When I wound up the bathroom blind this morning there was no frost on the lawn. That was good, as I'd finished putting most of the tender plants under glass for the winter, but not quite all of them. As I scouted round for stragglers I found the Lotus berthelotii still sitting on the patio. In case you had forgotten, this is a trailing member of the pea family, with striking burnt orange flowers and fine silver leaves. I'm glad it didn't get caught, as I am fond of it and the garden centre where I found my original plants a couple of years ago didn't seem to be stocking them this summer. I'm sure I could track one down somewhere, but it would be easier to hang on to the plant I've already got. In fact, given how hit and miss it is finding them for sale locally perhaps I should try and make some more.
I Googled Lotus berthelotii propagation, wondering if you could take cuttings since I have never observed my plant setting seed, and if so whether I should have done so in August. Top of the search came an old article by Carol Klein for the Telegraph, suggesting I could keep on taking cuttings right through the winter. Maybe for the sake of ten minutes' work and a small pot of compost I'll give it a try. If I get round to it.
Once the postman had been it was time to carry the Henchman round to the front face of the Eleagnus hedge, to cut the top along the side of the drive. I keep thinking there is just one more day's work with that hedge, without ever finishing. It is like the philosopher's arrow that covers half the remaining distance, and then half the remaining distance, and so on, and never reaches the target. Of course the afternoons are so short now the clocks have changed. I got up at a more sensible hour this morning, and was preening myself that by half past eight I'd already cooked a batch of scones, but then by four o'clock it was getting dark.
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