Season of Mists and Mellow Fruitfulness

As autumn settles gently on the Clergy House Terrace, I confess to being on tenterhooks; my citrus trees decided to burst into fruit in late August. However, given the appalling weather, they have been slow in ripening - but are now tantalisingly close.

Although we are enjoying some autumn sunshine, it is weak, and the temperature has fallen notably. Already the leaves are looking pale and sun-starved.

I have purchased some portable green-houses, to take advantage of what heat and light there may be. Who knows; it may yet be oranges and lemons ( - mandarines, to be precise!).

Elsewhere on the terrace, the olive trees are producing abundant fruit, and I look forward to a magnificent harvest! Having visited an Olive museum in Greece this summer, I picked up information about what is needed to turn these into table olives; they must first be soaked in water for a week to remove the bitterness, and then in brine for three months.

Elsewhere, there is still a surprising amount of colour on the terrace. Summer bedding plants may be long gone, but the Fuschias are thriving, and several bushes give a thrilling display.

By the pond, they mix with nasturtiums, to cheer the heart on a cold day.

Geraniums seem to be indestructible, but the delicate nicotiana is still flowering.
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And, of course, the Coleus is Fabulous!
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