“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the Autumn.”

When I started to garden, I knew nothing. The evocative names and romantic nature of roses was appealing and enticed me to focus mainly roses: the array of styles, colours and perfume was addictive. The first year after planting, the roses have demonstrated their true nature and the idiosyncratic way they fill the garden spaces….

“As I leave the garden, I take with me a renewed view. And a quiet soul.”

The last time I wrote, we were sailing towards Dunedin along the coast of Southern New Zealand. Several weeks have slipped by, and the all-too-familiar rain and windy weather marked our last week onboard, thwarting our plans again. Instead of garden walks, roses, and majestic trees in Dunedin and Tasmanian gardens, extra days were spent…

There is a harmony in autumn, and a luster in its sky.”

After several delightful summery days in Tauranga and Mount Maunganui in the North of New Zealand, we have turned south, and just like that, Autumn arrived. The tree-lined driveways at the wineries we visited are now glowing with burgundy and golden leaves. Mornings have been cool, yet the temperature gauge rises in the afternoon so…

Life In The Autumn Garden

Many hours have been spent in the garden this week. I’m taking advantage of the cool mornings that allow at least five hours of gardening before the sun’s intensity becomes too hot. It is cathartic, cutting back summer growth and pulling weeds so tall in some spots they were up to my shoulders. The word…

To everything there is a season. 

Autumn, the crème de la crème of all the seasons, in my view, has arrived. I suspect the hot days may continue in the afternoons for several more weeks. Still, the hint of Autumn days’ freshness, clarity, stillness and beauty is apparent every morning, and it is magic. Autumn’s arrival may appear disappointing as summer…

“A garden isn’t meant to be useful. It’s for joy.”

The garden landscape is taking shape and starting to look more like a “proper garden”. Whilst working on mulching and preparing for next season, it is a delight to see the new rose blooms opening, probably for the last time, I suspect, before winter. Although it’s not a mass floral display like the abundance of…

“Autumn has always been my favourite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale.”

Autumn has been gentle this year arriving ever so quietly, bringing days that are sheer perfection; hardly a breath of wind, bright blue skies, crisp morning air with days of such clarity it takes one’s breath away. April has been remarkable leaving me thinking how fortunate we are when nature offers days like these. The…

“Autumn paints in colours that summer has never seen”.

Autumn is here in all its entirety. A sudden change in light, skies clear and the chill of first frosts. Glorious with no rush or panic, unlike Spring, that holds that feverish sense of haste. Autumn is a quiet time, a chance to make grand plans and dream of all the things that the slow…