in the garden

We have so many garden spiders at the moment. Out front, while doing some deadheading, I counted 7 without even moving my head. I'm quite happy to have spiders in the garden, although there are, as you know, times when I accidentally walk into a web, which is not very pleasant. Was saved from this recently when I opened the back door - I paused to see how heavy the rain was - and in that pause noticed the huge face-height web which had formed overnight across the doorway.

So, yes, I was doing some deadheading, and re-staking cosmos. The cosmos have really taken off now, splaying about cheerfully, with my needing to rein them in frequently. A week or so back some stems partially broke off in the wind and rain, so I cut them back and then rescued the best looking flowers to display inside:

They looked so lovely and vibrant.

I had to compost them the day before yesterday; they still looked good but were spilling pollen everywhere, which wasn't so good. The bees are loving the late source of nectar outside however. Our front garden looks very colourful despite it being October - in fact I think it looks particularly good at this time of year. The cosmos in vibrant shades of pink and burgundy, frothy pink and white achillea swaying amid golden rudbeckias, and the deep pink of the sedum in between. The potentilla is having a second flush of flowers. All this on a very small scale of course, but I'm pleased with the effect.

The birds are beginning to be more active in the back garden now, visiting the topped up feeders.

Today: 5/10, high