Autumn update

I have discovered that Ghost Zebedee is impossible to photograph. I thought the bad picture before was just Mr BW’s phone camera, but it must actually be because GZ is a ghost. Here he is in jaunty mode:

This is the old building (left) and the new building (right), showing how well the latter is already weathering down. In 20 years time, I suspect the difference between the two sandstones will be invisible. In the middle of the shot is one of the many climbing iceberg roses that we have planted in various places on all different elevations. It is an amazing rose – flowers non-stop pretty much all year round, is almost thornless, keeps within 6 or 8 feet in height, but is easily managed with a little pruning, and is a beautiful white white, with a tiny hint of pink when in bud.

First thing this morning everything was shrouded in mist. By lunchtime it was bright sunshine, but with mist still hovering around all the trees.

The nights have been remarkably warm for the time of year up to now: only a few below 10°C and only 2 below 4°C. According the the weather forecast, this is all set to change this coming weekend, with forecast temperatures at night down to zero. I don’t know whether the Met Office have yet taken over the BBC weather forecasting again, but it seems less accurate than ever recently. Non-stop rain was forecast for the past few days; only a few odd showers have arrived.

Anyway, to be on the safe side, almost all the tender plants are now either inside or in the cold frames or greenhouse. All the pots of new bulbs are now planted, and there are just a few species crocuses and miscellaneous bulbs left to go into the newly enlarged border by the revitalised conservatory, once the frost finishes off the flowers on the perennials so they can be cut down. I can’t bring myself to cut them down while they still have useful nectar and pollen for the many bees and butterflies that are still flying.

Does anyone know what this moth is? Is it a hummingbird hawk moth?

We’ve added another 1,000+ bulbs to the garden this year. Here they are all laid out ready for allocation to their various pots and beds:

How large estates and public gardens manage their bulb plantings I have no idea as this enterprise has taken almost all my brain power.
I bought bulbs from several different places this year. By far the best (largest, most solid, best packed – in breathable and compostable brown paper bags with lots of helpful written information) were from Farmer Gracy. Closely followed by those form Morrisons, then those from a local garden centre, then those from B&M, and finally, tied in last place, those from J Parker (they took 24 days to arrive, were small bulbs and sweaty in plastic bags with too small holes and insufficent information) and those from Costco (large but many with mould on them, due, I suspect, to them being incorrectly stored indoors in a heated environment). The Costco ones will be going back for a refund, whereas this time is absolutely the last time I will buy from JP. And I know I’ve said that before, but they have had one chance too many now.
We might even have to put the heating on for the first time tomorrow as it is just starting to get a bit too chilly in the early mornings.