Another Challenge and a garden update

I've been making these crochet clips for my charity shop and thought I'd use this one to enter the latest Waltzing Mouse sketch challenge before I put it into its cello bag. I like to package every item I make differently to make a more appealing display on the shop counter and I was really pleased to sell 5 of my creations whilst I was there on Wednesday.

And I really want to post a few photos of the garden today too. At this time of year I always find the garden a bit disheartening as everything is rather overgrown and untidy. Don't get me wrong - I don't really like 'tidy' in the garden too much (how could I in my jungle!) but lots of plants really need to be cut back to keep fresh new growth coming. But I never have the nerve to chop back plants that are still flowering their hearts out - so I leave them and accept the rather wild and woolly look. So here are a few plants I think are looking good and I want to record them now so I can remember them later in the year when autumn is really here.

This raspberry was sold to me as an autumn fruiting variety but it seems to have got its seasons mixed up. However the old canes growing in the hedge since my Dad's time have completely finished whilst there are still raspberries to come on this plant.
This is one of my favourite Astrantias but I can't remember the variety. Its common name is granny's pincushion and its a gorgeous pink creation.

I planted a whole packet of borage seeds under the young blackcurrant bushes to keep the weeds at bay but they have rather taken over the patch themselves despite being so slow to start growing that I had almost given them up.

Having dealt with all the blackcurrants last week, the cherries/plums are starting to ripen - we've always thought they were cherries but they are very large cherries and someone last year said they were small plums - I'm not sure what they are now! Anyway, there are two trees covered in fruit, though much of it is far too high to pick and will be left for the birds.

The marjoram is in full flower too at the moment and is another plant loved by bees, hoverflies and butterflies. When I took these pictures on Tuesday there were 8 Meadow Brown butterflies flitting around me.
There were also Holly Blues but I didn't manage to get any of them in snapping range!

Another favourite is this tall yellow daisy - can't remember its name unfortunately but I think its related to the sunflowers. It has spread a lot this year and will need cutting back in the spring - if I remember!

I was really pleased to find the sunflowers I grew last year had seeded themselves in lots of places and I managed to successfully transplant a lot of them to more suitable spots in the garden. I do hope they do the same next year.
The white scabious is lovely - those knobbly centres are fab. The pale mauve one is smaller but has many more flowers and its another plant beloved by the bees and hoverflies.

Have I included too many creepy crawlies here and made you all run away screaming! The trouble is they fascinate me. I really enjoy watching them in the garden and I'm always taking photos of them.
And last but not least is one of my froggy friends - they are friends you know as they live near my vegetables and eat lots of slugs and snails! I've only seen two of them this year though. There were four last year.
Well I think that will do for now. If you're still with me can I thank you for your patience. And if you only came to see my challenge entry - please accept my apologies for all this! Can I say I was so chuffed to reach 60 (yes 60!) followers this week and I'm thinking of having a give-away soon to encourage you to stay with me! ;o) Watch this space next week!