Tag Archives: autumn gardens

Autumn: A Time To Gather and Prepare

Gone the heat of summer days

and fear of fires raging in the hills.

Autumn is my favourite time of year,

a time to gather firewood, to stack the heaps

against the wall of my verandah.

A time for clearing out the wardrobe –

Sew a button on that coat, polish boots and

hope my last year’s trousers haven’t shrunk.

 

With warmer clothes come fluffy slippers,

electric blankets, water bottles, an extra doona on the bed.

We check our home heating – electric, gas

or good old-fashioned fire.

We clear the gutters, store away the barbecue

and summer’s other chattels.

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Autumn and Liquid Amber

Crepe Myrtle

Autumn is my favourite time of the year in the Perth hills. Morning air is crisp and dew is often present on the well established plants in my garden. In the last two years I’ve added a few trees for the colour of their leaves, when the summer flowers have finished.  This Crepe Myrtle is only a year old, but already it brightens the little court yard, giving me a lift when I open the curtains each morning.

Chinese Tallow

 

My Chinese Tallow will eventually grow tall, but already it glows in the setting sun as the leaves slowly turn from green to this amazing red.

 

 

Then there’s my Liquid Amber. I have grown one of these in each of my gardens over the years, but the cooler nights up here have made this specimen the most stunning of all. A few years ago, when compiling my poetry collection, ‘Friends In My Garden,’  I wrote this poem for a friend who was an excellent clothing designer, creating gowns for weddings and balls.

I hope you like it and as always, please share it with your clever designing friends.

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