As the seasons ebb and flow, so too does the ever-changing beauty of our founder Lucy’s cottage garden. Each month, she shares quiet musings from among the borders - small joys, new discoveries, and the gentle rhythms of nature as they unfold. From the first unfurling petals of spring to the mellow glow of autumn, these notes offer a glimpse into a garden forever in motion.
The summer brought the longest spell of dry weather I can remember, the whole landscape, and the garden with it, turning to a dry crisp. The longed-for rain that arrived with September has been such a relief – what a tonic to see the garden spring back to life so quickly. It feels like a small miracle that everything is suddenly green and a little wild again – just how I like it.
September always feels like a good moment to pause and take stock of what has brought me the most pleasure in the garden this year. A front-runner among the newcomers has been Rudbeckia subtomentosa ‘Henry Eilers’. Each stem carries an abundance of flower heads, with the daintiest petals in a bright sunflower yellow that have been instantly cheering. It’s become a new favourite to cut and bring indoors, too – a little of the late-summer garden to enjoy inside.
The strawflowers are another source of joy, now beginning to dry but still bringing plenty of uplifting colour to the garden. They’ve been a firm favourite of mine for the past few years, as lovely in their fading form as when they first bloom. As their centres become more exposed, they seem to draw in an abundance of butterflies and bees, filling the garden with life that feels all the more precious as the season changes.
The Japanese anemones have appeared early this year, perhaps unsurprisingly after the long spell of intense heat we’ve had. Their arrival is always so refreshing and their timing immaculate – just as much of the garden is beginning to fade, they seem to do quite the opposite, springing into life just when they’re needed most.
