Autumn is creeping ever so slowly across the garden. The foliage on the sycamore trees is gradually turning brown and every day there is a new sprinkling of crumpled leaves on the drive and in the wood.

I notice that despite all the rain and cooler weather we have had recently the lawns are still not “greening up”, the dried patches of grass are still, well, dead looking. It really depressing to look out of the bedroom window every morning and see a miserable half dead lawn. So far I have tried slow release fibrous chicken manure and reseeding but neither seems to have worked, hopefully a mild autumn and rain might have a better affect.

On a more happier and less grumpier gardening vein, spurned on by the threat of increased fuel and food prices I am trying my hand at growing winter vegetables with an aim to saving some money. So far, I have sown pak choi, wild rocket, spinach, winter peas and cos lettuce.

I have also purchased young plants of Kale, Cabbage and spring onions. The plants are growing in containers, the others I will plant out at the base of the cane fruit. The soil is very fertile there, it is well mulched therefore not affected by slugs and snails. I have even planted a few chitted potatoes in a container; I shall be interested to see how all progress.

My rose/autumn winter border is very colourful; the roses have more or less finished flowering and now most of the colour is provided by kalimeris, heucheras, rudbeckia Goldstrum plus a few others.