I love autumn

We dropped the children at school and decided it was time for an autumn walk through the Botanic Gardens – that’s the joy of working from home.

Isn’t that the most beautiful tree with a heart in? I had to squidge through the mud to get a photograph, even though I have to admit at this point that I was in my slippers. They sort of look like UGG boots, if you squint.

My mum called whilst we were walking.
‘I’m taking photographs in my slippers in the Botanic Gardens’ I said.
‘Try not to get them muddy’ she said. (In the manner of someone who has given up even pointing out that sensible people would go home and get shoes first.)

Here there be dragons. Admittedly they’re fairly tame, being carved out of fallen trees, but nonetheless quite scary.

Look at this: the formal beds, all ready to be planted. I’m tempted to guerrilla garden them and seedbomb it with wild flowers.

And hurrah, look: the cafe. Open even at this time of the year and serving the best bacon rolls around. Except up here they’re not rolls, they’re barms. I’m still learning the language.

Hydrangeas grow like mad up here. I’ve never managed to grow them at all, so next summer I intend to fill the garden with them. (Reports to follow. I’ll probably manage to be the only person in Southport who can’t keep them alive.)

I love this sign. There’s something awfully British about it.

Still flowering, the verbena is beautiful.

More hydrangeas (yes, I was tempted to sneak one or two home to put in an autumn arrangement).

I think it’s time for my quarterly ‘this is my favourite season’ statement. I love autumn.

And I couldn’t resist this because it was absolutely crying out for a caption. I love ducks.

{don’t forget there are two more days before the Martha Stewart giveaway – if you haven’t entered, go and leave a comment now!}

And if you have a moment, I’d love it if you’d vote for Tales from the Village here: all you have to do is click – and you can vote once a day now until the contest finishes in a week’s time. I know voting competitions are a bit grim but it would be lovely to get word of the blog spread as widely as possible before my book is released on Kindle in January.

thank you very much.

The End.

(phew, that was a long one.)