Well this week was the week it happened. The bedroom window was open all night as it was hot, but by morning you could feel the chill of Autumn. The end of summer is here. Next week hopefully will be a riotous set of pictures showcasing the late summer colour. Showing the season going out with a bang. This week though I am definitely in Autumn mode with my six on saturday being Berries, not all ripe and ready yet so you can still wear your shorts for a bit longer yet!
The humble hawthorn, so overlooked but a vital staple of native mixed hedges. Fabulous flowers and now plentiful supply of berries for the birds. It’s just a shame it’s so spiky.
It is a while now since we sat out in the evening with the wafts of heavenly honeysuckle perfume filling the air. The berries can serve as a memory of the summer just gone. I dislike growing honeysuckle unless in a woodland garden as it is so untidy but I have to admit the scent is hard to resist.
Elderberries are another common sight in a mixed hedge. They, probably helped by they lack of thorns, have managed to become desirable garden plants too with their many purple leaved varieties available now. Don’t be afraid to hack them back in the spring so they dont end up looking sad and massacred at this time of year because they grew to big.
Sloe, the real thug of the group. The only engraitiating point of this plant is that it can be used to make a surprisingly good Gin. However much you enjoy this warming winter tipple, pick them from the farmers fields don’t plant one yourself they sucker like mad and are truly vicious.
Well we couldn’t ignore the humble BlackBerry could we. Thankfully there are some lovely thornless varieties to grow in the garden now. Although they can, when happy, run and sucker with as much gusto as a sloe. I work in one garden where there are BlackBerry suckers sprouting a good 15′ in every direction from the original plant.
And finally from me this week, the guelder rose. This is one of my favourite native hedging plants. Lovely heads of white flowers in late spring, berries and fabulous autumn colour. Thornless too. Truly my star of the show. X
If you want to find out more about six on saturday or play along yourself here’s the link,
http://thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com/2017/09/18/six-on-saturday-a-participant-guide
Hawthorn is related to the traditional Mayhaw of the South. I intend to grow it in my own garden, just to see what the jelly is like. There are no black elderberries here, but we have our own native blue elderberries that I use in the same manner.
LikeLike
You’ve made a lovely selection of berried plants. The photos are great. I’m still pretending its Summer though. I’m not ready to admit it’s Autumn.
LikeLike
I’m with Hortus B, in denial about the end of summer. Can I think of the berries as summer fruits, following on from blueberries and blackcurrants. You’re a lot further north of course, it’s easier to stretch out summer in Cornwall.
LikeLike
I am always torn between clinging on to summer, or embracing the changing season. Autumn brings on planting season which suggests endless possibilities. Its not all doom and gloom
LikeLike