Garden Diary – Where did November go? Flu, frost & newts

I thought as we’ve slipped gently into December – where has the whole year gone too!! – I’d better get you all caught up with November!

Unfortunately, I picked up a flu type virus which I’ve been finding it difficult to shake off, so despite resuming life’s essential chores my blog had taken a back step. Fortunately though, I have managed to continue posting on social media for the majority of the time, so we do have a diary.

I was pleased with the gardening jobs I got done in those exceedingly mild, first few days of the month. As I picked the last few tomatoes, it was actually too warm to stay in the greenhouse for any length of time.

In between cutting down the tomato vines, I cooled down in the woodland border where I’ve been desperate to dig a few clumps of crocosmia up for a couple of years. It had never done very well through lack of light.

By some miracle I had managed to not stand on, or chop through a gorgeous little newt. They are so well camouflaged and completely freeze, so that you can hardly see them. When you find one, you would swear it was dead.

I picked it up, rigid in my hand, no sign of life. It’s only because I’ve gone through this a few times that I know it’s simply faking death. I popped it into a bit of the pond with some foliage and waited, and waited. Approximately five minutes later, it moved slightly, then shot off at a hundred miles an hour! Crafty!

We have three red leaved trees in the woodland border and as they lost their leaves it revealed the usual little nest, always in the same place. I think its either a Wren or a blue or great tit, as these seem to spend the most time in those trees. I love creating homes for so much wildlife.

The Fatsia Japonica had come into flower and was also proving very popular with flies, wasps and butterflies. I stood watching for ages as it was completely covered and was rewarded with a close-up of a red admiral.

Before the frost descended half way through the month there were quite a few late flowers still doing their bit for the pollinators. The dahlias were looking quite stunning until frozen, which turned them very quickly into sad, brown mush.

The berries fair better though, being quite happy to be frozen and thawed, over and over. I have never seen so many berries on the pyracantha hedge at the front of the house. It should keep the birds going for quite some time.

In the veg beds, I looked on with apprehension at my first ever cauliflowers, frozen solid, wondering if I should get them a blanket. I was so excited to see the curd (the bit you eat) appearing in the middle of the leaves. It feels like magic!

The kale was also frozen, but I’ve seen this many times before so I just enjoyed how pretty it looked with its pink veins.

On those bright, frosty days with intense blue skies, it showed off the remaining golden leaves on the trees, and the wonderful bone structure of the bare trees.

Together with that golden light you only get in autumn, I found myself having to stop and take photographs of the beautiful countryside, that I consider myself so lucky to have grown up in and still live in.

So on the last day of November with our health almost restored, the gardeners mate and I had a lovely few hours gardening. Weeding, tidying, and generally getting ready to say, night, night to the garden for its winter slumber. Well, apart from the 80 foot long holly hedge that’ll be needing a prickly trim!

Tuesday 4th November 2025

I took this in the beautiful sunshine on Sunday. The last few flowers on Penstemon ‘garnet’ 🌿🩷🌿🩷🌿

I meant to post it yesterday, but as it’s still Monday in Baker Island (USA) I think it can still be #MagentaMonday 😁

I picked pretty much the last of the tomatoes at the weekend. Always a sad feeling, but lots of tomato sauce in the freezer & we’ve enjoyed these for the last couple of days 😋🍅🌿

#TomatoTuesday #tomatoes #kitchengarden

Wednesday 5th November 2025

I had to rescue this little cutey 🦎 She was right where I was digging plants up. It was so lucky I spotted her as newts play dead extremely convincingly. Anyway if you want to finally see her move, you might want to fast forward 😁💦 #WildlifeWednesday #newts

Thursday 6th November 2025

I love it when the leaves come off & reveal who’s been living in your garden this year 🪺🌳🍂

#trees #birdsnest #birds #autumn

Friday 7th November 2025

The warmth of #autumn 🍂🍁🌿🍂🌿🍁🍂

#autumnfall #trees #leaves

This is from early summer, but the anemones are coming up again. I’ve only grown them for a couple of years so didn’t realise they came up a second time,I’m sure they haven’t before. How wonderful 🌿🧡💕🧡🌿 #flowersonfriday

Saturday 8th November 2025

The flowers on my Fatsia Japonica were covered in wasps, flies & a lone Red Admiral in today’s beautiful sunshine 🌿🪰🦋🐝 What a wonderful sight 😍 #wildlifegarden #butterfly #SaturdayVibes

Sunday 9th November 2025

I have a whole hedge of Choisya ternata, common name Mexican orange, variety ‘Sundance’.

