September light

Today was one of dramatic contrasts: heavily overcast, grey and drizzly all morning – with a couple of hours of heavier rain thrown in for good measure – followed by that dazzling light you get in September when the sun shines from a clear blue sky onto a garden still full of summer-nurtured colour and texture. I always associate the jewel-like intensity of light that we enjoyed this afternoon with the passage of a cold front. Here, close to the coast, the fresh Atlantic air is clear and crisp and though the days are rapidly shortening as we hurtle towards the equinox, the sun is still high enough in the sky to flood the whole garden with light and warmth and it feels like summer has stolen a day from winter.

I raced around with the camera and captured a few appropriately jewel-like plants and butterflies.

Red Admiral and Small Tortoiseshells on Sedum spectabile

Red Admiral – an iconic autumn butterfly that actively migrates south

The clump of Colchicum autumnale featured in yesterday's post stretches out to the sun

Miscanthus sinensis 'Flamingo' with Aster, Patrinia and Sedum

Aster amellus 'King George'

Also out in the sun were a very tatty end-of-season Silver-washed Fritillary (amongst the latest we have ever seen of this quintessential ingredient of summer in our garden), Speckled Woods and Green-veined Whites. A Herald moth (see post of 9th September) fluttered out of a cupboard in our utility room (possibly thinking "Hurrah! It's Spring!"), while Southern Hawker and Common Darter dragonflies continued to patrol the ponds and woodland edge.