golden leaves, ankle deep

This is my favourite time of the year. Many of our trees look stunning as their leaves gradually change colour and fall to the ground, creating glowing carpets of crisp, golden leaves, ankle deep on pavements and verges. Trees such as Oak, Birch and Sycamore are described as deciduous which means ‘tending to fall off’. In the northern hemisphere deciduous trees lose their leaves before winter but in warmer climates other deciduous trees might lose their leaves to prevent dehydration. Pine, Yew and Holly are described as evergreen trees as they appear to stay green all year round because they do not shed all their leaves at once. 

The Autumn leaf drop is triggered by shortening day length and cooling temperature. This change causes chlorophyll, the normal green pigment in the leaf, to break down thereby allowing other pigments to become visible such as yellow and orange. Red and purple colours are not always present but occur when sugar is trapped in the dying leaf. Trees are very clever because as the leaf change begins the tree grows a little scar across the stem of the leaf and when the leaf falls off this seals the broken area preventing any disease from entering. Once the branches are bare the tree becomes dormant and will better survive winter frosts and storms. 

Magic in the Air

As Hallowe’en approaches the darker evenings and creeping shadows set the scene for fairies and witches to be out and about. When locking up one evening recently I noticed a bright moon was rising and although it would soon be dark I couldn’t resist taking some pictures of the cosmos flowers beside the Unicorn. The white flowers are normally unremarkable but in the dusky evening light they looked ethereal and enchanting creating a sense of mystery. The shadows on the Unicorn seemed deeper than usual enhancing its muscular shape and as I took the photograph the clouds parted revealing the moon. On reaching home I was astonished to see the result. Was this a trick of the light or was our Unicorn fully charged with its glowing horn and magical powers on show? It certainly felt that there was magic was in the air. 

It’s a great time to have a clear out

We have been busy this month cutting down all the summer vegetables growing in the polytunnels. The cucumbers and french beans are long gone and the tomato plants harvested and cut down, green tomatoes and apples are off to be turned into chutney, the growing beds have been mulched and our garlic cloves are planted. We have raked up several builders bags full of leaves which we shred with the lawnmower and spread on the surface of the soil in the vegetable beds; then we cover that layer with a dressing of hay and leave the worms to do the work of turning the leaves into a rich dressing for the soil. Our vegetable beds will be weeded and mulched before the end of the month and so the garden will effectively be ‘tucked up’ until the Spring. We will spend the winter looking after the orchard and shelter belt, pruning fruit trees and bushes, cutting back bramble patches, repairing fences and beginning the landscaping of our car park. Don’t believe anyone who says that there isn’t much to do in the garden in winter. 

It’s a great time to have a clear out, sort through all those leftover pots and planters and check machinery and tools for any defects. If you have any fruit or vegetables in storage keep them in a cool, frost-free, dry place and check them regularly. It’s not too late to plant bulbs – daffodils should really be in the soil by now but tulips are ok to be planted in cooler weather and there are plenty of bargain bulbs for sale that can be slipped into a spare pot to add an extra touch of colour to your spring garden. You won’t regret buying them.