Well it was dancing in yesterday’s sunshine 🌞 against the blue sky 💙 #sundayyellow #mygarden #Yellowsunday

Just think of all the goodness in this one plant of Candy-floss Kale 🥬💕Plus it’s travel miles are measured in steps 🚶‍♀️

Sown last year, eaten, cut down & here it is again, magic ✨

#HomegrownSunday What do you grow?

#growyourown #kitchengarden #food #veg

Monday 17th November 2025

I spotted this Antirrhinum growing in a friend’s path. I asked if she could save me some seeds, but she dug it up & gave it to me 🌿💕🌿😊

Something to cheer me up having just had the flu, 6 weeks after covid! ☹️ #magentamonday #friends

Tuesday 18th November 2025

Such variation of leave loss this year, with some trees stripped bare weeks ago & some still hanging onto to beautiful autumn colours 💙🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁💙 #trees #Autumn

Wednesday 19th November 2025

A little collection of ‘Mary Rose’ from a warm June day, here on a cold, but bright, November day 🥶🌞💙🌸💕🌿

#RoseWednesday

Thursday 20th November 2025

I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many berries on the pyracantha hedge. They’re really standing out against today’s blue frosty sky 💙🍒💙🍒💙🍒💙 #mygarden

Friday 21st November 2025

Frosty flowers on Friday 🥶💕🌿🌸🌿

#flowersonfriday #frosty #frostygarden

Sunday 23rd November 2025

Some frosty chrysanthemums from Friday 🌿💛❄️💛🌿

It’s been a bit warmer over the weekend with sunshine & showers 🌞💦 #sundayyellow #yellowflowers

Monday 24th November 2025

This dahlia ‘purple haze’ was flowering its head off right up until the frost 🌿🩷❄️🌞🥶🌿

#MagentaMonday #Dahlias #dahlia

Tuesday 25th November 2025

Pansy, self seeded in a pot down the side of the house. Nice surprise 🌿💜🌿

#tuesdayblue #nicesurprise #BloomScrolling

What a beautiful day! 🌳💙🪾🌞

Sometimes you just need to stop, look around you & be thankful for living in a safe beautiful part of the world.

#thicktrunktuesday #Thankful #trees #landscape

Wednesday 26th November 2025

This frosty cauliflower is the first I’ve ever grown, I hope it’s going to be ok 🫣

There’s nothing more exciting than growing your own food 🤗❄️🌿 #Homegrown #growyourown #vegetable

Thursday 27th November 2025

On this damp, grey, November day, I’m taking us back a couple of summers for something hot 🔥🔥🔥 unfortunately these Lupins didn’t reappear 🙁 #ThrowbackThursday #Lupins

Friday 28th November 2025

It’s not too late to get some daffodil bulbs into the ground. This white variety is ‘Thalia’ & they’ve thrived down in the white garden. 🌿🤍🌿🤍🌿🤍🌿 #flowersonfriday

Frosty kale ‘candy floss’ ornamental enough to be in the flower bed, with added benefits 😋🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿

#KitchenGarden #foliageFriday #homegrown #gyo #growyourown #kale #Vegetables

Saturday 29th November 2025

Welcome to the home of my heart ♥️

Half lives down on the Cheshire plains &

Half lives up in the Welsh hills

So lucky to have grown up in such a beautiful place 💘

#landscapephotography #landscapelover

A throwback to the exuberant colours of summer 💙💕💛💜 All flowers that will be coming back again next year, after their winter slumber 😴 #sixonsaturday #Flowers

Sunday 30th November 2025

I grew these Eremurus – fox tail lilies, in a bed with grasses. Unfortunately they stopped coming up.
I’m just debating whether to buy some more for a new bed next year, they’re rather spectacular 🌿💛💛🌿 #SundayYellow #yellowflowers

Happy gardening.

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