Blackberry thyme has loads of flowers and the pineapple sage is a gorgeous red. Corsican mint is spreading beautifully – will have to think about a wider pot for it. A small tortoiseshell butterfly on the buddleia yesterday in the sunshine. rather autumnal feel in the mornings with quite thick fog Wednesday, lovely sunrise yesterday and a tinge of red this morning.
I need to sort out raspberries somehow, and have a cut back. I might put the mints in the greenhouse for the winter in November through to March with a heater to keep it from freezing – but then I guess I would need to water once a week (Mints are in a basically grow bag stuff so dry out quickly).
I have 60+ house plants and trees inside which use about 2 or 3 litres a day – is this healthy? Patio door is open all day and all summer. Lemon and lime trees are doing ok but no fruit. maybe I will re-pot in the winter with a more acidic soil. We will see. My porch is thriving with a lemon tree and lime tree, winter jasmine and a benjamina are 2.5m high. Anyone want some aloe vera plants? Or ‘hundreds of thousands’ plants’!
Neighbours are still cutting their grass – their choice, but using electricity and denying insects for what might as well be astroturf! Winter will be a chance to think about the garden again. In the back garden the apricot has died almost, but has some signs of life – we will see in the spring. The apples are looking scrubby this year so maybe a more thoughtful approach to pruning is needed? I hope the mulberry trees might have fruit next year – one, just one berry in 6 years is patience?