What a funny old autumn this is becoming. Days without wind and rain are few and far between but at least the seemingly endless convoy of low pressure systems sailing across the Atlantic are keeping the cold nights at bay, though it can’t go on forever. The bedding that has not been pulled up is still covered in (tatty) blooms so there is the unusual sight of alstroemerias, cosmos, nicotiana and chrysanths all jostling for attention. The mild weather is also making spring flowers open so there is the strange combination of polyanthus in bloom in the bed next to nerines.

The two trailing rosemaries in the raised beds are covered in flowers and the darker one (from France) is my favourite, with a much ‘flatter’ habit.

Even more strange, the ‘White Giant’ zantedeschia is still throwing up flowers.

But the price of all these frost-free nights is rain. And lots of it. The lawns are squelchy and it is best if I keep off them, which limits garden work. the beds don’t have edges as much as moats.

The constant dampness has some strange side effects. I was looking at the ‘wildflower’ bed, which really needs a trim, when I noticed something strange. The old flower heads on the leucanthemums, were sprouting. These were seed-raised leucanthemums and although not really ‘ox-eye’ daisies I made the compromise and used them. They were a bit short and large-flowered but I am sure the insects were not too fussed.

Anyway, the seeds in the seed heads have sprouted, in situ, and have formed little heads of seedlings. There are dozens of them. I have seen seeds germinating on other plants this autumn – all Asteraceae – including tagetes and cosmos. But these are especially attractive. I am tempted to save some of them and pot them up before they die in the cold and if it does stop raining. I don’t really need more but it seems cruel to let them all die. But how do I choose which should live and which should die? Decisions; decisions.

zantedeschia white giant