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Tuesday 27 October 2015

October colour in the garden

These are all pictures taken between 10th and 25th October. The leaves are turning rapidly now, yet the annual flowers just keep on providing an amazing blast of colour which is so needed during the many gloomy days we've had this month. Lets hope the frosts keep away as long as possible!

Now we are near the end of the month there are very few butterflies, dragonflies or bees around which is rather sad, but that is how it goes - all the more to look forward to again next year when the cycle of life starts all over again. 

A tatty Wall Brown on a Cosmos flower.

I actually managed some 'proper' gardening, athough it took me about three weeks on and off to complete this bed - first we gave the yucca a serious haircut which allowed light and moisture in under it, then K dug out tons of plants that I didn't want which had self seeded here. I hand removed bucketfuls of creeping weeds like buttercup that had taken over during the summer, and removed dozens of bluebell and snowdrop bulbs. Then after adding lots of home made compost and leaf mould I started the fun job of planting. 

I'd splashed out and bought a variety of different heucheras, and interspersed them with self seeded stipa grass, and the larger grass here is a divided up Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola' which had practically disappeared under a shrub elsewhere. I hope it gets a new lease of life here. I also split and replanted my one remaining heuchera - all the other ones I've planted over the years have disappeared - I think they didn't like the competition from the self seeded plants which shaded them out. Finally I replanted the snowdrop bulbs along with a mix of early flowering narcissus bulbs. After doing all that to such a tiny bed I realised I would probably not get to doing much more this year as it seemed a mammoth task for me, so my other much larger overgrown, weed infested shady bed around the corner may have to wait until spring. Or next autumn!

New shady Heuchera bed.

One of my favourite plants with so much interest in the leaf colours and shapes.

Annual flowers in the veg patch are still looking like this at the end of the month!

I really did find this duck feather next to these pretty leaves.

But then I 'cheated' and put some acorns here.

Self seeded Verbena bonariensis in the veg patch,
which was still attracting butterflies earlier in the month.

And more self seeded annuals.

Blackbirds love the berries of Cotoneaster franchetii.

I think this is a Ruddy Darter, still around mid month.

Ruddy Darter (Sympetrum sanguineum).

Veggies still growing like crazy!

Cosmos flopped over hiding the messy looking courgette
plants which are still producing!!

More pics of flowers in the veggie patch.

Annuals on the left and perennial Bidens on the right, which flowers until harsh frost stops it.

Dill and Verbena bonariensis.

Shrubs and trees looking colourful.

Liquidambar styraciflua starting to turn.

Fallen leaves - the bright coloured ones are from wild Cherry.

Beautiful Forest Pansy.
Cercis canadensis aka Eastern Redbud.

Forest Pansy again.

Dahlias are still going strong.

A now rare sighting of a bumble bee!

Health update

I'm fed up as not only am I in and out of a depressed lethargic state where I have little interest in gardening, cooking or really doing anything much at all, but on top of all this the neuropathy in my hands and feet/lower legs continues to get worse. I can now barely type so what you see here has had twice as long spent amending the gibberish that spouts from my barely feeling fingertips, even though I have resorted to looking at the keyboard now whilst typing (I'm a touch typist which means I don't have to look). 

Everything I touch seems to put pressure on my fingers - eating food which requires cutting is difficult as cutlery feels extremely sharp, trying to crack walnuts is uncomfortable because the shells are sharp so I can only do a few at a time and many everyday things are becoming harder. Fiddly things are becoming impossible and K has to help me. Metal, glass and china even at room temperature feel very cold to the touch. Plus I keep dropping things and the last few days I've thrown both a drink and sugar all over the place, not to mention dropping my toast which of course fell jam side down! 

Walking feels bizarre, like my shoes are made of concrete, but it's not eased when I put my feet up. I have patches on the soles of my feet which are completely numb now. My balance is affected so photography is more difficult as I can't stand very still and I have to keep looking to see where my fingers are on my camera as I just can't feel anything properly. I am living in fear that I will end up unable to do anything - and if I can't take photos then what will I do? Thankfully I can still operate my mouse without any problems and use my stylus for tapping out text on my kindle so can keep in touch via social media and blogs that way. It's just that this is such a new thing to deal with which is so extremely weird - I've been through pain, nausea, exhaustion etc and we all know what they feel like, and even temporarily losing my sense of smell and even taste during a cold, but semi losing the sense of touch is just bizarre, so that makes it harder to deal with, I think.

I've got to try to look on the bright side, which is hard, because I have a silly, possibly irrational, feeling that if I get all defeatist, then the cancer will come back. We did get out for walks the last two days to enjoy the autumn colours (more photos to come), and I went to the hairdressers Friday to finally get my hair highlighted again, so mousy brown is no longer looking back at me in the mirror! Feeling a little brighter in myself at the moment and our 23rd wedding anniversary is tomorrow, so we are going to the all you can eat Chinese buffet. At least I have a healthy appetite and I'm still putting on weight, though I shall want that to stop at some point!!! :-)

18 comments:

  1. Super photo collection as always Mandy. I feel for you with loss of feeling, would you be able to find out for how long this will last via Dr or the nurse? Wishing you a very Happy 23rd Wedding Anniversary for tomorrow. Sabine xxx

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    1. Thanks a bunch, Sabine. I have googled tons on the subject and read lots of forum discussions and the real answer is no-one knows, it could start getting better after only a few months or it could last six months or years or forever! We had a nice meal out today and I am still stuffed. :-) xx

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  2. Stunning photos of the beautiful Autumn colours in your garden.

