October - making the most of the sunny days.

Oh Joy of Joys !

Not only do we get to see a glowing moon, but we get the promise of some sunny days - oh sing choirs of angels!

We are on bonus time of gorgeous blue skies ...which means time to catch up on unfinished tasks and a spot of sun basking.

But before you begin the work just take a close look at some of the shapes and colours that are emerging. Extraordinary. The light is less glaring at this time of year which accentuates the shadows. Somehow the quality of the light brings out the best of the textures and tones.

Orange and blue are opposites in the primary colour wheel which means they show each other off. (It was this colour wheel that helped bring on the Impressionist art movement; colour contrasts, compliments and hues were studied and used to dazzling effect).

Did you know that it is the unwanted toxins of the plants that create the bright Autumn colours in the leaves of deciduous plants? What a fabulous use of waste. I wish I could be so creative though I did get pretty excited at the quality of my kitchen compost after I added a handful of earthworms and some spadefuls of soil. Sad I know - but there it is.


Top-tips for October

• Get your spring-flowering bulbs planted planted but leave the Tulips for another month as they are susceptible to something called tulip fire ( no - you don't need a fire-blanket).
• Fallen leaves may look charming but won't do your lawn any favours - sweep them off asap if you want to keep the good looks. There is still time to scarify, spike and top-dress.
• If keeping the lawn 'beautiful' under the trees is too time-consuming then consider planting bulbs and allowing the grass to grow longer. You could add wildflower 'plugs' in spring.
• Keep your very woody prunings separate from the softer ones ( leaves, unwanted veg etc). Nothing like a bonfire for the woody pile and nothing like adding soft leaves with soil to the compost bin. 
• Ash from bonfires offers plenty of Potassium for next years growth which strengthens fruits and flowers ( which is why traditionally it was put around the base of roses and in orchards).
• Well composted garden and soft leaf waste offers plenty of Nitrogen for green growth but importantly improves the quality of the soil.

And don't stand too near the bonfire when you are taking in those yoga-like healthy deep breaths or you will end up like I did this weekend - doubled up and gasping for air whilst pretending that you meant to go red in the face to match the emerging Autumn colours.