Looking back at summer

The day has been sunny but there is an autumnal nip in the air. The porch light has had to be brought forward a tad; crunchy leaves are already littering the pavements and students are back at Newcastle's universities for Welcome Week. I am looking forward to lots of autumn things.... getting in to see this year's tranche of students, a Halloween party, Guy Fawkes Night, the leaves turning, a new baby in the family......

My garden has had cottage garden borders this summer. At last I have grown my favourites- sweet peas- though I admit they were perennials; I did manage to grow a few annual sweet peas but they were a bit spindly.

Perfumed clumps of dianthus peeked out from under rock roses. while pink Japanese anenome success every year makes me think I should procure the white variety too.

I've got some bonny roses of all different types tucked into all the borders. The heads of the campanulas - a gift from my friend M - hung lower, more vivid and heavier this year.

What sort of a gardener am I that I don't know the names of some of my plants? Maybe you can tell me their names.

These are lovely and seem to grow in most aspects BUT they flop all over on the ground.

These are about the only flowers I have managed to grow under beech trees; the bees adore them so I dare not weed around this clump as it is usually alive with insects who may think I should be attacked and I learned my lesson last year!
Nearby under the beech and bird station are the hostas which burst a terracotta pot last year so got planted out; inspite of the perimeter 'fence' I made of crushed eggshells, it is obvious that the slugs have made a meal of them.

The rest of the perennials are as loyal as ever eg astilbe and long-flowering peace roses.

I have resorted to troughs of geraniums these last few years as they seem to thrive in drier conditions so I don't have to water them as much as potted petunias, surfinias etc.

 Even now they are covered in blood-red heads. I might take some cuttings and grow them inside on a window sill over the winter- try and save some money in 2013.
These Spanish wall pots have survived winter and summer for approximately 25 years; I do not like begonias but they have done me proud this year- perhaps courtesy of D's nettle concoction.

After the excitement of Newcastle's drawn game with Everton, I can not keep my eyes open; or maybe it was the TWO loud, late-night parties on consecutive nights behind us- I wish they had invited us to whatever the celebration was!!!!