Pesky lily beetles are like strangers to me
Autumn is a lovely time of year, often with lots of warm sunshine. Swifts have flown to warmer climes and robins are chirping happily in the garden. In July, I planted Asiatic lily ‘Dixie Jazz’ and they’ve burst into flower recently – burgundy with white stripes. They’re very pretty although they do lack fragrance. I’m feeling pretty smug with myself as I haven’t encountered a single pesky lily beetle this year! I may even be lulled into a false sense of security and plant some Fritillaria
imperialis (crown imperial) bulbs for next spring, and keep my fingers firmly crossed!
The garden is still keeping its colour with blue asters, blue geranium ‘Rozanne’ and some blowsy, white begonias and red roses in bloom. Having pored over numerous seed and bulb catalogues, I still haven’t really decided what to plant next year. So far I’ve put in some narcissus ‘Minnow’, crocus, snake’s head fritillary and a mix of jewel-coloured Anemone blanda.
The allotment has been productive this year. Tomatoes and courgettes have done very well and the freezer is bursting with produce. My favourite tomato I’ve grown is ‘Sungold’ – its fruits are incredibly sweet.
Sunflowers (‘Russian Giant’) stand tall, attracting numerous pollinators. Butternut squash ‘Hercules’ is ripening up in readiness for harvesting in October. They’re delicious roasted and make fantastic soup.
The great autumn tidy up is in full swing, with spent crops consigned to the compost bin. Decluttering the shed can wait until a rainy day!