A whole field of flowers, this is a ripening rape field, was a mass of yellow a few weeks ago, now it's the most wonderful mix of wildflowers, with poppies being the dominant colour.

This was the one I almost posted as the rose.

Ahhhhhhhh, ache,,,,,,pang,,,,,,,ahhhhhhhh

Oh Terry. How picturesque! I've been hearing about a walking tour across England. Have you done that? Anybody besides me interested in maybe doing that next year? And, this new section is a good idea. There is a plant I want to post a photo of, if I can find one still in bloom (the plant not the photo).

Friend of mine did walking tour of France last year, she said ya really need to be fit and in good shape.
She did Provence this year - not a walking tour ;-)
Then there's always the crawling kind ... when the walking reverts to crawling ... out of desperation or just between pubbies ;-)

Never been on a walking tour Carolyn, but there are lots of set walks of varying lengths, to suit all levels of fitness, and these are located all over the country. I'm more with Maggie, short walks with plenty of liquid refreshment stops.

Maggie --

I just received literature from:

"HF Holidays -- Guided Walking Holidays and Short Breaks, Leisurely Countryside Rambles to Strenuous Mountain Walks."

They have some wonderful literature with walks in Britain, in Europe, or even some areas of the US (not much here, though). Some of their tours also include special interests -- photography, art, dancing, horse back riding, writing, wine, bridge -- just for starters. On those tours, you can either do the "special interest activities" or choose to walk, on any given day.

Check out the website:

www.hfholidays.co.uk

The catalogs are fun to look at, whether you decide to go or not!

Pooks

The internet really is like Alice's Restuarant, isn't it? What a neat link. I bet you've got Caro backing her bags already Pooks!

Yep, Maggie, "You can get anything you want" on the internet. And yes, thanx Pooks, I've already read everything on that walking tour website. Hopefully, by next year, I'll have found some "hired hands" for my farm so I can take a nice holiday.

Caro -

Request their catalogs. They arrive quickly (love that Royal Mail!) and have a lot of photographs and information!

Growing wild with all this rain, but still in my garden, well most of it is, but rapidly heading for the neighbours. Clematis Orange Peel, the flowers turn orange with age. I would guess at perhaps 500-1000 flowers by the time it finishes in September/October.

Notice the rain drops on the leaves, boy have we had some of those in the past few days.

I love it! Anyone know if it grows here? (My now standard response to Terry's photos)

I love it too Caro and WANT ONE! Spent a lot of time trying to find a US retail source for it or even report of someone growing it over here - no luck. Please let me know if you come across a supplier for it. I could find references to it and a few really bad pics of it, but none as gorgeous as Terrys. Did find the real name - Clematis tibetana ssp vernayi

Some ref I found had labeled an 'Orange Peel' as the above, but I now think Terry's might be C. tangutica or one of its finer cultivars.

I have C. tangutica but the flower shape is different, I think Orange Peel could be a C. Orientalis cultivar or as you say Maggie, a C. tibetana variety. Tanguitica is a good one though, and probably more widely available, C. serratifolia is also very similar.

Welcome home Terry! Hope you had a good trip. Who took care of the livestock while you were gone?

I used to have a wonderful clematis supplier on our Links page. When I clicked on its title, the url took me to a rose supplier with no mention of clems, so I thought we'd lost it for good. After fiddling with it again last night, I found where they moved the clematis page. They have both kinds above and a lot more that I would love to try. Warning, Dangerously tempting list !
Chalk Hill Clematis

Speaking of wild things and clematis, I seem to remember you telling me you grew a Texas native clematis Terry. I was wondering if it was the true species of one the hybrids. The link above has a few Texensis crosses. Here is one (Duchess of Albany)that BJ brought me this year. It is still young but growing rampant.

that was supposed to read 'true species OR one of the hybrids'
Really must proof these posts better !

