The first good frost arrived this week and blackened the dahlias. How quickly things can change, one day there are beautiful blooms and the next morning blackened and wilting plants. Never mind, we can look forward to a good show next year.

I bought some Wallflowers on Saturday morning from a market stall, someone I have known for many years who has a smallholding. To grow Wallflowers properly you need to sow the seed and transplant the youngsters into a nursery bed during the summer ready to move into their spring flowering positions in the autumn. I just do not have the space to use as a nursery bed so this is the best option for me. Thirty six well grown plants cost me £3.00 which is a bargain when I think how much the seed would cost me and them the time spent pricking out and then planting in the nursery.

The thrush managed to keep possession of the Mountain Ash berries until Sunday. He has chased off all comers all week, birds that he would normally be bullied by. However on Sunday six magpies arrived together and that proved just too much. I am sure he will be back, I hope so anyway as he is such a beautiful bird. I make no excuse for showing another picture of this beautiful tree one week on when all the leaves have turned.

I have fallen behind in the garden as Sunday was going to be the day when most work was done. The day started grey, damp and cold and stayed that way. There was no point in trying to do anything, the soil was wet and sticky and foliage everywhere dripping wet. I would only do damage to the soil structure, better to be patient and wait for a better day.

There is still so much to do and that can be done at this time of the year. Vegetable garden planning for next year can begin now and we can look at November as the end of the flower garden year or as the time to prepare for next year’s flower garden.

The cucumbers in the greenhouse are coming to an end now. There are still a few to eat but only small ones. No complaints, they have been plentiful and tasty again this year.

An observant reader emailed me to say that I had written that we had made apple chutney this year but no mention of making the tomato chutney that I have mentioned in the past. The reason is that all our tomatoes ripened this year where in previous years we have ended the season with enough green ones to make that delicious chutney.