And now a burning bush ...

After yesterday's small, potted fire - a burning bush in all its early autumn beauty on the way out of Benmore Gardens. I don't know what it is - and I confess that's because I was too idle to pick my way through the wet grass to look for its label (may return for that ...) - but it has almost-round leaves rather like the plant Honesty, and they are a wonderful reddish-brown after being a pale blueish-green.

No squirrels to be seen in the Gardens today, but at the top of the hill, as we began the descent to the formal garden, we caught sight of two small deer picking their way casually through the grass and heather between two patches of woodland. They gave us an incurious glance and vanished among the trees with no sense of hurry. As far as I was concerned, they symbolised the peace that descends when the holidays are ending and the coaches have gone from the car park.

Not that anyone from the coach parties ever makes it to the upper reaches ...