Seasons of Mist and Mellow Fruitfulness
Seasons of Mist and Mellow Fruitfulness
The Wood of Goodwill lies beyond the Monks’ Garden and Wild Flower Meadow on relatively flat ground and is one of Geordie and my projects. Once we had decided where it was going to be planted, the question was where to start. The answer came from that wonderful piece of music, Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. We began with the trees and formulated a planting scheme which highlighted spring blossoms and bulbs towards the eastern side; with philadelphus taking the planting towards summer along with hibiscus, buddleias, cornus kousa, rock roses and hydrangeas; a different focus of shrubs for Autumn and thence down a gentle slope to the Six Sisters Walnut walk with its hints of winter.
At this time of year, it is the autumn planting that comes into its own. Some of the leaves have already fallen this year, conserving what resources they could after such a very hot summer. Others, however, have swiftly turned every shade of red and ochre, yellow and amber, golden yellows, evening sun lights, the russet tones shaded with touches of pinks and greys or fiery scarlets.
As usual, many of my planting schemes are based around people or bright ideas. I can remember my father-in-law happily showing me some Parrotica Persicaria he had planted, so I bought five of them as one of my first groups. It has taken them some time to get going but they seem happy now. Nearby is a fabulous autumn coloured Malus – a tree given to me by some friends whom I met at Eddie’s nursery school, whilst the adjacent one I gave myself as I like it so much at this time of year: a Liquidambar.
There is now a path winding through this planting “block”, lined with euonymus alatus which were planted three years ago. I have been anxiously watching them as they never seemed to grow any bigger but, thank goodness, they seem to have got my message and are beginning to get some shape.
My mother-in-law was from Wyoming and I often think of our visits there in the autumn: the smoke bushes remind me of the colours around her beloved home. Feeling like a child, I cannot help but carefully run my hand along the branch of a Stag’s head (Rhus) which have fewer leaves this year, probably due to the August heat, but which are so wonderfully velvety to the touch.
Viburnums and cornus do so well in this chalky ground and offer colour but some are also grown to block views: to make you turn a corner and find a new route or vista.
Scattered throughout are trees for autumn colour: the smart columnar shape of a yellow Dawyck’s Beech, a maple planted for Pat and Mike Withers, another in memory of Stan Anstey, a bricky. There is a long way to go but that is also rather fun. I walk round in circles (plus ca change) deciding which plants to buy and plant in the coming weeks.
Planting at this time of year helps shrubs and trees to establish healthy roots well that will run down deep into soil still warm from the summer. With little top growth to support, plants can concentrate their energy on reaching their roots down and out, creating a network that will sustain them for a lifetime.
“Go, sit upon the lofty hill,
And turn your eyes around,
Where waving woods and waters wild
Do hymn an autumn sound.” Elizabeth Barrett Browning
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62 Comments
Lady Carnarvon lovely pictures of seasons of mist and mellow fruitfulness and lovely to visit highcelere castle and you and lord Carnarvon have a lovely weekend and l am fan of Downton abbey
As always Lady Carnarvon, your photos are gorgeous! Thank you for sharing how this lovely seasonal space came together.
Bonjour,
La semaine dernière j'ai visité le chateau de Highclere. C'est une petite merveille de voir à travers la fenêtre du chateau votre splendide parc.
Merci beaucoup
Lucia (Switzerland)
Lady Carnarvon lovely pictures of seasons of mist and mellow fruitfulness thank you for the email you send and lovely to visit highcelere castle and lovely downton abbey calendars and lovely your book l have you a another book out yet
So beauitful, thank you making my day.
Dear Lady Carnarvon,
From lofty colors to a gorgeous rainbow carpet, it is my favorite time of year. I hope to visit Highclere again, perhaps in autumn, to see your wonderful work, so perfectly in sync with Mother Nature! You and Lord Carnarvon have indeed planted a legacy for future generations to admire and enjoy. Love the gorgeous photos.
In the continuing tumult of our world, you always focus on the gentle positive energy that is all around us! Please continue to be well!
Best regards,
Charlotte Merriam Cole
Lady Carnarvon,
What a gorgeous pallet of colors and imagined fragrances and touches this morning! Planting and watching growth is almost an unconscious part of our lives - thank you so much for a visioning post!! The pictures are beautuful.
Morning Lady Carnarvon,
There is nothing more tranquil than Fall Season in Merry Old England!
All the Best,
John Roberts
Tonawanda, N.Y. U.S.A.
