Last H.C.Andersen rose

Standing almost arm in arm I have two roses, Hans Christian Andersen and Astrid Lindgren. They both have made the world a better place with the stories they have told.

(I am at Copenhagen Airport writing this - on my way to a week in Venice)

When I came home from work today.

I have been working so hard lately I have hardly realised if it was rain or shine. But today was my last workday in two weeks. Tomorrow morning I fly down to Venezia for a week, and after that I plan a week at our cabin with Marta. So when I came home this afternoon my eyes were ready to see something else than work issues. And the glorious garden was what met me!

I have showed you several photos of the cherry tree, here she is wearing her autumn dress.

Autumn in the sanctuary.

We never got the time we needed this summer to make the sanctuary into the Eden we had planned. Now autumn is taking over, and we are waiting for next spring. Though in spite of alot more work to be done, the corner is a good place for prayers.

Can't have enough of the maple red.

Sparkling red

The leaves will soon start to fall. I am collecting burning red memories for a long winter.

Autumn duty.

Wrong season.

A lonely dandelion (løvetann) is mixing up the seasons.

Japanese Maple

Autumn Sun

What a joyous morning to wake up to a bright, crisp autumn sun, with sun rays playing everywhere.

Fungis before the frost.

The first frost.....

During the night we had the first frost of the year. Too early of course, but I don't think it destroyed very much. Anyway these calendulas which I have in a vase on the veranda outside the kitchen were as beautiful as ever.

Almost too late for the sunflowers.

Visitors.

When Terje and I did the dishes after dinner yesterday three deers ran through the garden. They were fast so even having my camera ready I didn't get any good shoots. The first one is taken through the window, the second from the kitchen veranda when the deers ran through the garden of our neighbours.

Up with the sunrise

I was up with the sun this morning. The blue garden was enchanted for a few minutes, turned into a painting. Soon we will store the blue furniture into the playhouse for the snowy season, but still I enjoy its playfullness.

Change of colours.

Saturday morning 6.30am, warm and dry indoors, cold and a heavy rain outdoors. This autumn has given me exactly 30 minutes for sunny garden life. Those minutes happened yesterday afternoon. It was raining, suddenly the sky was totally blue and a bright sun shone, and 30 minutes later almost black clouds sailed up from the west. But I know I shall not complain - we don't have floodings, we don't have hurricanes and we have a very comfortable house. And looking out the windows can be quita fascinating when the weather is like this.

I have a window on my left side here I sit, and looking over the roof of our neigbour's house I see a small hill. In the winter a can sometimes see a moose following its track there, but for now the trees are too filled with leaves to let me see anything beneath them. During autumn I love following the change of the colours. A couple of weeks ago everything was green, now the spots of yellow, orange and red grow from day to day. Autumn is fascinating - from behind the windows.

Still some bright colours.

At this time of the year this bright flower is among my favorite plants in the blue garden. Can anybody help me with the name?

More needles.

Wind, rain and pine needles

The Blue Table

Finally a day without rain, finally a day when I could quit work early. What a perfect combination :-) The garden is crying for my love and attention, and today I have enjoyed a couple of hours out there tending some of the potted plants and removing dead leaves from the roses.

The temperatures are dropping slowly, but this afternoon it was nice enough to enjoy a cup of coffee, a book and some vanilla chocolate out among the birds and flowers. Winter will come soon enough in my Nordic garden, I am treasuring every minute of the fading colours.

Butterfly Bush

When I was at the island Tautra in the beginning of June, I found this butterfly bush in a "help yourself - nursery". The bush was still small and I had no idea what it eventually would look like, but I couldn't resist the name. "Butterfly Bush"! Could you have resisted?

I am so happy I bought it, and hopefully the name means that it will attract dozens of butterflies. This fall the weather is so wet and cold that there are very few butterflies around, but the bush has got its first flower. And I love it!

Good old Mr.Autumn

Good old Mr. Autumn is expected in The Blue Garden. Some of his luggage has already arrived. I look forward to long nights with him, sharing a bottle of wine, talking about sweet summer days, dreaming about another summer in the garden next year.

Not exactly gardenwork.....

Not exactly gardenwork, is it :-). Terje is changing a windown in our basement washing room. Poor him has to work out in the rain. I stay indoors baking a sweet foccacia for morning coffee.

Autumn rain

I have a day off work and was hoping to spend at least part of it out in the garden. But it is raining cats and dog, or rather whales and elephants, so indoor life is much to be prefered. I just came in from my daily garden walk, a very fast one today with just time enough to feed the squirrels and birds and to check my leeks which are growing. I plan to make a leek soup for dinner. And passing this pot with chives which stands right outside the backdoor leading into the kitchen I couldn't resist a photo. Rain water can be quite beautiful.

Bringing roses indoors

A little sun, alot of rain, dropping temperatures - autumn is in its way, no doubt about that. Terje is out raking fungis and mowing the grass, I have been out gathering salad and colourful herbs for yet another salad, and on my way I find a rose, I find several, to bring indoors with me and enjoy while listening to Luciano Pavarotti's grand voice.

Almost too late.

Autumn always comes too fast for me. I am still in summer mood, not yet ready for the dark and wet nights and the cold days. During my garden walk today I suddenly realized that I am too late to harvest the lavenders. Searching among all my bushes I managed to gather one bouquet, which now hangs in my kitchen.

Gardening on a rainy day.

The rain has been pouring down most of the day, with glimpses of sun in between. But there are always work to do in the garden. Last week-end a friend gave me an offshoot of a pink geranium. I have kept it in a glass of water since then to help the roots to start. But today I planted it in a small pot filled with soil.

I also cutted three fucsias and planted them close in another pot. I hope to braid the three plants together when they grow to make a thicker stem.

Now the two pots stands in the kitchen window sill enjoying the light they can get.