We know people talk a lot about the weather all the time in Britain. Even a couple of centuries ago you could expect the same. As Samuel Johnson wrote back in 1758: “It is commonly observed, that when two Englishmen meet, their first talk is of the weather; they are in haste to tell each other, what each must already know, that it is hot or cold, bright or cloudy, windy or calm.” Perhaps it’s a consistent topic of conversation because it just keeps changing – like this November. But is it because it’s predictable or unpredictable?
I mean I wasn’t actually surprised that it was raining today. Nor that the skies were just an awful shade of grey. A day when the dampness just makes you want to have logs burning in the fireplace and a warm hot drink in your hands. A perfect excuse to curl up and read a book. Sorry I can’t work / talk / cook / run / (fill the blank) because it’s grey and raining.
But our garden has decided to cling on to some colour despite it being November.
I was reading Landscape magazine in a hot bath (as you do) and I finally found out the name of a plant in our garden which is doing rather splendidly well. Mahonia x media is also known as ‘Winter Sun.’ It’s a hybrid of a plant – Mahonia iomarifolia – whose seeds were brought back from a 1930s plant expedition in Yunnan, China. 
The Evening primroses have been flowering since early summer. And here they still are in our November garden.
When I was out in the garden today between downpours, I suddenly spotted this shrub with fruit. It’s Japanese quince!
I still haven’t dared smell the stinking iris and it’s orange berry seed pods. The name says it all.
Pinks and purples are still flirting among the leaves and shrivelling autumn shrubs. There are still some Japanese anemones and geraniums in my flower beds although they’re losing petals fast.
The roses are still blooming! But I’ve noticed that some just don’t seem to be enjoying being in a November garden – perhaps due to the unpredictable weather?
Daisies still manage to make an appearance as well as these red beauties. 
At least I know the Mahonia x media shrubs will still be adding colour to our garden all through this month of November. Oh, I hope it stops raining.
that fruit looks a bit quince-like doesn’t it? love all these colourful shots.
Yes I’ve confirmed they’re Japanese quince!
I have really mixed feelings about all Mahonias. I love their colours but dislike their spikiness and I want to neaten them up. You see I prefer my plants soft and rounded – spiky ones put my teeth on edge LOL
That made me smile Rosie! I really like them as they’re adding colour while the weather gets greyer and greyer by the day!
The weather has been odd hasn’t it, but at least it’s given us something to talk about 🙂 I’m loving all the autumnal colours this year. That fruit could be an ornamental quince? I think I’ve a shrub like it, the flowers are a reddy-orange with a yellow centre.
I’d so love some rain, I’m currently in South Africa and everyone is talking about the weather and waiting for the rains to start which are late this year and there is a water shortage, I’ve given up waiting for rain in Dubai, it rarely happens
I can’t believe how many beautiful flowers are still out considering that we’re in November. The colour for the time of year is incredible. I guess we have to make the most of this while we can.
The longer they stay the better Izzie!
I do love that there is still so much colour around but I fear we will soon be gripped by a huge frost and everything will be left a brown sludgy mess. I’m probably very wrong but the fruit looks a bit woke a Japanese quince.
I’m waiting for a frost to come soon. One good thing is that the Winter Sun plants can apparently withstand very cold temperatures and even snow so they should provide colour and flowers until the end of the year!
I’m impressed that you still have so many flowers. Our last late summer flowers have had their day now and everything is looking very damp, dead and dreary. Roll on spring (or maybe I should just plant a better selection of Autumn/winter plants).
I’ve been surprised how many are still doing well – I didn’t even include lots of my rose plants which are still budding.
I really do love the autumn garden with the mixture of colours and there is such beauty in the yellows showing through the misty mornings. I’ve had the wood burner on a lot and been enjoying days by the fire, time to start reading the mountain of books that I have accumulated. Gorgeous pictures.
Every day I plan to order some wood for our wood burner but still haven’t as I too love curling up with a book in front of it in the winter!
PS. No idea on the fruit but of it helps my in laws have the same there and they dont know either!
It was an unexpected discovery just wish I knew what it was!
Oh I wish it would stop raining too, although it does make the colours pop our a little more, the pink seem deeper, the purples stronger. That Winter Sun plant is striking, the yellows reminding me of gorse. Beautiful photos Kriss as always! Thank you for joining in again 🙂 x
It’s quite an amazing shrub and the flowers just showed up this week. Was so chuffed to find out finally what it was! And thank you Annie 🙂