Reconnecting: The autumn garden

Today I spent most of the day gardening, reconnecting with my garden, seeing what needs cutting back, what has died, and what has thrived. This nerine is a spectacular one; I found it hidden under a pentstemon. The picture doesn't do justice to the flower, as it has a glittering quality when the petals are viewed close up, as if real golden glitter had been stuck to it. 

My autumn favourite, the white Japanese anemone (Anemone hupehensis) is coming to an end now. If I chose an flower as my personal emblem, it would probably be this. It is graceful, sophisticated and airy, and tough as boots when established, needing little in the way of water or fertiliser. A great filler for shady areas, it can be a bully in the garden, albeit a beautiful bully. The clump in the front garden in particularly huge, and looks wonderful against the autumn colours of the Azalea behind it. I did have the double pink version too, but it didn't prove to be as hardy and has now disappeared.

I spent quite some time cutting back and pulling out aluminium plant (some sort of Lamium?) which has gone crazy and threatens several plants with extinction. I planted crocus in the pear tree bed with paper-white jonquils which will look nice against the rough bark of the pear tree. 

Easter is a big gardening weekend for us in New Zealand. The autumn clean up starts, with the bulb planting, the planting of the winter vegetable garden, and more harvesting too - the late harvest, cranberries and crab apples, quinces and walnuts and chestnuts. "The days that make us happy make us wise"