As usual, the weather dominates our garden activities and after a week of overcast and misty but mild days, it was a treat to have two sunny days when it was enjoyable to get on with cutting down delphinium stems and clearing up our borders. A few remaining leaves on shrubs and trees still provide some brilliant colour, such as those of the Cotinus seen in the left-hand picture above. There are also a few blooms on delphiniums flowering for a second time, like the white delphinium Jill Curley seen above. Some late developing delphinium seedlings have also been encouraged by the mild weather to produce their first flower spikes, which provide some indication of the character of their flowers, that for the plant in the right hand picture above is apparently of much lighter colour than the intense cranberry pink of the parent.

It is now the time when our attention turns to collecting up canes and washing pots ready for next year. We also see Roe deer nearly every day and have to hope they seldom venture into the areas of garden protected only by rabbit-proof fencing, where they could cause yet more damage to the plants and shubs.

OUR BOOK

"Delphiniums" by David and Shirley Bassett

ISBN (13digit) 9780713490022

was published in the UK in November 2006 by Batsford, an imprint of Anova Books Company Ltd.

It can be ordered direct from the publisher at their website: www.anovabooks.com

In North America the book is published by Timber Press and can be ordered from their website: www.timberpress.com

Alternatively, try other booksellers, eg Amazon