Late summer colour.

I adore this bed, the planting is perfect to my taste, and this tiny space gives me colour for most of the year, it's the first thing you see stepping out of our kitchen door. 

Another area transformed, we don't use this space, the flies and smells are really bad at this time of year, but it still needs to work and look good, next year I hope to get the table and chairs dipped and powder coated white, it's nice to look at. 

This side bed improves each summer, it's the only bed which is allowed to overgrow, with underplanting of bizzy lizzies, plenty of colour, I don't cut back this bed over winter, allowing bugs to get use out of the area. All my bits on the shelf will stay until the weather changes, I will then pop them in the garage until next spring. I love to see the shadow of our towels drying on our line. 

The bed in front of the greenhouse has always been a bit of a struggle, this is where our heavy clay is at it worse, this year I have had plenty of colour, I am hoping I have treated the clay and broke it down, these begonia bedding plants will bloom until the frost come. I have big plans for here next spring. 

I have never been a fan of fuchsia's, but hubby likes them, this plant has been in many places in the garden, this is it's 3rd year here in the raised bed, it tumbles over the side and fills the corner with colour. I planted another taller fuchsia behind, but sadly it did not survive last winter. Below is a yellow forsythia, which is getting a nice size and will give yellow flowers in the spring.  

Under my raspberry canes, normally at this time of year the base here can look bare and scrappy, again begonia bedding plants work their magic, my hellebore is still flowering, making the area very pretty. I have planted lily of the valley here, in hope it spreads, which will save me having to get bedding plants each year. Most of the rabbits have moved here.

Outside the greenhouse, this big black tub is planted for colour all year, now it's the turn of my begonias, this plant is huge, it the same most years, I have other plants in there, but they have had their summer moment.

Last but not least, is my Chines witch hazel, it loves this pot and spot under the Magnolia tree, and has grown to a good size this year, it does produce flame red tiny flowers. I got my only gnome for the chimera, I added two rabbits for company, just a bit of colour and fun. 

The old herb/rose bed has died back, soon I can plant pansies, I will wait a week, it's not great to plant in a heat wave, as the newest bed, it does need the most work, I have moved some shrubs into the space to help for next year. I am working towards not having so many bedding plants each spring. 

I am getting a harvest, tomatoes are doing well, I freeze all the smaller ones and some of the bigger ones which we can't eat, they will be bases for soups when the weather cools. The raspberries are slowing, we do get a nice handful each day, which we eat as soon as picked. The blackberries have been very good so far, I have a huge bag of berries in our freezer, we have not had to forage for any this year. 

We sit outside most days for coffee, morning and afternoon, having the herbs pots next to the seating area works well, on smelly days we can rub the leaves are release the scents, I do spray with PineSol before sitting, the pine fills the air and keeps the flies away, we do get less of both sitting on the other side of the garden. Having a peaceful garden where we can sit and feel the sun, is so important for us, we love our outside space, it's a place to chat and watch the wildlife, small birds come in to feed and often sit along the fence, we have loads of insects, butterflies. We talk of a small pond, but we don't have anywhere suitable, the only spot would be near the fence, where all the leaves from next door drop, so not perfect, we do have water for the birds near their feeders.