For me there is no season as evocative and laden with nostalgia as autumn, and poets and writers have through the ages been inspired by this time of year. In many ways it is a depressing time as all too brief summers and holidays come to an end with the inevitable back to school/work looming large. As a gardener it is even worse as you are going to see all your beautiful plants die and nothing coming to replace them. Of course, we are supposed to see it all as part of the earth's diurnal progress and the natural way of things: "See the beauty in the withered foliage and dried seed heads". Well I try, but sometimes it can be hard when gardening has to stop for 4 months of the year. This is symbolised for me when Gardener's World stops for the winter (heartbreak). But you can't fight the inevitable so I try to give in gracefully but am mutinous inside.
But despite all of that and my disappointment that summer is over (or never came in some cases) I love autumn, and today is a great example. Because it is still early in the season I'm having my breakfast in the garden still and most of my plants are still with me. The temperature is decidedly chillier but still entirely acceptable. It's the light though - Strong and yet weak, shining through the foliage of grasses and climbers to create fascinating patterns of shadows and illuminating the plants in a way that is more unexpected because of its irregularity. I think I will need to get the Photographer General out to take some atmospheric autumn photos.
Autumn - depressing and yet beautiful. Isn't that often the way?
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