October brought two major storms – Ophelia and Brian. Thankfully, my garden remained pretty much intact. This Sunflower and her cousins lit up a corner with their sunny smiles.
A few hardy Japanese Anemones survived in the front garden. They have now gone to floral Heaven…
I love Fuschia; I have four different varieties. This pretty pink specimen is still blooming away.
Michaelmas Daisies brightened up a corner under a tree. They are wilting now, but I do love their gentle grace.
Photinia “Red Robin” proudly shares his autumn hues, with ground cover from Sedum “Autumn Joy” and some contrasting grasses. I think they look well together. Don’t you?
Grasses are a great asset in the garden. They provide year round interest, and highlight the beauty of their companions.
In the front garden this Pheasant Berry – Leycesteria formosa, is still looking great. Although it is native to Asia, it seems very happy here in Donegal.
I love my Rowan tree. It has yellow berries and beautiful foliage, which guard my front garden. Rowan is one of the trees associated with my saint – Saint Brigid. It is believed to protect against evil spirits.
It is now early November, and the Rowan has lost all its leaves, but it is providing welcome food for a variety of birds. I have spotted robins, thrush and blackbirds munching on its fruit. Such a joy.
The front garden is having a makeover at the moment. I have shrubs awaiting new homes, bulbs to add, and grasses to divide…
I hope to have the transformation completed for Christmas.
Brigid P. Gallagher is a retired natural medicines therapist, passionate organic gardener and author of “Watching the Daisies- Life lessons on the Importance of Slow,” a holistic memoir dedicated to the art of mindfulness and healing from debilitating illness.
What a lovely garden, the colours are beautiful! This is the first year I’ve had a proper garden and I’ve really enjoyed planting and seeing it change. I’m probably moving house in January and am a bit disappointed that I won’t see all the bulbs I’ve planted come up! Still, will have a brand new garden to get stuck into. Thanks for the inspiration 🙂 x
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Thank you Angela. I have moved house quite a bit in the past but I always take some plants with me and leave some for the new residents. Perennials are easy to divide and share but yes the bulbs will leave a welcome smile in spring. 🌼
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you have such elegance and positive energy in your post!!
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Thank you Mihran. Such a lovely comment. I am touched. 🌻
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Wonderful garden, Brigid and nature at its best.
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Thank you Kamal. I would be lost without it. 😊
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Welcome dear and yes absolutely true
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Lovely garden!
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Thank you 😊
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It’s strange weather this year: our hanging baskets, although a bit bedraggled and on their last legs, are still up whereas last year we had to take them down in September. The fuschia are still thriving and flowering and the nemesia are still in full bloom. I love your sunflower 😊
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Thank you Chris. I wonder at some of the delicate petals that are so hardy. Fuschia always look so delicate and fairy like yet they are so strong.
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The Rowan Tree provides a feast for the birds and you have provided a feast for our eyes.
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Thank you Bernadette. The birds seem to be especially hungry at the moment. Six fatballs disappeared in less than two days.
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Thank you for the beautiful photos! We had our first snow this morning!
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Thank you Roda. You can build a snowman. We rarely get snow here.
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It was a beautiful morning!
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Your gardens are so lovely.
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Thank you. It is my therapy.
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Flowers turned out more beautiful with your photography 👍
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Thank you. I just love taking their 🌼pictures.
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I love nature and flowers 🌺
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Beautiful bounty!
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Thank you Leslie. 🌼
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Brigid your garden is stunning. I loved the little aquilegia starting to come up under the grasses. The Pheasant Berry is lovely: those hanging racemes of flowers like purple hued Chinese pagodas. Did you know the berries are edible? (Allegedly I say for heaven’s sake don’t take my word for it! Actually I have eaten one….and lived) A bit disappointing: they faintly taste like chocolate. But don’t eat too many as they are supposed to have laxative properties (according to my sister. They are one of her favourite shrubs). The golden berried rowan is lovely too. Great photographs! Hard to believe winter is coming! Px
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You made me laugh Paul. No need for senokot then.. I did not know the berries were edible. I hope winter is like last year – nice and mild. X
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Glad I made you laugh Brigid.. and no, no need for senocot… although went to a national trust garden today and they were growing senna… it is a gorgeous bush with huge yellow pea shaped flowers: certainly worth getting constipation for!)
