Category Archives: Autumn

Oh Painted Fern, Where Art Thou?

Posted on March 16, 2013 by hortophile

Sometimes my lackadaisical attitude to gardening and haste to ‘get things done’ backfires.  Last fall I engaged in a flurry of transplantation, shifting plants from one part of the garden to another for various reasons. Some, like a couple of … Continue reading →

Posted in Autumn, Blue, Shade Garden, Spring | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Clematis florida ‘Sieboldii’

Posted on November 4, 2012 by hortophile

Every year I add new plants to my garden, often a lot of new plants!  One of this year’s acquisitions is a lovely Clematis florida ‘Sieboldii’.  I popped this little beauty into a tall, charcoal grey ceramic pot and it … Continue reading →

Posted in Autumn, My Favourite Plants | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Compost Box Improvements!

Posted on October 12, 2012 by hortophile

A while ago (in 2010 actually!) I posted about my compost box, raving on about how much I love composting and how I enjoy producing ‘black gold’ that feeds my garden from the waste that many people throw away or … Continue reading →

Posted in Autumn, Backyard Chickens, Garden Advice | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

October Harvest

Posted on October 5, 2012 by hortophile

    Our spectacular summer continues, even though the calendar says it’s autumn.  The sun, lower now in the sky, continues to shine day in and day out and rainfall is a distant memory.  Well not really, we did have … Continue reading →

Posted in Autumn, Fruit, Vegetables | Tagged , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Tomato Ripening Tips

Posted on September 27, 2012 by hortophile

    Well here we go again!  Autumn is descending and my tomato plants are loaded with unripe fruit.  Every year a certain percentage of my crop goes to waste when the wet, cold weather comes and this year looks … Continue reading →

Posted in Autumn, Fruit, Garden Advice, Vegetables | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Callicarpa bodinieri ‘Profusion’

Posted on December 20, 2011 by hortophile

Against the back fence, right beside the chicken run is an inelegant, rather twiggy shrub that overcomes its spring and summer shabbiness with an amazing show of almost artificial looking berries during fall and winter.  Aptly known as Beautyberry, Callicarpa … Continue reading →

Posted in Autumn, Backyard Chickens, Deer resistant plants, Winter | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Rats in the Henhouse!

Posted on December 1, 2011 by hortophile

I thought that my pretty little henhouse was secure, but I was wrong.  Yesterday when I went out to gather eggs I noticed a couple of tunnels inside the run, and the chickens certainly didn’t dig them!  I have rats … Continue reading →

Posted in Autumn, Backyard Chickens, Pest Control | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Pumpkin Puree

Posted on November 25, 2011 by hortophile

Lots of people grow pumpkins for Hallowe’en jack-o-lanterns, tasty seeds, or to enter in pumpkin contests, but you’ll get the best value out of your pumpkins if you make some homemade pumpkin purée. It’s easy, and you can use pumpkin … Continue reading →

Posted in Autumn, My Favourite Recipes | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Guerrilla Gardening…kinda

Posted on November 21, 2011 by hortophile

Guerrilla gardening is defined as gardening on land that doesn’t belong to you, whether public or private.  Some people do it to reclaim land from perceived neglect or misuse, some to provoke debate about land use and ownership, and some … Continue reading →

Posted in Autumn | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Roses in November

Posted on November 13, 2011 by hortophile

This lovely fall weather has done more than give late raspberries for us to eat; we`re still admiring roses…in November! Even with a serious case of frostbite, the rose ‘Frau Dagmar Hastrupp’ manages to glow with ethereal beauty. Glossy new … Continue reading →

Posted in Autumn, Herb Garden, Roses | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments