The weather continues to play tricks on the garden – the plants are confused; is it spring? Certainly the roses, Hemerocallis and Photinia think it is; even the Quercia ilix have put on considerable new growth in the last few weeks, the colour of the new foliage is very obvious.
A bright green halo of new growth on the holm oak
R. Rhapsody in Blue also smells wonderful when I pass
R. mutabilis
Rosa mutabilis hasn’t had as many flowers as this since spring.
Hemerocallis are full of flower
Hemerocallis are full of flower creating the same combination as in spring with R. Molineux – this is the rose that really does believe it is spring it has so many flowers and buds I can hardly believe how lovely it looks.
R. Molineux is pure yellow again, in summer it was apricot coloured
R. China rose is growing so well; I had decided to move it but it is now growing so well I don’t want to risk losing it, perhaps it would be better to take some cuttings and when I know I have a safety net I can risk moving the parent plant.
Cerinthe major purpurascens certainly thinks it is spring or at least not autumn as sometimes it does flower very early in the year when it is still winter.
Cerinthe
On the other hand, the walnuts and fig have now lost most of their leaves so they know that winter is not so far away.
autumn grasses, red new growth on the Photinia, no leaves on the walnut and fig, Perovskia flowering again
All the grasses are doing what is expected of them in autumn – that is looking wonderful with the low sunlight shining through them.
Miscanthus with Abutilon in the background
The strawberries are still providing a few tasty mouthfuls and the flowers promise more to come.
Rain has fallen this week, but more as April showers than the heavy rain of autumn (we have been lucky, you will have seen on the news the terrible floods that there have been in Liguria, Tuscany and in Torino); but the temperatures have remained very mild, still no need for central heating, so the question remains “Is it Spring or is it Autumn?”.
Creating my own garden of the Hesperides 
Our Rosa “Rhapsody in Blue” also put on a second flower show a few weeks back. It must be the mild weather. We have other roses still flowering and a clematis. We may be in for a cold sharp shock soon… Your garden looks lovely with the airy grasses and the roses.What would your garden normally look like at this time of year, Christina?
Usually by this time we would have had some coldish weather, although the really cold weather is usually in January and February. The autumn rains normally fall in September so the second spring as it is sometimes called happens in September or early October; this year it is happening now. Christina
Everything is crazy at the moment but its exciting to see things out that should not be out until the other side of the Winter. Just hope that when the cold does arrive it is not a short sharp shock. I have earmarked a place in the garden for a Rhapsody in Blue.
IKt sounds strange I know, but one of the things I think important about a rose is how the flowers dies! Rhapsody in Blue changes from deep bluey purple through grades to grey mauve, all beautiful and the perfume is divine. It is recommended as flowering well in autumn. Christina
The poor plants are so confused Christina, your roses and grasses are looking super, especially Rhapsody in Blue. Our roses are still flowering, they just don’t want to stop, but primroses, cowslips and epimedium – I ask you – what is happening to our weather?!
As you say poor confused plants, I even have a flower on a Philadelphus! Christina
I have only a handful of roses, and they are all blooming again now, including My R. mutabilis, which is really pretty. Your Rhapsody in Blue is amazing. I must do some research to see if it would be suitable for me. I would love to have one!
It has been weird this year but my garden has definitely gone autumnal now as the nights have got much colder. I love your roses and you are so lucky still having strawberries
I really wish I was asking that question. Autumn barely even touched down in Niagara. Snow is predicted for tomorrow. Your roses look beautiful, mine are withered and brown. They look so sad too.
Christina – please tell your MIL we all felt weird when we first left comments, we think – I don’t know her, can I just jump into the conversation … Hullo Christina’s MIL … you are one of my 9 out 10 silent readers, always in my mind when I blog.
As Gail says – ‘as always the comments are an excellent read’. It is the comments that bring a post to life.
I agree, the comments are why I post – to get feedback, advice, answer to questions.
Wonderful roses, crazy weather! I too have roses blooming, and at the same time autumn colour on the magnolia and many of the perennials. I love that autumn grasses photograph, such lovely textures.
Yes, crazy is the word I’d use. Today was much colder so it is autumn now. Christina
It is now the middle of November and we still haven’t had a frost which is unusual. I have a very strange mix of plants now in the garden with hellebores flowering under my acer covered in its autumnal colour and primroses flowering closeby. I’m still picking stocks and the odd carnation from the allotment. I’m just hoping the buds on trees don’t start to open because they will only be damaged by the inevitable frost.