I am hoping for a nice mild winter too…I’ve got up the plastic walk in greenhouse and plastic cold frame- both great as long as they don’t blow away (I kid you not! they are weighed down with breeze blocks round the edges) and I have Already had to fleece the plants i nthem twice for threatened frosts- that did not turnout as bad as threatened. Let’s raise a glass to mind (and calm) winters! Luv yor mate P
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I have never seen senna. I must look out for it. 😊 I can understand the breezeblocks . Lets hope it is calm and no severe frosts. I have a little bit to do yet in the front garden. It should get finished next weekend. My sisters partner forgot about coming to do the heavy work but says my sister never told him. She says he is senile! Staying out of tge argument 😉 Love you too dear Paul. X
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Grinning at your sister’s comment!
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Yes. They are together for 20 years and I would not be without them. 😊
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You have a beautiful garden Brigid. That Rowan tree is indeed lovely!
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Thank you Balroop. The birds really love it too. The berries must be very tasty. 🌼
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Beautiful- the flowers are gone here, leaving sweet memories, The leaves are turning, providing beauty to the landscape. Thank you for reminding me that flowers are still on the earth.
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Thank you Michele. It amazes me how tough some of these flowers are. I still have delicate pink perennial geraniums smiling and my new salvia “hot lips” is having a new lease of life. The birds do seem very hungry. A weeks worth of fat balls was eaten in two days. 🌼
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Hot lips salvia is one of my very favorites! The country birds will not use a feeder unless it snows!
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I have just gotten extra rations for mine today.
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I’m glad the storm didn’t destroy your garden. Love that sunflower and those fuchsias! I have fuchsias in a hanging basket and love their bright flowers. Thank you for sharing and stay dry!
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Thank you Ann. I am greatly relieved that the forecast was better tgan expected. I am amazed that Fuschia are so hardy. 🌼
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The sunflower was a lovely treat this morning! Love gardening and relish doing the odd one now and again which makes it more of a treat nowadays.
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Thank you Suzanne. I could not manage without my garden. I shall be popping outside in a while 🌼
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Brigid, I feel we could happily wander around each other’s gardens, chatting, sharing tips…and hopefully a slice of cake or two! 😀Your garden is lovely, the sunflower just stunning, radiant, whilst I also adore fuchsias and have three still flowering, the sedums are a wonderful plant for the Autumn. Your Rowan tree is glorious and how wonderful that it is associated with your saint name…this is a tree common in Sweden but not so much in England I think. Happy Gardening and thank you for sharing with us! xx
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That would indeed be lovely Annika. 😊 I always think of faeries when I see fuschia flowers. They would make such delightful earrings too. The birds ha e now devoured almost all the rowan berries. X
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I love your flowers, Brigid, especially the sunflowers. I had those for my wedding.
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How lovely Robbie. They have such a beautiful smile. Do you have any photographs to share?
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I do, Brigid. I will scan some in and share.
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Lovely. 😊
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Such a beautiful garden…love to see the pretty flowers✔✔
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Thank you jyo. 😊
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Wow, Brigid, this is an amazing post! You have such beautiful flowers ….. I can see why fuscia is one of your favorites. 🙂 I’m partial to daisies b/c of their elegance, lightness and my mom liked them.
I work part-time at a place called the Peace Awareness Labyrinth and Gardens (did I tell you that?), and the meditation gardens are lovely. Just showed two visitors around the other day who travel around LA to see gardens. It was such a sweet visit.
