October Update

OCTOBER

Autumn foliage, plant moving and generous asters.

Slightly later than planned, this October round up is at last ready to go out. The juggle of touring, rehearsing, design work and field work has meant the last couple of weeks have been full to the brim - all of my own doing and good to test the boundaries with what’s possible to fit in, but I think I may have found it.

This month in our garden, foliage is firmly the star of the show, with amelanchier leaves turning a jammy crimson and peony foliage transitioning to a burnished mahogany. Paired below with a stalwart of the autumn garden: the Japanese anemone, and a favourite nasturtium ‘Ladybird Rose’ which has gently woven it’s way through the border.

Anemone x hybrida ‘September Charm’, Hydrangea paniculata ‘Great Star’, Tropaeolum majus “Ladybird Rose’, Paenoia foliage, Amelanchier lamarckii foliage, Panicum virgatum ‘Warrior’, Clematis montana tendrils.

For me, late autumn feels is the best time for moving perennials and having a shuffle and reorganise of the beds, with a bit more mental capacity and time to reflect on how things have looked and felt over the growing season, rather than spring with all it’s promise where it feels like too many other jobs should be being done.

There are a few beds which have been covered for the best part of 18 months, so whilst the weeds have truly been killed off, the soil is in need of a little tlc to kick it in to action again. A sprinkle of lime to counter act our slight acidity level, a little mycorrhizal fungi to jump start the microbes and a healthy mulch of compost and composted bark, and it’ll be teeming with life come spring.

I’ve consolidated all the grasses I currently have into these fabulously healthy new beds, bringing together several varieties of panicum we had at home in pots, deschampsia and calamagrostis which have bulked out beautifully over the last two years, and a very sad and unhappy looking trio of chasmanthium plants. I think they really struggled in the heat this year and with poor mulching, the soil around them really dried out, so I’ve put them in the shade of the clump of calamagrostis to see if they’ll provide them with a little respite from the worst of the sun in the height of summer. I’m hoping this along with a thicker mulch will help revive them back into life. If not, I’m creating a new semi shade area under the protection of some perennial climbers - jasmine, honeysuckle and akebia - so they can be moved there next autumn if needs be. Never one to be defeated.

Left - Panicum virgatum ‘Warrior’, Right - Calamagrostis x acutiflora Karl Foerster

Another hit this month have been the asters, or symphyotrichum to give them their latin name. Needing minimal attention throughout the year, they hit their stride in a time where their delicacy and abundance are a welcome alternative to the heavy blooms of dahlias and chrysanthemums. I have three varieties at the field: Symphyotrichum lateriflorum ‘Lady in Black’, Symphyotrichum lateriflorum ‘Coombe Fishacre’ and Symphyotrichum lateriflorum var horizontale, but have plans to add more in the spring of these generous and hard working plants. Recommendations greatly received!

Harvesting Symphyotrichum lateriflorum ‘Lady in Black’

Garden photography royalty Eva Nemeth came to shoot our garden in the summer, with the equally talented  journalist Clare Coulson following up with the interview for the Financial Times a few months later. We feel incredibly lucky to have our first garden documented in such a classy and thoughtful way by two people who are at the top of their game. It was especially lovely as the garden was hitting it’s June zenith, with lush and vibrant growth swamping the paths, and roses, martagon lilies and foxgloves in abundance.

Full article here

Photo courtesy of Eva Nemeth

November brings a little more touring before a London Christmas season, many a spreadsheet as we plan the logistics of our move to Twickenham, and a final push to get plants in the ground before winter sets in.

Thanks for reading.

© Andy Monaghan. All rights reserved.

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