I love the #gardenjournal challenge on HIVE. It's sweet, and simple - just post about what's going on in your garden. Organised by 
The end of October and early November is usually sheer joy for Victorian gardners, where their garden explodes into colour, baby birds leave the nest and tomatoes are planted traditionally on Melbourne cup day, the first Tuesday in November. I've dutifully done so, and more besides - cucumbers and zucchini are in the ground and I've even got some vegetables growing in the greenhouse. We've noticed the fruit trees, including the elder, are bigger than ever before, casting shade over a once hot as hell expanse of nothingness. Amazing what can happen over ten years.
I'd usually post a lot of photos about it, but I feel like I've done that before - a lot, because I truly love this challenge, especially at this time of the year. But this month I want to crow about two things in my garden I'm enjoying tremendously - irises, and the newly jazzed up fire bath. I posted about the mosaicing I did last week, but yesterday we tidied it up and built a bush pole four post frame around it to drape fairy lights and hang shells and bells - a kind of hippie corner of the garden I delight in. I love sitting in the bath on a warm summer's afternoon, watching the sun go down and the moon come up and the birds come in to nest. It truly makes my heart soar.
The irises have thrilled me this year. I'm not a flower person, really, but I adore irises - they are bold and spectacular. Many years ago Jamie and I bought one at a market, and it sat in our front garden and didn't do anything at all. It was too dry, perhaps, because when I transplanted it to the back garden it went crazy, and every year I'm treated to these stunning displays.
This led me to pick up some yellow and orange irises that came via a gardening group, and last winter I planted them thinking: next year, I'll see these from my kitchen window and they'll cheer me up. And promptly forgot about them - until this year, when they exploded in sunny happy colours. Now I'm gathering irises whenever I see anyone give them away - not plain purple or white, that are common, but more unusual sorts that make people go - wow, those irises.
I just wish the season was longer!