I have to confess that it is one of the hybrids, but you got so excited when you thought it was the species that I hadn't got the heart to say otherwise. :-)
Don't ask which hybrid! When it flowers later I shall check it out and let you know.
You should see my posts before I triple check them Maggie, but you know me by now, nothing ever gots pist the turd chuck.

Thought I would post this to cool off all you overheated Texans/half Texans.

It is Loch Eck near Dunoon in Scotland, and I think the most beautiful Loch. It is about 9 miles long and about one mile wide, with tree covered slopes to both sides and a lovely pub called the Coylet with bright red chimney pots, about halfway along the road to one side of it. The shot shows a typical Scotland misty morning.

Oh thank you Terry ... Nothing could look more beautiful to me right now! I'm going to make it my screen wallpaper for the next 2 months. Wish I could paper the house walls with it. Its gonna be over 100 all week and no clouds.

OK, I'm outta here. Have passport, on way to Scotland. David, you better get out here and feed the pigs while I'm gone.

Not much in the way of autumn colour yet bout my way, but the fungi are putting on quite a show...how about this for the next Disney character?

Better than anything from Fantasia! I want to draw big round eyes on it!

Tres cool, Terry.

As you have probably guessed by now we have had more than a little rain, here in England,this year. Three years ago a large pond was excavated in our local woodland, through which flows a small stream. It has now matured and brought a little bit of the Everglades to my part of the world. As I took the following photo I fully expected an alligator to surface and break the calm. The floating plant is Myriophyllum aquaticum or Parrot Feather, not a native around here but sold for use in garden ponds. Someone must have dropped a bit in. Five months ago the whole of it would have covered perhaps a couple of square feet, so it is a fast spreader even in our rather cool summer. I think it is that lush growth that gives an almost tropical feel to the shot.

Upon reflection (small play on words) I should have taken the shot higher to show the trees that are mirrored in the water.

It's O.K. Terry we forgive you!!! Oh, Sorry I have to rush off to the plant swap.....Gee, wish you were here!!!

Now don't you be worrying about me, David J, I'll survive....

Oh how I loved seeing this thread again. All these soggy pictures must have woven Terry's spell to bring us rain. Let's not let it lie so low again for so long - Keep sending us water scenes Terry,,, they say the drought plans to stay for winter. At least we can sneak in here for some fantasy fodder and positive thinking!

Its a beautiful shot, Terry. I love the reflection of the trees on the water, even if the tops cannot be seen. If the Myriophyllum aquaticum is not native there, will it survive the winter? How cold does it get in your area?

Terry, I think your photo might be more appealing the way it is - with the tall trees only reflections. This adds an element of surprise. Thanks for the great picture!

Thank you all for the good feedback. The Myriophylum is borderline hardy, will only survive the milder winters, Carolyn. Last winter was our mildest yet, temperatures only dropping to about -4C and that was only for a day or so. A more usual cold spell is perhaps -10C, but it can get down to -15C, although it hasn't been that low for a long time.
The thing I found with the photo, Susan, was that I kept looking to the top of it to see what was being reflected in the water.

As novel a piece of scenery as it is, I must admit that I hope the alien plant doesn’t survive the winter there Terry, because it reminds me of the Water hyacinth Eichornia crassipes that I have seen smothering waterways in Mexico. Out of its natural bounds, upsetting delicate balance, it grows thick and rampant to a solid cover over the surface, destroying the water-dwellers' food sources until it is the soul inhabitant.

Course if that one does make it thru till spring, you can always call in the Council to eradicate it, or borrow some fishing waders for a DIY job cause I know what a grand nature conservationist you are. :-)

The Water Hyacinth is sold over here in enormous quantities each year as a summer bathing (as opposed to bedding) plant. That one cannot survive even our mildest of winters, so no problems there. As for getting on the waders...err, nope the ground there is mostly clay and I would imagine wading in would then require a crane to drag you out of the mud.

Terry's Oct pagesare up and what a feast!
You really did capture that pond beautifully the next time Terry and the fungi varieties are amazing. I too adore their colors and designs as much as any flowers. Love your art works of them too. As always, I have a ton of comments and questions about all the entries.