    Sorry to hear about the neuropathy, is it as a result of chemo? It must be so frustrating for you!
    Hope you have a lovely meal tomorrow, Happy Anniversary to both of you.

    Philippa xx

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  3. I've just looked back at one of your blog posts as I remembered you'd mentioned neuropathy before so I've answered the question about chemo for myself. Hopefully it will improve eventually according to what you posted. At least you won't have to answer me now as it is so painful and difficult for you.

    Philippa xx

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    1. Thanks very much Philippa. We had a great meal and I ate tons! I am OK replying on my Kindle using my stylus (despite the annoying predictive text!) So no probs there. I tried wearing lightweight gloves whilst eating last night and that really helped and the cutlery felt normal and didn't affect my fingers so that is one good thing and step in the right direction. Don't think I can type like that though!! xx

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  4. Your garden looks like it might still be the middle of summer there, as long as you don't see the autumn colours in the background. Beautiful photos, and such lovely flowers you have! I'm sorry to hear you are struggling with the neuropathy. Although I have no answers, I do hope these sensations will soon lessen for you. Happy Anniversary to you and your husband :)
    Take care,
    Wendy x

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    1. Thanks September Violets. It's quite amazing driving around here and seeing the floral colour in people's gardens, and their geraniums still looking glorious. Some years we get frosts quite early and others not until December! We had a lovely meal out today and we were discussing anniversaries and realising it is only two years until our Silver, so that made us feel old, haha! :-) xx

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  5. Beautiful set of photos Mandy - lovely to see all the autumn colour in the leaves and all the plants still in flower. Cosmos is still going strong here too although, as you say, there are very few insects about.

    The bed you have been working on looks lovely.

    I am really sorry to hear about the neuropathy - it sounds awful and must be driving you mad. I really do hope it improves with time.

    A belated Happy Wedding Anniversary to you both. I hope you had a wonderful meal.

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    1. Thanks very much RR. Our meal was yummy and I'm still feeling stuffed! It's still so colourful here from the flowers and seems like a great year for leaf colour too, so I'm trying to really enjoy it whilst it lasts! There's a tree I keep seeing in many gardens which is really colourful but I don't know what it is but it's hard to google when you don't have a name.

      I found some slight relief from the neuropathy - wore lightweight gloves to eat last night and my hands felt almost normal and there was no pressure from the cutlery, so that's something good! Not sure that I can type with gloves on though, but at least I have my stylus and Kindle for commenting on blogs/facebook etc. :-) xx

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  6. The quality of light in Autumn really enhances the colours and textures - great photos. Your health and the current problems with your sense of touch and fine movement must be bloody awful. I hope they soon resolve. You are doing so well and your attitude is inspirational. Keep strong. x

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    1. Ian - thanks very much and I really appreciate your kind comment. I can only hope one gets used to the neuropathy after a while so that it seems less bad. So long as I can still get out and take photos and am mobile I will survive this, otherwise it doesn't bear thinking about! Annoyingly it is windy here so a lot of the coloured leaves are blowing off the trees, yet there's still a lot of green.

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  7. The photos are amazing! The dahlias stunning, the butterfly gorgeous. I love reading your blog and I am not much for reading ........

    Your health issues are saddening :(
    My heart hurts and my eyes weep as I know you must be scared, angry, depressed and a thousand other things I've not thought to name here....

    You are in my thoughts my love. Each and every day ♥

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    1. That's a lovely thing to say, April, given all the horrors that you have been going through. I wish no-one had to suffer. But we have our love of nature and photography to help us through it. xx

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  8. Everyone has said what we all feel, stunning autumn photos and I am so sorry you are still feeling rough. I hope it passes soon so you can enjoy the year closing. Winter is special too, despite the lack of bugs! We have been having warm days, enough to carry on our outside living and there are plenty of insects buzzing about despite cold nights.

    This site might help your tree ID http://www.forestry.gov.uk/treenametrail

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    1. Thanks Debrazzawoman - I now envy your warmth whereas I didn't when you had it really hot! I will check out that link. I've googled a bit but not found the tree yet!

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    2. I tried that website but that's for native trees - this is quite obviously not. I have photos coming on my next post.

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  9. Sorry for the late comment, it's a bit hectic over here at the mo. Stunning photos Mandy, I love the Dahlia. So sorry that you're still having a rough time, I really hope that the neuropathy improves soon. I am glad to hear that you've got a good appetite though, that's always a good thing. :-) Belated best wishes to you both for your anniversary.xx

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    1. I don't mind when you comment Deb, or if you comment at all - we all have lots going on and I am always behind with commenting on other blogs myself. :-)

      Thanks very much for your kind words. xx

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