Dear Lady Carnarvon,
the colours look spectacular, I made a note of euonymous alatus and viburniam to brighten up the open space by our little wood which we've just recently acquired. It needs a lot of TLC but reading your words and seeing the colours has inspired me.
Jane
Dear Lady Carnarvon,
I always enjoy the photos that accompany your text. The ones you have selected for today are in a class by themselves. The vivid colors are amazingly beautiful. Autumn is such a beautiful time of year.
Thank you.
This is a lovely tour through your beautiful handiwork. Thank you for all that you have added to this wood. I hope to see it in person some day.
Best wishes,
Denyse
What a lovely Monday morning post… My gardens, no matter where I’ve lived contain flowers I remember from my mother’s and my Aunt’s gardens. I have the violets from my childhood home that have followed me through eight moves. A nice connection to the past.
I so enjoy reading your blog and, I have written down the name of each plant to look it up, to learn more about them. I enjoyed my visit to the Abbey and now you allow me to visit the grounds through your writings. Thank you.
What a wonderful celebration of Autumn, in all its beauty! Stunning photos too Lady C!
Thank you
Autumn is a beautiful season!
Gorgeous colours in Autumn
Dear Lady Carnarvon,
Such a fascinating article & you know so MUCH about the trees & shrubs in your amazing gardens - you're the only person I know apart from my late Mother, who knows the Latin names of all your plants! I used to work in Dobbies Garden Centre up in Scotland, I was there for 3 years & didn't learn a fraction of what you know!
I wish you & everyone at Highclere a safe & successful Autumn - & happy gardening!
Love from
Caroline xx
Now to go to my plant books to find the trees and shrubs I do not know or cannot remember! Great picture; the framing of Highclere by autumn leaves. Thank you for reminding me of how England’s climate can support so many plant varieties. Not so in Texas!
So pleased to help inspire you!
I agree!
Thank you!
Good morning! I can appreciate your garden , creating “rooms” with the fall colours is spectacular! Here in Quebec, Canada we are treated to an amazing blaze of colour, the hills look like they are on fire!
Carolyn Dear
Happy reading!
Lady Carnarvon lovely pictures of seasons of mist and mellow fruitfulness thank you for the email you send and lovely to visit highcelere castle
Lady Carnarvon lovely pictures of seasons of mist and mellow fruitfulness and lovely to visit highcelere castle and garden are pretty
Dear Lady Carnarvon,
What a wonderful and beautiful garden! The colors are gorgeous. My grandmother would have loved this. She was a botanist and loved her garden dearly. Thank you for those splendid pictures. They made my day!
Cynthia
Dear Lady Carnarvon, Your pictures and descriptions bring me to a very beautiful place. It sounds like a place one would love to sit in peace and quiet to enjoy the wonders of nature. Autumn is my favourite season. Thank you for sharing.
Susan Kearsey
Newfoundland and Labrador
Canada
Please don't chop up pollinators. Beautiful creatures overwinter in the fallen leaves. You may be destroying eggs, caterpillars, butterflies and chrysalis along with the leaves. We suggest that leaves in garden beds and lawn edges be left whole. Where space allows, consider creating a leaf pile and allowing it to break down naturally, creating a pollinator friendly 'yard'.
Colours of Autumn are gorgeous!
Very nice photos summed up in this quote from Donne
No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace as I have seen in one autumnal face
LADY CARNARVON,
Thank you for sharing these stunning pictures, I love fall colors, I got married in October many years ago,
Best regards,
Barbara Bouchard
Long Island,
New York
Such wonderful colour Thank you Lady Carnarvon for sharing
Thank you for mentioning Antonio Vivaldi 's Autumn Concert, in fact the sound of music is the most suitable way for portraying nature. Vivaldi 's Autumn Concert is divided into three movements each of which describes the characteristic features of this season. The first, called Allegro, emphasizes the cheerful harvest festival and the banquet. The second ,Adagio molto, recalls the rest of the peasants after the fatigue of work. The third ,Allegro, introduces hunting. Highclere's autumn colors are truly enchanting and romantic!!!
LADY CARNARVON,
A lot of information in a compact article. Very nicely written.
from North Carolina,
David Reynolds
Lady Carnarvon,
Thank you for the lovely Autumn photos! We don’t see a spectacular display of color in Texas, and it is a special treat indeed.
Best wishes to you!
Stacey Brown
The Woodlands, Texas
Dear Lady Carnarvon,
What stunning photos of this special garden!
