks ago but I'm not sure if it's all too late for them now (weatherwise). There's plenty of lettuce; been great this year. The ones I sowed directly into the veg beds failed (eaten) but I sowed into pots (Mr Fothergill's organic salad bowl red and green), harvested small leaves and when the plants got bigger moved them into a bed. Turned into whoppers and keep producing leaves - I just take what we need, it's great.

Autumn in the veg plot

My mum helped me plant out the Pak Choi (Joi Choi) and Spring Greens (Mastergreen) that I have grown from seed. They all look a bit limp at the moment but I'm hoping a few days acclimatisation will see them beef up and stand upright. I also sowed some more spinach - my first sowing got half eaten. Slug duty is back as a priority.

View from the door

The border beyond the deck is looking much fuller this year. I moved the variegated grass from a pot into the ground just by the pyracantha and it's doing exactly what I wanted - hiding the base and providing good contrast in colour and leaf. Of-course it's completely grown over the two small skimmias I put in - both on the list for moving this autumn.