THE WEATHER -

What a mixed bag of weather this month! A cool start to the month, and very dull with no sunshine at all for several days, but remaining dry until the 7th, when torrential rain in the late afternoon and all through the evening broke the drought. A tornado struck about 15 miles away for the second time this year. However, the 10th was a really beautiful day, and very warm for this time of year. Remaining warm for the next week, but with scattered showers and sunny intervals. Heavy rain and scattered showers followed for the next few days, but by the 27th, the weather had become very warm indeed for the time of year, with this being the hottest October day since Met. Office records began. Remaining warm until the end of the month, with a mixture of sunshine and showers. Maximum temperature 18°C (68°F). Minimum temperature 7°C (46°F).

I've written about Callicarpa bodinieri var. giraldii ''Profusion'' before, but at this time of year it really is a splendid plant. It is a deciduous shrub, growing slowly to an ultimate height of around 10 feet. The leaves turn beautiful autumn colours of pale yellow and varying shades of pink, with deep pink veins. Not only that, but the plant also bears clusters of beautiful purple berries all along the stem, which persist for a long time after leaf-fall, being generally unattractive to birds. What more could you ask from a plant? It's best to buy this in the autumn, when you can see the berries, as there are some inferior clones sold as this plant, whose berries are sparse and small, with poor colouring. I should know - I've got two of them!! The one pictured, however, is the pukka job!

There's one compensation for the miserable weather we've had on occasions this month, and that's the sight of the raindrops clinging to the lovely seedheads of Clematis orientalis. I have this plant climbing up and over the gazebo in the top part of the garden, and it flowers in late summer, around August. The flowers are followed by silky seedheads, which turn fluffy as they dry. I couldn't resist photographing these after a heavy shower, when the rain glistened like myriad diamonds!

Ornamental grasses are an important part of the autumn garden, giving structure, form and texture. I have several different varieties, but the one I've got the most of is probably Miscanthus. These come in a wide variety of heights and leaf and flower colourings. All of them have the same shape of flowers, which vary in colour from silvery white to dark maroon. The one pictured is unfortunately not named, having been bought labelled as a different type of grass (Panicum "Warrior"). Once it flowered, it was obvious to me that it was not a Panicum, but a Miscanthus. However, it's a very healthy plant, and flowers with great vigour, giving a lovely show every year, so I'm not sorry I have it!

Although it is a common plant, Mecanopsis cambrica, or Welsh Poppy, is one I love! Its main season of flowering is in early summer, but it can actually be in flower any time from May to December if the weather is mild. I have these in yellow and orange, and even some which have cross-pollinated to form flowers which are yellow with orange edges! The elongated green seed pods are also very useful for interest in flower arrangements. The two pictured above are in flower in different parts of the garden, and they are certainly a cheery sight on a grey October day!

That's all for this month...... Happy Gardening!!

Blackbird, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Crow, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, House Sparrow, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Robin, Rook, Seagull, Starling, Thrush, Wood Pigeon, Wren.

OCTOBER'S PARTY
George Cooper

October gave a party;
The leaves by hundreds came -
The Chestnuts, Oaks and Maples,
And leaves of every name.
The Sunshine spread a carpet,
And everything was grand,
Miss Weather led the dancing,
Professor Wind the band.

The Chestnuts came in yellow,
The Oaks in crimson dressed;
The lovely Misses Maple
In scarlet looked their best;
All balanced to their partners,
And gaily fluttered by;
The sight was like a rainbow
New fallen from the sky.

Then, in the rustic hollow,
At hide-and-seek they played,
The party closed at sundown,
And everybody stayed.
Professor Wind played louder;
They flew along the ground;
And then the party ended
In jolly "hands around."