Autumn

Autumn in the garden

Suddenly, the leaves are turning gold and it looks like autumn. I wonder what it means this year. It has been really hot and remained hot for too long. And that was just in this country. But throughout the world climate change is bringing disaster and still we seem to be ignoring it. 

This year I have been catching some of the wildlife on my outdoor camera: a blackbird,

 

                              A blackbird                                                          A frog  

a frog and one of the foxes that have made their home in my garden. The foxes are in it every day, usually several times a day and sit on the shed keeping an eye on what goes on.

                                                                           

A  healthy fox

I am trying to turn my garden over to wild flowers and  homes for the insects and animals and birds that are finding life difficult. I have a lime tree in one corner, a Bramley apple in the front lawn, and various small trees and shrubs scattered about, including a yew hedge, four yellow privets, five fruit trees, a new Crataegus monogyna or hawthorn which has put on a lot of height this year. 

The new wildflowers, many growing in the lawn (which is now much smaller than it used to be)  include a pink clover, greater bird's foot trefoil, ragged-robin and yellow rattle. These are all a year old and seem to have settled in well.  

I also have daisies, Welsh  poppies, dandelions, dog violets, evening primroses, forget-me-nots, field scabious, forget-me-nots, Meadow cranesbill, orange hawkweed (that my sister gave me last year), ox eye daisies, soapwort that I have had  for nearly 30 years, sweet cicely, teasel, wild primrose, wild forget-me-nots  and masses of wild strawberry plants at the front of each border - they taste delicious. I'm hoping all these plants will attract new creatures into the garden, but it all takes time. 

Ragged-robin