GARDENS are slowly losing their lushness as the days pass and temperatures at last begin to fall.

Flowers have lasted so much longer this year; 12 months ago at this time we were experiencing torrential rain, while this year we have had the warmest October for 350 years.

In our garden, dahlias and nasturtiums are still going strong as are container plants such as lobelia and bacupa. The strongest dahlias are two pink-flowered plants now into their third season with many flowers on thick stems a metre or so high. They need staking but have survived being left in the soil all year so can be forgiven the extra attention they need in summer.

Two newer dahlias have done less well; 'Sneezy' with small white yellow-centred daisy-type flowers, bloomed poorly with many flower buds rotting before they opened and a few opening only to show a bunch of deformed petals. A pale pink variety with large spidery flowers was attacked by slugs and has struggled to recover, but the tuber will be dug up after the first frosts and saved for next year when with luck it will do better.

Most other flowering plants have died back and it is the turn of foliage to make a statement in the beds. Euphorbia characias 'Wulfenii' looks magnificent with tall stems of soft blue-green foliage. It is a big plant, perhaps too big for our garden, where it takes up a good part of the flower bed, but a mature specimen adds drama to a border, especially when the lime green flowers appear.

Cotoneaster is a good autumn plant carrying attractive bright red fruits that last for several weeks. Birds like them but there always seems to be enough for both the birds and us, and I am often able to cut a branch or two with a few berries in tact to bring indoors for decoration at Christmas.

Ours was here when we moved and may be a seedling from a much larger shrub next door. It could be Cotoneaster salicifolius, which can grow up to 15ft and has quite long leaves. Other varieties available include C.Cornubia semi-evergreen and with clusters of large red berries, C.franchetii with orange fruit and C.'Rothschildianus' with yellow berries.

Updated: 15:47 Monday, January 21, 2002