A spurt of energy before going away on holiday for 2 weeks this month paid off with mulching everywhere with bark, grass and gravel. On my return the weeds had not taken over entirely. Isn't it wonderful when you first glimpse your garden and think is this really mine? Then to wander round your patch bonding once again with your plants! I had persuaded my friend Sue to water the patio pots in return for 'pick your own' vegetables and there was only the fig that had decided to start shedding it's leaves ready for winter after producing 7 pieces of fruit. It did this to me once before and recovered OK the following year.

Only 7 hours work has been undertaken due to my undiagnosed fatigue and aching legs.

Patio The white Buddleia in the gravel bed is the dominant plant this month. It was described as dwarf at 4 foot but this year has reached 6 foot! However with bit of ruthless pruning underneath the bush, it now looks respectable and I can see the attractive mauve flowers of the blue-leaved Hosta 'Halcyon'. The pale blue frilly flowers of Campanula cochleafolia 'Elizabeth Oliver'although short lived are well worth their space and the clump is spreading nicely. It looks good in front of the clumps of blue grass with the stone ornament of a 'bunny' peeking out!

Right hand Herbaceous bed 2 This comes into its own this month with the pink, magenta/ white, mauve and dark wine/red Penstemons interspersed with the frothy spikes of purple leaved Heuchera flowers. Definitely the star of this bed is the blue flowers of Buddleia 'Nahno'.

Heather Bed 3 Across the grassy path the colours of the penstemons are reflected in Erica cineraria's 'CG Best' and 'Lilac time'; and Daboecia's 'White' and 'Rainbow'. With the contrasting purple of Cotinus coggria in the centre, this bed is looking quite mature. It is so easy to maintain using a bark mulch.

Bottom bed 4 This is continuing to look lush with the very architectural Acanthus producing it's first 2 flower spikes. A few pink Japanese Anemones have appeared when I thought I had only retained the white variety.

The dwarf beans have been a disaster area being ravaged by slugs. However in the same bed runner beans look promising with lots of orange flowers in evidence. Before going away a second lot of brassicas grown from seed have been planted and covered with protecting fleece. The sweetcorn have rocketed upwards, but have been overtaken by interspersed giant sunflowers. Potatoes continue to be superbly enormous and unblighted. Infact the best year I have ever known. I planted out some pot grown tomatoes before going away and they now reach over 5 feet, having produced so much lower growth earlier in the year.

Birds The Chaffinch has reappeared this month and a sighting of the Greater Spotted Woodpecker by my son. The usual birds are devouring the nuts and seeds in the holders at a tremendous rate.

Animals My next door neighbour was greeted by a fox at his front gate early one morning.

GARDEN VISITS

Local Garden Open Day We had a lovely traffic-free walk along Lamberts Lane and the canal to Mr and Mrs Nimmo's beautiful garden in Isis Close Congleton. There we met lots of acquaintences we had not seen for years and it was great catching up with their news in the sunshine, whilst enjoying a cup of tea and cake. All proceeds went to the British Red Cross.

Ropes Mansion in Salem Massechusetts and Sedgewick Gardens Long Hill Beverly Mass See article on America trip.