GBBD - Hanging On

By the A4 between Chippenham & Corsham 12/11/2008

Yes I know it's Blooms Day, but I couldn't resist showing you another autumnal picture. I spotted this one on the way to my creative writing class on Wednesday morning and I just had to stop afterwards and take its photo. Luckily I'd taken my camera as I'd wanted to photograph the new specially commissioned gate at the Pound Arts Centre. Aren't both of them beautiful? I can't really remember our autumns having so many trees sporting burnt orange colours like we've had this year. And whilst autumn came a little earlier than it has for the past few, the trees do seem to be hanging onto their leaves to make a real glow of things during the mainly gloomy days we've had recently.

So, onto my garden's blooms. I'd say the majority of my remaining flowers are hanging on rather than blooming. I've also left some flowers to sport their dried heads in the garden. For the moment they're looking attractive and of course provide food and shelter for wildlife, but I'll cut them back as soon as they become dreary. I've just one new flower to show you this month. My Clematis cirrhosa 'Freckles' is budding in profusion and a few of them are fully in flower as of a couple of days ago. They are a welcome sight, even if the blooms start at eye level and work their way upwards. I've been really surprised by my potted Cyclamen. They're still here and increasing in flower. I was expecting to use their pots for my tulip bulbs by now. These will have to wait! Another surprise is the self-sown Lobelia by my stone bench on the patio. I was expecting them to have gone by now, but their proximity to the patio and the stone bench must have given them enough protection from the frosts that cut down the rest of their annual cousins. Finally I couldn't resist a tiny touch of autumn in my new sidebar slideshow: the Cotoneaster has been such a rich red leaf this year - it's almost impossible to see the berries amongst the leaves!

Garden Bloggers Blooms Day is hosted by Carol over at May Dreams Gardens. Do go over and see how our English November differs to our American cousins. Remember, October's slideshow is still available over at my Open Garden. So much has changed in the garden since last month.

Comments

  1. Ewa15 November 2008 at 10:05

    Oh, thank you for sharing those pictures - the gate is awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Zoë15 November 2008 at 10:13

    The colour this autumn has been awesome, which has suprised me, usually such displays follow long hot summers - we certainly didnt have one of those, it just rained and rained!

    The gates are stunning.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous15 November 2008 at 10:24

    Clematis "Freckles" is lovely, as it your photograph of the gates.
    K

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous15 November 2008 at 13:31

    What an exquisite gate - was it made locally ? Here there is little in flower now and what there is is rather sodden. I got a pleasant surprise earlier this week though when I found a snowdrop in flower. It is not one of the autumn flowering types so I am not sure what is going on :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. F Cameron15 November 2008 at 13:34

    Autumnal colors are so vibrant--don't we all love to see more photos?

    That gate is beautiful! Talented artisans simply amaze me. One of our local sculptors sent me a lot of photos last night as possiblities to use for the next Gardens in Art feature next week. He has a "butterfly kiss" gate that I must feature.

    Thanks for sharing,
    Cameron

    PS I miss visiting the UK since my son finished at UCL --one of my best trips was 2 years ago in November.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Mr. McGregor's Daughter15 November 2008 at 14:10

    That gate is a work of art! Do you know what the contrasting metal is? That Clematis is one that isn't quite hardy enough for me to grow. When I first saw the photo, I thought, Hellebores already?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Rose15 November 2008 at 14:27

    It's hard not to show a tree still in its autumn glory; the fall color has been spectacular this year.
    Enjoyed seeing all your blooms, VP, including that gorgeous fuschia once again! It's wonderful to see so much color when very little remains here in the cold and rainy Midwest.
    That gate is beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Gail15 November 2008 at 14:45

    Freckles is too cute! Just when I think I have seen all the good clems another one shows up!

    I know that fall has been beautiful everywhere this year...a nice gift from nature to help with the crummy economic forecast! Have a wonderful weekend!

    Gail

    ReplyDelete
  9. tina15 November 2008 at 15:23

    That clematis 'Freckles' is so pretty!

    Show as many leaves as you want, tis the season after all:)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Yolanda Elizabet Heuzen15 November 2008 at 16:00

    Ohhhhh, I want Freckles too (never thought I'd say that ;-)). And I love that gorgeous tree and that gate is simply marvellous. Happy GBBD, VP!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Unknown15 November 2008 at 16:19

    My Clematis looks like it wants to bloom again too.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Katarina15 November 2008 at 16:29

    That gate is really something! And the Clematis Freckles is adorable! Haven't seen that one before and will definitely be on the look-out for it.
    Katarina

    ReplyDelete
  13. Helen/patientgardener15 November 2008 at 19:56

    I think the autumn colour has lasted longer this year - it definately started earlier.

    Really like those gates

    ReplyDelete
  14. Carol Michel16 November 2008 at 00:40

    You are right, there is quite a contrast between some of our American gardens and your English gardens. You have much more in bloom right now, compared to around here. I enjoyed the slide show!

    Thanks for joining in once again for bloom day.

    Carol, May Dreams Gardens

    ReplyDelete
  15. VP16 November 2008 at 20:29

    Hi GBBDers - I'll come over and have a look at your blooms if I haven't already. I thought you'd go for Freckles :) Thanks for coming and having a look here - the gate is lovely isn't it? So lovely I'm having thoughts about our back gate...

    Yes Anna, it's by a local artist.

    MMD - the contrasting metal's copper, so it'll be interesting to see how the piece develops with age.

    ReplyDelete
  16. VP16 November 2008 at 20:56

    Oh and Darla - welcome! I hope you enjoyed your visit :)

    ReplyDelete

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