A farm first … in a bad way

Here’s a first. I have nurtured every plant for seventeen years of gardening this mountain.

And suddenly my wild apple on the top terrace is in flower. And fruiting.

Both at the same time.

A lot of people have commented on this mad year. Heat, drought, a huge downpour of rain in September, and heat again.

So these poor, poor trees have decided to respond. They are flowering.

And I suspect will respond again by dying next year.

Because this stress is just so much for a poor tree to bear.

I can’t do a thing about it.

The same is true for one of my cherries.

(That’s the Creature’s feeding station in the background. Tis a bit wonky, but it’s the perfect height for my lovely neighbour to drive past, lean out the car window and give her croquettes from the stack of little jars.)

All I can do right now is photograph them and just hope they can get back into a normal routine after winter.

Shrubs in the garden are flowering too. Who ever heard of wafting Choiysia scent in October?

Autumn sedums and spring time Choiysia.

Mad.

I am always used to a few roses coming through in late September. But never this many on the courtyard shrub.

I was all set to give it a hard prune last week. It’s a sorry old thing.

Good thing I got distracted and forgot.

And how about this for a slow motion shot. One in August one in October.

Most of the oaks here suffered from heat stress so just ‘did’ autumn early. Their leaves turned brown and most dropped.

Most of the leaves are still off this particular oak. But there is new growth too.

Small leaves, green and fragile. And what on earth do they do now? Have a second autumn?

The giant oak above my potting shed is now having its spring growth.

A gorgeous sight to behold at any time. But heading towards winter?

Ugh.