Much love, Brigid. Hope you are having a great weekend so far. Love, Debbie
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Thank you Debbie. That sounds like a lovely job. I hope you are well settled in your new home. Happy weekend x
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Beautiful, Brigid. I’m so glad the garden survived the storms. Those sunflowers can’t help but bring a smile. Happy Weekend. 🙂
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Thanks Diana. I was greatly relieved. The sunflowers sure gladden the heart. Happy weekend. 🌼
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These are beautiful. That sunflower is bright and bold.
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Thank you Jacqueline. They are very smiley 😊
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such lingering
cared-for
freshness 🙂
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Thank you. 🌼
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What gorgeous plants and flowers! A lovely garden
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Thank you. It is both my therapy and my gym. 🌼
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haha what a great combination!
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Oh gosh I love this post Brigid! And glad your garden survived the storms. Is is all walled in?? I’m thinking of pictures in other posts. It looks like a green oasis. thanks! Hope you’re in the middle of a fine weekend. hugs friend!
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It is fenced in Rhonda and I am at the bottom of a hill so it is very sheltered. Hugs. X
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Good thing. I’m surprised at how much you have blooming and green right now!! It’s all your tender care! hugs Brigid!
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Fuchsias are the reliable late bloomers here; I still have a fair number in flower. My Michaelmas Daisies, though, went over about a month ago. I noticed this morning a rose has started to bloom, just in time for the first expected frost of the year (which may be tonight or next month). That’s a beautiful display from your Rowan; your blackbirds are clearly more restrained diners than mine!
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Thank you John. We had our first frost last night. The rowan is pretty bare as I speak and last weeks fat ball rations were devoured in record time. Happy gardening. 😊
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Your rowan leaves and berries look similar to our Mountain Ash tree. I’ll have to check it out to see if it’s the same family. Our Mountain Ash berries turn orange in the autumn, though.
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Yes Cynthia. It is the very same tree. Most have bright red berries but mine is a different variety. 🌼
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OK. Good to know.
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Autumn is my favourite time of year and your autumnal garden does not disappoint, Brigid. It must keep you very busy? We already have spring bulbs popping through the earth. Way too early.
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Thank you Hugh. I have made the garden low mainyenance with lots of perennials. It helps deter the weeds. I love autumn too. It signals a slow down when we can hibernate a little. 😉
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Yes, indeed, although it’s my partner that does all the gardening, Brigid. I like to sit in the garden and enjoy its beauty.
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Lucky you 😊
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Your garden is still looking beautiful Brigid. I love that your Rowan tree is feeding the birds. I’m sure they’re fattening up in preparation for winter. Have a lovely day!
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Thank you Terri. They have devoured the lot now and seem very hungry. I wonder why…
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Your garden is lovely, Brigid, and you take marvelous photographs. I would like to add some of the grasses to my garden next year. We have just cut down all our annuals and have had a big frost and cold spell move in. It won’t be long now until all will be snow covered and the hope of new life will lie in wait until spring. #Seniorsalon
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Thank you Molly. A lot of my blogging friends are getting snow. We get very little in this corner of the world as we are near the sea. Grasses provide a good show all winter ready for their friends the spring bulbs. Cheers to new life. 🌼
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I love sunflowers and fuchsias too! Both such lovely colours!
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Thank you. They sure lift the spirits. 🌼
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Beautiful garden you have here. I do love the farm life. Melody Donkey Whisperer Farm, Sequim, WA
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Thank you. I really appreciate your comment. 🌼
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Hello lovely Brigid
Thank your linking this lovely post to #MyGloriousGardens this month! I hope Stumbleupon worked for you. I stumbled 3 posts; yours being one so congratulations! Thank you for supporting my linky. #MyGloriousGardens is going to hibernate for a few months (to write school reports and sort out Nativity plays) and will be back in March when I hope to read all your lovely posts. Sophie xx
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Thank you Sophie. It has been lovely to link up to #MyGloriousGardens. Enjoy the break and will meet up again in March. X
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[…] Brigid […]
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You do have a beautiful garden..
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Thank you Bella. Got the tidying up finished last Saturday. So happy. 😊
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Beautiful garden!!
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Thank you. 😊
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[…] via The Garden in October — Watching the Daisies […]
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