passage

A friend phoned this morning and asked how our garden was.  He has an apple orchard, and perhaps the autumn harvest is their garden's peak. I paused before answering and then said 'beautiful'.

                   clematis 'Sweet Autumn' tumbles through a potted agave

the huge-leafed tetrapanex 'Steriod Giant' partners beautifully with restio tetraphyllus

the leaves of  ginko 'Autumn Gold' are startling in the fall, as they all colour at the same time and then drop within days of each other

I love the early autumn change and decay, without the spring and summer pressure to keep the garden weeded and proud.  Now is the time to step back and simply enjoy.  (Briefly, of course, as when the rains come, I'll be out digging and dividing like a mad woman!)