The second week in September and here in South Shropshire there’s much change in the weather. As I’ve been writing this, we’ve had sunshine, racing white clouds across a blue, blue sky, a high, hot wind, sudden overcastness, a downpour, and now cloudy sunshine with less wind. Yes, it feels more like autumn now.
And come what may the Helianthus keeps up the show. This particular clump is growing on a rather dismal block wall between our log store and next door’s garage. I’ve mentioned this space before, because I’m still not sure what is best for it. On the other hand it’s hard to beat this long standing, upstanding display; it’s been happening for weeks now, and everyone walking up the road can enjoy it. Drought, what drought, they say.
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Meanwhile, out back in the upstairs garden, the Sedum (Hylotelephium probably spectabile) …
…has abandoned the heat-stricken, hysterical looks it displayed back in July-August and settled into the usual pleasing, and softly scented landing pads for late-season insect feeding. It is a key plant in this regard, the nectar giving bees a good energy boost before hibernation. And then the overwintering dead heads can also provide shelter for insects and seeds for birds. But before all that, the gardener has the pleasure of some late season colour. (Note to self: more Sedums needed).
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Another late summer star and important food source for pollinators is Caryopteris (Gold Crest above, Heavenly Blue below). It’s just coming into full flower. The blue spires are glorious, but Heavenly Blue, in particular, is scrubby greyish-leaved shrub for much of the year. Through the summer I have to keep reminding myself how lovely it looks in September. The Gold Crest, which is growing in front of the greenhouse (and has gold-green foliage) seems the more attractive option when it comes to keeping its shape. I have followed early spring pruning instructions for the Heavenly Blue, but it still grows into a riot of twiggy branches, and in most unexpected directions. This year it has decided to do most of its flowering in a westerly direction, where we mostly can’t see it unless we walk behind it. Perhaps I need to take cuttings and start again from scratch.
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Now with the cooler, wetter weather, the Cosmos has also decided to flower with intent. I grew a couple of dozen plants from seed, mostly packet ends. All through the heatwave, a few of them flowered, while others simply grew and grew, creating tall clumps of flowerless greenery so dense I had to pull off many side stems because they were crowding out other plants. I almost pulled them up altogether. Now they are a mass of buds and flowering like mad, though I’m glad I thinned them out.
I’m not really a pink person, but I’m quite pleased with the ‘pink corner’ in the top-of-the-back-wall border. This includes the above mentioned Sedum, assorted Cosmos, and the Monarda Citriodera, which I also grew from seed this spring. I featured it back in the heatwave, amazed that seedling plants could stand up to the roasting.
And here they are, still going strong, almost as if they are locked into blooming-mode, like little growing pagodas, one exquisite floral structure giving rise to another.
I gather that this wild form of Monarda/Bergamot/Bee Balm is a short-lived perennial, and mostly grown as a biennial or annual. I’m anyway wondering if, after weeks and weeks of flowering, they will prove to have exhausted themselves. We shall see. Anyway, I still have some seed, maybe try sowing some now.
And talking of long bloomers, I have to give another shout-out to Aster x frikartii Monch. It looks wonderful now, and it’s looked wonderful all summer, growing in dappled sun between the butter beans and the runners. This is a totally undemanding plant. It leans but doesn’t particularly need supporting. I’ve seen no sign of mildewed leaves. And what a host of happy faces as seen this morning.
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Whether it’s your spring or autumn, always lots to do. Happy gardening!
Copyright 2026 Tish Farrell
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Six On Saturday This week Jim has some very beautiful plants on show. Go see!
We’ve had at leAst three seasons today already. I have no idea how the natural world copes. But yoUr garden certainly does. Congratulations, both Tish and all those successful plants!
We seem to be having April showers here too – as well as everything else. And the air is WARM, this when BC is usually so cool whenever it’s windy. Perhaps the weather gods are making up for the summer’s complete lack of variation 🙂
Congratulations on your beautiful garden and Autumn arriving. We just came out of a few triple digit F days and are also looking forward to cooler temperatures. We usually don’t get rain this early, but who knows!
Many thanks, Anne. Good to hear those triple digit days have again let up. Fingers crossed for some early rain.
That yellow against the beautiful blue sky is a knock out.
I thought that too, Beverly 🙂
Such beautiful pictures. Thanks for sharing Tish. ❤️
Many thanks for calling by 🙂
You’re most welcome.
