Joy in the garden

'Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness' is the opening phrase of John Keats' poem 'Ode to Autumn', and wandering through the gardens at RHS Harlow Carr brought it to mind. There were all sorts of ornamental squashes. Those above almost looked like melons but I think they were some kind of marrow. 

A blackboard showed the huge list of things ready to be harvested, its accompanying display reminding me of the Harvest Festivals we used to have at school and at church. Nowadays fewer people have gardens growing such an array of produce and, anyway, we are asked for tinned and packet items for the foodbank. Gone are the days when the elderly of the parish used to receive a few carrots and an onion! 

Elsewhere, in the alpine house, specimens are displayed at their absolute best. With no pests to bother them, the tiny plants have perfect flowers, like this pretty yellow cluster. Sorry, I didn't write its name down. 

This one amused me, even more so when I saw what it's called: Oreocereous trollii or 'Old Man of the Andes'. (Isn't nature wonderful? There's such a glorious extravagance of different varieties of plants.)

Someone had given this little troll an autumnal crown - and that made me smile too. 

Lastly, a young tree standing on its own in the sweeping lawns was beginning to blush, wearing its own autumnal crown. The exact place I wanted to stand to take a photo was unfortunately right in the middle of a flowerbed - not recommended - so I had to settle for a closer view that meant part of the tree was against the sky.