Autumn colours

Acer rubrum 'Somerset' at Frank P. Matthews., Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire.

Populus alba 'Richardii' - this is fresh, healthy foliage of this amazing poplar, with the gold beautifully set-off by the white undersides.

Sorbus rosea (a.ka. 'Rosiness'). Large pink fruits, but unfortunately the leaves drop early.

A speaking engagement in Shrewsbury took me south on Thursday and I took the day off on Friday to visit Colesbourne. Plans changed slightly so I found myself with a morning to spare yesterday, but was able to occupy it very satisfactorily with a tour of the outstanding tree nursery Frank P. Matthews of Tenbury Wells, where a lot of things drew my attention (some are above). A slow crawl across the width of Worcestershire took me to the always inspiring Cotswold Garden Flowers for a brief visit, and then it was up the Cotswold escarpment for lunch with Sibylle Kreutzberger and then on to Colesbourne. It was a little odd to be back after leaving two months ago, but I was able to collect a lot of plants from my former garden, and help the new senior gardener at Colesbourne Park, Chris Horsfall, with some queries about snowdrops - and the place is as beautiful as ever, with the first snowdrops just in flower.

Michaelmas daisies at Cotswold Garden Flowers

Nerine bowdenii 'Marjorie' at the Garden House, Condicote.

Rudbeckia triloba 'Prairie Glow' - a lovely selection from Jelitto, but plants are either annual or biennial, so the display is a bit uneven. This was planted last year at Sycamore Cottage.

The border at Colesbourne Park: this is the view featured in my post The Big Border Replant of 14 June.
It has done quite well.

The border from the other end: Salvia 'Indigo Spires' and Helianthus salicifolius 'Bitter Chocolate' are conspicuous.