As is to be expected in autumn, the weather flip flops faster than Liz Truss between sunshine and storms. However, unlike a politician, the flowers make beauty in the sun and provide food for the late insects as long as they can. My rosemary is covered in flowers and bees and the white michaelmas daisies are loud with life.
However it is the cosmos that are the most eye catching of all in their colourful, striking simplicity. Looking into their flowers with my phone camera I am reminded of my A- level Biology. Male and female are represented in the same glorious bloom and pollen is both shed and received as time turns the petals from perky to limp. I apologize for the “Carry On” style allusions, but watching ancient comedy films and observing the garden are increasingly important to my sanity these days!
I also found this worrying looking female spider just outside the garden yesterday. While I normally embrace all wildlife, I have to admit that this one made me shudder utterly.
Cathy's real country garden 
I’ve still got cosmos and Michaelmas daisies flowering on the plot, and there are plenty of bees around as well. I’m not keen on spiders. xx
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I try to find them interesting but some are just too creepy! Xx
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Eeek, that spider! Now, I would never do anything to harm them, but some of them are huge this year and they are all dangling across garden arches and pathways! Beautiful photos of cosmos. Mine too seem to be having a panic that winter is coming and are flowering like mad. I’m ever so pleased with my double white cosmos called Psyche White. It’s a reliable one with long stems for cutting. I tried the peachy one last year that everyone was raving about, but it didn’t do half as well for me, so I won’t grow it again. Karen xx
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I am always surprised by how well they keep in little flower arrangements.
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Very true! 🤣
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I loved seeing the flower details (and hearing about them buzzing with loud life–a beautiful turn of phrase), but I scrolled quickly over that last photo. I think arachnophobia survives in most of us, at least to some extent.
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It is something very deep seated! I found this spider’s hairiness particularly disturbing!
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I love my late season Cosmos. The Goldfinches are regularly stripping out the seeds several times a day so although a lot of the flowers are past it and the plants are drooping, I cannot cut down the untidy plants. I have searched the Web for dwarf Cosmos but what they call “dwarf” are still pretty tall in my mind. Have you heard of any short forms? Amelia
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No, but I think they exist. It is an amazing flower for bees and birds 🌸🌸
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