The clock of the seasons is ever turning, bringing the mists of autumn to gently shroud the garden and with it the morning dew to spangle the lawns. With the change of the seasons the scent of the sea has come back to us at Ednovean, along with the rhythmic music of the waves to our ears.
August and September have brought the familiar markers of the gardening year in the faithful cycle of the seasons, as summer slips away again to meet the next landmark of our gardening days the autumn equinox.
August and September in the changing seasons of the garden
The ticking of the seasonal clock has reflected our days through August and September in the garden not only in the last joyous burst of flamboyant grasses we have come to expect but second flush of lavender flowers was an unexpected bonus for the year.
With luck the beautiful stately blooms of the magnificent Pampas will hold sway over the garden long into October and November giving an elegant movement and soft rhythmic rustle to the day as they are caught in the breezes of autumn.
Figs in the courtyard gardens
The “Brown Turkey” fig trees that form a cordon along one side of the courtyard garden that was created from the old farmyard in the year 2000 have been the chief beneficiaries of the Mediterranean summer this year. Nestling amongst the glossy leaves we found the largest, ripest crop to date, to share for our Bed and Breakfast guests Breakfast in the mornings.
The daily patrol of the glossy green trees took priority each morning this August in competition with the competing gourmet Blackbirds and Spud cat was delegated to guard the trees – a duty he solemnly and totally ineffectually fulfilled each day with great good humour!
Vegetable Plots and pots
The jury is out on the future of the “vegetable pots without a plot” which has needed disciplined daily nurturing…. Mind you the Fennel crop is looking good and the Melon? Well the Melon showed every sign of success until the first cooler winds of autumn blew and it subsided back to the soil again almost overnight leaving two tiny melons entwined in its dead leaves. Maybe it would be better to utilise my much loved galvanised trough for a few more salad leaves to join the spring onions – that would be more relevant for evening’s suppers in the garden! The tomatoes’ report is “abundant but a little late” for Breakfast perhaps but Charles is plotting chutney – knowledgeable gardening neighbours have told me they did surprisingly well outdoors beside the warm granite wall.
Courtyard changes
I’ve long held and ambition for an elegant arbour to set of the first little courtyard garden that is seen as our guests enter from the car park. I thought it would give some height and particularly liked the boat like shape that now sits neatly amongst the Trachycarpus Fortunei and the last Fig tree. I think it is surprising how the structural element has grounded that little garden and of course for Spud it has a new comfortable opportunity for his garden patrols.
We revisited some of the garden we drew inspiration from again this year
We’ve taken the opportunity to visit a few of the magnificent gardens of Cornwall again this summer – these are the gardens that we first visited when we were planning our own garden. We’ve renewed our acquaintance with Lamorran House Garden, drawn inspiration from Trebah and Trengwainton and formed new ideas again for the years to come.
The garden cycle of the seasons
Looking back over my garden diaries from the previous years I an see a well rehearsed cycle for the Ednovean Garden emerging – sometimes early and sometimes late and writing this little garden diary has given me much needed scope to practise my photography and writing skills while recording the progress of the garden. I hope that you are enjoying taking the journey through the changing seasons over the years with me!!
