Motivation - how do you get it in September?

I see you have the Chinese Lantern - always a good bet for floral arrangements. Do you paint the large Opium Poppy seed heads ? Good for brightening up a dark corner I find.

 

My motivation left at least a month ago as nothing has been growing right. I'm just trying to plan for next year's garden now. I bought over £100 of spring bulbs from Farmer Gracey/Peter Nyssen at the weekend. Some of the fancier narcissus, purple irises for February and some more Snakeshead Fritillaria which were a no show this year and may, or may not, have been dug up by squirrels.

 

Sounds good. Sadly don't have any C Lantern here but grew a lot previously. I tend to use Acrylic paint on the poppy heads as I also use it on wood, clay and glass.

 

Well, it rained a little today but only enough to let my plants know what they're missing.
I tried turning the soil over a bit to let any promised rain in. Found some Spanish bluebells , hoiked them out. Left a leatherjacket. If it can survive in concrete clay, it deserves a go.
Wandered around the garden in a desultory fashion snipping the odd spent rose.
Roses have done well this year, but I remember having roses that did a last hurrah of amazing flowers before turning up their toes. I hope that's not the case this year.

 

Lucky you with the rain - not seen any for months - the only things flowering here are a few Valerians, the odd honeysuckle and, oddly enough, some winter Jasmine.

 

@Philippa . It wasn't enough to make any difference. Even the euphorbia look thirsty!
I've been watering the self seeded tomato. I don't know why. I don't even need tomatoes. It's a cuckoo in the nest. Dryopteris are doing ok. Maybe the clue is in the name. Valerians ok here too. Shady rosemary and fuchsia majellicana ok in shade but suffering on sunny side. Verbena bon doesn't give a rat's bring it on!

 

I've been looking at Persica roses online to buy in the winter. They originally grew in the desert and they grow in dry soil. I have "For Your Eyes Only" in my Norfolk garden and I'm thinking of different sorts of "Babylon Eyes" for my Dordogne garden. They are a bit shorter.
The Norfolk one

 

Shady Rosemary sounds pretty cool, what is it? I only have shady neighbours nearby, but they are entertaining.

 

My neighbours : Hyacinth enjoys snippy gardening pointy scissors floaty dress and appropriate hat. Instructs husband.
The other side: if you're not interested in gardening, why didn't you buy a flat in a tower block?
West facing rosemary, fuchsias etc doing better than east facing plants. South,I've pretty much given up and North are sniggering.

 

At the close of August .. motivation has come to a large extent from the Gaura Lindheimeri blooming their socks of and looking fresh as a daisy in scorching conditions with no watering at all. I noticed it has even self-seeded. It was supported by steadfast Verbena bonariensis, roses (Westerland second flush and a rare third flush for Chandos Beauty), and Dahlias (Bishop's children) that never looked bulkier. This helped offset a bit the forlorn state of much of the rest of the garden. A young Cercidiphyllum japonicum has shut down and has crispy brown leaves with the saddest little splotch of green in the middle if not dropped already.

 

I'm looking forward to my Filipendulas having their seed really viable, so that I can sow them and grow on for planting in the shady bed near the side gate. The cow parsley is in there, so they'll make a good partnership for successional planting, as well as adding some verticals among the other stuff.
I love it, and it's a pretty easy plant here - I have a clump near the pond, in beside the Spartina and Irises etc, as well as a new clump next to the shed - in with foxgloves and other shade lovers.

 

I must replace the miniature scented cyclamen I pooted up and put on my North facing window sill in the bathroom. They lasted for weeks and did well for a couple of years but have been been slug fodder this year when put outside for their summer holiday.
I treat tulips as annuals, have just bought my first 2 containers of bright red/orange/yellow striped ones for the back garden steps, I am going to try a demure container full of frilly pink ones by the front doo r this year. I stuff the pots full of bulbs for max. effect.
I picked some more tomatoes and runner beans yesterday, the huge pile of debris from the bramble strimming is beginning to look less daunting as the leaves die off, leaving just stems and branches. A bonfire in the making methinks. I haven't dared have one this summer, I was nervous of setting the surrounding fields alight.
I am disappointed with my later apple tree fruit. I should have thinned the fruit much more severely. The fruit hasn't grown very big and looks as if it has Bitter Pip. The fruit on the bigger, older tree is wonderfull.
Loads of 'jobs to do next' on my current list. I am spoilt for choice

 

its huge!
pick the fruit and dry them into little delicious raisin things. raw they are ok too