Last Friday I was stood at the back door looking for something worth photographing in the garden. I couldn’t really see anything and was about to walk away when something caught my eye. Our apple was ready!! It had fallen from the tree and was sitting in the pot. My mind started to wander, thinking about crumble, apple cake and cider. Then I remembered we only had one apple.
We only had one form this year so I’ve been treating it with kid gloves. Removing cobwebs and bits of dirt and trying to be an attentive grower. This paid off; it’s a beautiful apple. Smooth and green with sweet smelling skin. Anyway, I won’t subject you to a whole post about how wonderful this apple is, let me take you for a quick tour of the rest of the garden…
The cosmos have been great as cut flowers. A quick bit of deadheading here and there has ensured they’re still going strong into Autumn. I really like them paired with Coreopsis (bright yellow flowers below).
We have berries on the pyracantha! Regular readers will know I’ve spent the last two years impateiently waiting for this to happen. The birds haven’t found them yet but when they do, I’m sure they won’t be there for long.
Last September I stumbled across a purple aster covered in bees. I added it to my garden wishlist but got lucky when we found one at a local plant sale for a couple of pounds. The back garden is getting very shady now so I’m hoping we’ll have just enough sun to coax these buds into flowering.
A wooden handled knife is something I’ve wanted for a while, mainly for using at the allotment and in the garden. I’m now the proud owner of an Opinel gardening knife (thank you P&B!). So far I’ve used it at the allotment for cutting string, beans and matting and home for cutting back plants. I like having one tool to do lots of jobs. And because it’s compact, I don’t look like an extra from Rambo!
Autumn is slowly creeping in. Flowers are fading, seed heads are drying and leaves are turning brown. It’s sad to see all the colour disappearing but it means we’re a step closer to days like this one. And you know how much I like cold weather…
What beautiful photos of your lovely garden. I grew cosmos in plant pots this summer and they have long since died! Yours look stunning. I now have a garden bed so next year I will definately try again with them in the ground. How lovely to have your own apples too.
Thank you Claire. I planted a few in a pot but they are much smaller than the ones in the ground. Still pretty though.
The cosmos are gorgeous as cut flowers! I only learnt recently that apple trees are biennial – I just imagined full crops every year. At least you have one perfect apple this autumn.
I didn’t know that! Perhaps that’s why we had none last year. Or maybe I’m just not very good at growing apples 🙂
I NEED A KNIFE!
Alas I fear it will be like when I get my mitts on shears – nothing is safe from my pruning spree!
Keeping my bits crossed for the Aster. Loving the berries on the pyracantha, my mum grows those round here fence to stop people climbing over (mad I know!). Spikey blighters.
I love your photos as ever. But of course even if I didn’t I would say I did now you have that badass knife…
Thanks for joining in again 🙂
PS. Totally getting near Cheese on Toast weather time again!
It’s a very handy knife – looks quite ginormous in the photo but it’s not really. I can see why your Mum does that, it’s bloody spiky!! Hate to think of my rear coming into contact with one of the spikes…
please share what happened to the one apple you grew?
We ate half each, best apple I ever tasted 🙂
I find round our way the pyracantha berries last until December and then the blackbirds gobble them up in about three days flat! I hope you get to enjoy them for several weeks.
The berries seem to take a while to fatten up. Ours might not be fat and juicy enough for the birds yet.
Glorious flowers!
Congratulations on the apple! Here is the opposite issue, well not here exactly, my Dad has one apple tree and this year it has hit bonanza! He is picking and collecting everyday, he can’t give them away fast enough, he tells me he has 9 trays of apples in the garage and can he please visit to leave some with me (read: leaves 9 trays with me!). Apple recipes ahoy!
Enjoy your perfect apple – what will you do it it?
I was exactly the same with our one peach!
So much gorgeous colour, the cosmos are especially pretty
Yay to the apple! Hope it was tasty… And we have berries on our pyracantha too, loads of them (sorry I’m not bragging) but according to MOH that means a cold winter. Not sure how much I believe him as he’s hardly a weather sage but if it is you heard it here first 😉 #hdygg
You do take lovely photos. I like the Zinnia one in particular.
I also have knife envy. You really are a gardener now as I remember my Grandad (a prize winning gardener) having one similar! I need a gardening knife in my life now!
And yay you have an apple. What did it taste like? I’d love to have this apple post over on my #LoveSeasonalFood link-up for October as it’s all about the season of Apples. :0)
Clare x
So did you cut your wonderful apple in two with your new knife? I love my opinels (I have several as I am prone to losing them) and this year I treated myself to a more easily found orange one.
Your garden looks lovely, I’m very jealous. I live in a new build so the garden isn’t really established (and I’m a terrible gardener, but I’m using the new build bit as an excuse!). You rapple looks delicious, I hope it tasted good! Fingers crossed for a bigger crop next year. #LoveSeasonalFood
What a perfect apple. How old is your apple tree? We planted three apple trees this year and I am wondering how long before we get such apply perfection.