Made an hour trip this morning to view them. The acers are spectacular and can you believe that fuschia lives outside! Let Terry a surprise warning in his guestbook.

or left...once again fingers going faster than the mind.

Better just go and check out that surprise, up to this afternoon I hadn't had a hit for four days, even went in myself yesterday to make sure the hit counter records were working. Don't worry about those fingers Gail, I type real slow and still outpace the brain.

I shall watch out for you next time I visit the pond Gail. Are you one of those with the gossamer wings or the one with pointy ears and hat to match? Whichever remember the toadstools are for sitting on, and not for eating. J

Questions Maggie? now you're making me nervous, you don't think I actually know anything about what I put on my site. Didn't you see me struggling to name the fungi?

Your successful garden belies your lies Terry ;-) I have a good fungi field guide around here somewhere. Think it is a Peterson - doesn't get much use in Texas!
Can you handle this one... grin... When do you usually expect your first frost? Here, we use a roulette wheel.

Thank you Maggie for not pointing out to Terry that I'm definitely wearing a hat to cover my pointy ears!

Also, Terry, how much time to spend in your garden during a week?

Maggie, we had our first frost about two weeks ago and had second one this morning, we also have no idea what to expect. One year I was walking on a beach the day after Christmas day in warm sunshine wearing a T-shirt. In another year I had 4 inches of ice on my pond in mid November.

Gail you can spend as much time as you like in my garden, in fact I could use somebody to tidy it up a bit right now, do you have the required webbed feet?

I suppose you heard that 3000 people were told to leave their homes in York on Friday, the river peaked at 17 feet 8 inches above normal and just 2 inches short of topping the flood barriers. Even worse weather is forecast for the next three days. Great to hear the experts and government putting this down to global warming, two years ago we had a drought water had to be transported in tankers, that too was put down to global warming. Next if we have an exceptionally cold winter I expect that will also be attributed to the greenhouse effect. I accept that there may be some changes in the weather pattern, but throughout history there have been climatic changes.

Sorry folks I was digressing a bit there, now where was I? Oh yes, how long do I spend in the garden each week? It varies with the seasons Gail, but on average I would say about 6 hours per week. When the garden was new with lots to plan and develop it was nearer 20 hours. These figures don't include piccy taking time.

Aha now I know who that was on my garden cam with pointy hat and ears - eyeing plants to yank, were you? Be careful when you invite her to tidy up Terry ;-) She might just clean you out realll good, considering that new border she's working on.

Yes, we did get coverage of your floods on telly and the sandbagging and evac of poor beautiful York - so sad. The report said the water hadn't reached that high since 1625, but then I considered the terrain and populus would have been a lot less then too.

It has been raining hard all afternoon and evening today with promise of more to come. So rare for here. Drought followed by flood. Having a nostalgia moment everytime the kettle boils - the kitchen windows fog up just like my Auntie Ada's cozy house :-)

Time in the garden is the same with me too Terry, in that I spent many more hours out there weekly, making the garden than I do maintaining it now. There are spells of longer wkly hours, such as when bed clearing and mulching time comes or if I opt to make a new bed or rebuild an old one or have gone on a new-plant binge. But one seasons routine chores are in direct relation to how well I have tended the garden the previous season. If the pruning is timely, then the next session is shorter, if the beds where mulched early, there is less spot watering in summer, if the soil is enriched the plants need less foliage feeding... on and on. So if I get behind, it costs me double the time to amend my failings. The way it works here when I get behind, is that one or more areas go neglected till I get to them. I never reccommend that one single person should keep this many beds without hired help. Our lot is double or more than most average-homeowner's lots around here. I dread to think what I would have installed over the years if we lived on acerage! Hopefully I will have some maintainance help here one day. Either that, or the beds will be decreased as my abilities do. Maybe Gail knows of some pointy eared gardeners who would work for mushroom lodgings. Better make that plastic mushrooms.