Changeable weather has come in with the autumn winds. We’ve had lots of rain in the last few weeks, some sun and up-and-down temperatures. The days are shortening; at the end of the month we lose an hour of light. Well, not actually lose; we play with the clock to push an extra daylight hour into the morning at the …

The fencing is going up between us and the Gateway site as the estate nears completion. I recall the trains of concrete lorries going in as work progressed. The main ingredient of concrete is cement which in its manufacture accounts for 8% of climate change gases. At the only consultative meeting between the housing association and locals, their overuse of …

It rained hard in the early hours of Tuesday morning, with thunder and lightning too. I came into the garden in the late morning to find the rain barrels full. The pond could take no more, and was noticeably a little lopsided, the water its spirit level, the westerly end filled to the brim, and the easterly end (or fence …

We had an Indian summer through September with temperatures above average until the last few days. But the weather demon commands: Enough! No more pretending, autumn is autumn not a pretend summer. The temperature has dropped to mid teens, but at least we have no worries about water with the rainfall we are having. The cooler weather has shunted summer …

Last weekend, the garden had a green couple of days with Dr Bike in the garden helping cyclists keep their bikes maintained, a mini open gardens trail, a plant sale and a tree climate walk. Green issues and climate are much on our minds these days as we home in on November’s COP26 summit in Glasgow. The government is taking …

Over the next week, we’ll disassemble the display of plants from the continent of America. Reluctant as I am to part company with the Americana, those plants on the sleepers are becoming an eyesore. We’ll leave the sunflowers while they are flowering; the largest are over 6 feet high with their bright yellow clock-like faces. The undergrowth of butternut squash …

It rained on Wednesday, after ten dry days, with temperatures up to 30 degrees, just to test our mettle and our watering cans. Our tap was removed at short notice two weeks ago, so our water butts were on the low side. The rain has partially filled them. So we are OK for now. I am reminded of those cowboy …

Water, Snails, CCU The garden has lost its water tap. Without notice, the next door contractors cut us off. We knew this was likely but some notice would have been polite, so at least we could have filled our water barrels. The only plus point is that it is September and cooler, so there is no crying need for water. …

We segue into autumn. The garden knows it, with the seeds and the beginning of leaf fall. Though autumn has two definitions, and you may take your pick. There’s meteorological autumn which breaks the year into four sections of three months. September, October and November are autumn. And there’s astronomical autumn, with autumn beginning at the equinox, this year on …

Autumn is in the air, unavoidably, as the earth makes its yearly journey around the sun. Though the weather can make it seem as if summer is extended or autumn has charged in earlier. This year looks like we are having the latter, but we mortals are playthings of the gods, and things may yet change. It is not for …