While one smoke tree is now in its full deep red here in upstate NY, the white smoke tree is in its most intense yellow-gold. The star in the "living fence" of my garden is now a Cucumber Magnolia (Magnolia acuminata) tree with enormous yellow leaves.
You have some beautiful autumn colors!
Wallace Craig
Midland Texas
Dear Lady Carnarvon:
Thank you for writing a second Monday blog.
Quite an interesting story with such vibrant pictures!
The trees and shrubbery in Southeastern Michigan are just as splendid looking as those that surround Highclere Castle.
I believe this is God's reward to us to take our minds off of all the perceived ills of today's world.
Until next week, hope you do not have to rake up all the fallen leaves (Haha).
Perpetua Crawford
From where in Wyoming did your mother-in-law hale? I'm a follower of your delightful blog from the southwestern portion. I stumbled on to this page because of "Downton Abby" (as you hear frequently, I'm sure), but then got hooked because of Lord Carnarvon and his contributions to archeology. Thank you so much for giving us all an understanding of a grand estate, and the intense labor of love they really are.
I do love a garden, so this blog was especially a favorite! Six Sisters Walnut? Love that! And I forgot that your mother-in-law was from Wyoming. How did a US gal meet a Lord from England? Anyway your blogs have grown and emerged into some great descriptive writings. Thank you for being a beacon of light in this crazy world!!!
She was from Sheridan, Wyoming
I think gardens are an excellent distraction
Thank you !
A lovely summary
It is too large to clear up - the wind does some work and the leaves are designed to fall..
You are very kind
Lady Carnarvon,
It is interesting to me that English gardens can be intentionally planned but look so "natural."
Dear Lady Carnarvon,
Fall is my favorite season for many reasons; one being that the changing colors are stunning. Your pictures are a testament to that. Our maples have exploded into a flaming red color that is so beautiful. We have been planting trees and bushes and we will be planting more this fall. It's a wonderful time of year to get out into the yard and garden.
Enjoy the colors,
Pam
Lady Carnarvon,
What beautiful images of the Vivaldi inspired garden. Such a brilliant idea. The autumn wine and orange colors are so serene.
I cannot to wait to plant too!!! just working out the plant orders
And autumn is rather amazing in New England!
You are kind - I am probably older!!!
I think I need to gather more yellows here too..
Good morning Lady Carnarvon, you live in a wonderful temperate climate as I do but in the opposite hemisphere! Now here I am enjoying azaleas, rhododendrons, emerging beech leaves and fragrant lilacs, isn’t it a blessing to experience four seasons! Yes, sometimes they may be extreme but even then we do our best to cope!
Autumn is such a warm feeling season because of the warm colors of leaves. Thank you for the wonderful, warm pictures of your trees and plants. Highclere is so beautiful every season! Your knowledge of the grounds of your estate as well as the history of your grand home always feeds my interest in history.
I think looking for a few moments at the world around - not ourselves - is good and helps us!
Dear Lady Carnarvon,
Once again you treat us to lovely images and thoughts of creating beauty in this world. I appreciate you taking the time from your busy life to bring us along with you.
MY DEAR LADY CARNARVON,
GOOD EVENING,
THE TITLE OF THE POST IS THE FIRST VERSE OF THE POEM : " TO AUTUMN " BY JOHN KEATS, BEAUTIFUL POETRY OF ENGLISH ROMANTICISM AND I APPRECIATE POETRY I READ THIS WONDERFUL POST IN ECSTASY. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MILADY,FOR REMINDING ME OF SUCH LOVELY POETRY.
VILA ALEMÃ
RIO CLARO - SP
BRAZIL
Good evening Lady Carnarvon.
I must say I envy you the spacious grounds and grand home. I like to read your blogs and your books, I only wish I could visit Highclere in person but at this point I can't. Please keep writing, so I can share in the beauty that is Highclere. Oh, by the way, I love the gin!
With best wishes to you and your family.
Respectfully,
Jayson Lambert-Roszak
Dear Lady Carnarvon:
There surely must be something deep in our basic genes that makes us get so emotionally affected by simple things like the autumn colours (or a sunset). We too, had the most gorgeous colours this year, many similar to yours, and
I couldn't take enough pictures of this free spectacle. Over the past 3 years, our area was ravaged by the gypsy moth which attacked many areas and killed many trees leaving next to nothing to see in the autumn, so this year was doubly appreciated. Thanks for sharing these beautiful pictures.
Lady Carnarvon, this really is a perfect story. Even the title is splendid. With all best wishes, Cheryl.