I alos love the pink corner! Your Monarda is native to the southeast US, so I am not at all surprised it can take the heat. In my area, the most common Monarda is M fistulosa which is a lovely lavender. M didyma is native to me as well. I should get some to improve my hummingbird visits.
Many thanks for the Monarda info. They are a lovely set of plants.
Ah, the Helianthus is wonderful I would definitely leave it where it is happy. I’m sad not to have gown Cosmos this year as they are such lovely flowers, but I kept putting off sowing seeds until it was too late. Next year. Your garden is lovely and full of colour.
Thanks, Jude. I nearly didn’t bother but then decided to empty out all the old seed packets. It’s interesting that some of them don’t seem to get going until summer’s end, or even later. Just in time for some frost in fact!
You’ve a lot more variety in your garden at this time of year than we do. I’m intrigued by your Cosmos – is that variety called “double”? Or is it an optical illusion because of the colours? Either way they’re spectacularly beautiful. Lovely post, and than you for sharing these with us. pp
Hello, Pam. I think the Cosmos are a ‘seashell’ variety, though I have some doubles too which are very frilly. I sowed a lot of old, left over seed from packets that had been rather nibbled by something in the greenhouse, so ID uncertain 🙂 Thanks, as ever, for the kind words.
I love all those colours. The last hurrah of summer is always a bit sad but also joyful in its colours. 🌻
Yes, a tinge of sadness at summer’s end, Flavia, but still a lot going on in the gardens here. Lots of rain in the night too.
Ah, the blue-blue sky! Fortunately we’re having some similar stunning weather days here in the Midwest U.S. It’s hard to imagine the first frost will likely hit in about a month (for us). Time to savor each moment. Beautiful images!
Yes, Beth, that’s such wise advice – savour each moment. Actually here, the weather has been changing every moment. A bit of surprise after two months of continuous sunshine.
A lovely selection of late summer blooms, very colourful too.
Thanks, Agnes. It almost feels as if the garden is having a ‘second flush’.
Was für wunderschöne Garten … und die vielle Blumen
Perfekte Foto Motive
Liebe Grüße czoczo
Thank you, Marius. Danke.
In the pink suits you Tish with that fabulous floriferous showing and yes you are right that citrus monarda is unlikely to carry over past winter – mine didn’t!
Your beautiful Caryopteris has re-woken my interest. It has been on my imaginary wish list since seeing it in a public Suffolk garden years ago covered in pollinators – and I recently discovered that there is C. Incana a native to Japan!
V. fascinated by all the Japanese variants that you’re finding. The flower sprays on mine are delightful, though as I said my Heavenly Blue seems resistant to shaping, and its greyish foliage isn’t too lovely during the summer, but then it’s in a rather small bed. I could do better with it…
Your pink corner looks lovely, especially the cosmos 🙂 And it’s great to see those fluffy bumblebees enjoying your garden so much 🙂
Yes, good to see the bees, though I’m thinking they are not so numerous this year – bumbles or honey bees or hoverflies.
Same here 😞
So beautiful!
Thanks, Jennie.
You’re welcome.
Ahhhh … gorgeous. 😀
Thank you, Widders.
I’ve been seeing that lovely type of Helianthus in parks and gardens all summer – truly one of the few plants that did really well despite the heatwave. Definitely one to add to the garden!
I have the same lovely sedum as you, but my clump is still quite small. I really hope it’ll spread, but maybe buying some more wouldn’t be a bad idea.
If you’re thinking of more sedums, Kathrin, Rosy Hardy (v. informative nursery woman on YouTube) recommends Matrona. Its leaves have a purplish hue. I have some red leaved ones, but they’re rather floppy plants.
Leaves with a purplish hue would look great here! Thanks for the tip!
We have a Sedum like that we call Autumn Joy Sedum, a name I love…didn’t know I could repurpose the deadheads like that for other critters! Perhaps will leave them on the bed then vs whisking them off to the compost…have a great Monday Tish! This is officially it now I think, last week of summer by my calendar. On to “Autumn joy.”
Definitely more power to ‘Autumn Joy’, Bill. That said we’re having a lovely summer’s day here today – full sun and a very warm wind. Am feeling rather seasonally confused. Cheers and a happy week to you.
This is something we don’t get: a riot of different blooms with the changing of seasons. Thank you for feeding my soul this morning with all these happy blooms!
And thank you for that very lovely response to my blooms, Ju-Lyn 🙂