Tua Pek Kong Rules, the Mitcheldean Garden 2019
Wet, Wetter, Wettest

This page is part of a series of garden blogs from 2019. Click here for the index.

We went to stay with our friends in East Anglia for the third weekend in September. The Saturday was cloudless and I gorged myself at the Grand Henham Steam Rally and squeezed in a visit to the delightful small seaside resort that is Southwold as well. On the Sunday we visited the National Trust's Felbrigg and Blickling properties and it started to rain just as we got back to base. Since when we've had the odd bright day but in between it has rained and rained. All around us there is flooding to a greater or lesser extent, but of course up here, it's just meant an end to watering and flower beds that are a bit of a pig to dig over as I remove the summer occupants whenever it is a little bit clear. Without that introduction, you'd never guess what October has been really like from the pictures below.

It would be fair to say that most of our summer bloomers have been well past their best, indeed as I write this at the end of October there's not much left. The million bells, the gladioli and the African marigolds are history but these dahlias at least refuses to give up. 

Some had left it late, there are three tubs of fuchsias which had been stored with others in the shade while we waited for the wall to be finished.. On the other hand, these 'pot mums' baby sized chrysanthemums are renowned autumn flowerers, they are said to be hardy so shortly they'll be heading for the vegetable patch. We have new neighbours opposite who have so many vehicles that they feel they have to park some half on and half off the pavement on our side of the road. They didn't even come over to ask if we minded and, in fact, there is space on the road just a short way up. Not our kind of people in other words and I suspect that next year we'll cut back our roadside display as a result.

In any case we're putting much more effort into the upper garden. The vegetable patch is now much more than a kitchen garden, The purple and white dark dahlias are out but the taller red version take longer to flower and are still going strong. Near the top, I have at last tackled the disaster area. The two bedraggled potentillas have come out, as have most of the other plants here. The hostas and hellebore have gone to shady areas and the pieris fire plants have moved to the side. A row of hydrangeas - which started as cuttings in the vegetable patch several years ago - are now installed at the top. The lilies are surplus to needs from Yuehong's dedicated bed and I have more so they will create a line across. There will be a wide band of peonies, some went in earlier but I have just added a job lot of eight from our local Lidls. They won't show well for at least 3 years and I hope that our bluebells will survive the assault and continue to spread. I am not sure whether to leave the foxgloves...

With Garfield back in residence after our absence at the Great Dorset Steam Fair, he supervised Yuehong on her daily watering.

When we announced that we were going away for the weekend, he made it clear what he thought of it. However, as he is ruled by his stomach, we were soon forgiven when we got back.

In high summer, afternoon drinks are taken 'after five'. In October, it has to be around two and a coat is a good idea. Of course 'handsome' has his built in version.

Our acer has enjoyed its brief moments of glory, it's just a question of waiting for a sunny morning to catch it. The temperatures were such that our 'garden cat' became briefly a 'summerhouse cat' before becoming a 'house cat'.

Yuehong had read that cats like boxes so out came a shoe box which did the job until it showed signs of bursting at the seams. Next we tried the most suitable of Yuehong's many baskets.

However, even that caused 'plumpy' some problems, because Yuehong has been feeding him well before we disappear soon. That's a roast chicken which is barely big enough for three, especially when somebody has no stop button.. One other effect of eating well is that he seems to have forgotten to scratch himself and his coat is now near perfect.

We are very conscious that he's been with us on unofficial loan and I have tracked down his family up the street which he returns to regularly - they pay the vet's bills! They are well aware that he 'puts himself about' and tolerate his lifestyle. So they know to expect him back when we close the cat flap and fly off to Penang. Whatever happens next Spring, we've all three had a summer to remember and I hope there is some kind of reunion next year.

For us, it's not quite time for the curtain to come down on another garden season, because the dahlia tubers and begonia corms have to be packed up and put in the garage to be joined in due course by 'BB'. Waiting in the garage are tulip and hyacinth bulbs which will be planted just before we go so we can expect a bright display when we return in March. However, there's nothing particularly attractive about a garden which is all green save for large brown patches!

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