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🐶🖤🐶🖤🐶‘It’s Murphy Monday!’ Murphy Mondays have involved over the years haven’t they? Gone are the Mondays when I’d be re...
12/10/2026

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‘It’s Murphy Monday!’

Murphy Mondays have involved over the years haven’t they? Gone are the Mondays when I’d be reporting on his mischievous behaviour. Like the time when he chewed a huge hole in our brand new leather sofa, or when he decided to go AWOL from his playpen by digging a crater in the lawn, and the time when he disappeared on our walk, only to eventually turn up with one of the farmers fence posts in his mouth. I could go on and on. 🫣 Each Monday I had a tale to tell, I could have reported daily in those days!

Did he tire me out? Of course he did, he nearly broke me. Murphy is our fourth cocker spaniel and he had more mischief in him than the other three put together!

Am I glad I persevered? Absolutely I am, he’s a beautiful boy, of the very best temperament and he’s loved very much!

So, Murphy Mondays are now more about sharing the best bits of our weekly walks, due to him becoming rather sensible after five years of waiting. I’m sure there’ll still be the odd tale to tell, he likes to keep me on my toes too much. In the meantime I hope you enjoy these from last week.

Did you swipe to the end, if not, please do. Didn’t he do well with those Nosey Neighbours 🐮?

Erm …… Well I did have to cut the video short. Unfortunately he let himself down at the very last minute, just as we got to the farmhouse of course! …… it was a shame really, that video could have gone viral! 😬🐶🫣🐮😂



Yorkshire countryside, autumn walks, countryside walks with my dog, walking with Murphy, peaceful countryside, Yorkshire countryside views, autumn woodland walks, rural life in Yorkshire, country lanes and woodland, dog walking adventures, cottage life in Yorkshire, beautiful British countryside, nature walks, slow living, country living, woodland scenery, autumn in the countryside, peaceful outdoor moments, life in the Yorkshire countryside, dog lovers, countryside photography, seasonal walks, rural Yorkshire life

🩷💜💚💜🩷It was all change in the garden yesterday …. The geraniums which have been flowering away in their terracotta pots ...
11/10/2026

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It was all change in the garden yesterday ….

The geraniums which have been flowering away in their terracotta pots on the patio all summer, have now all been moved into the greenhouse for the winter.

I’ve taken them out of their terracotta pots and replanted them into old plastic pots for their winter stay. Which means I can reuse my lovely terracotta pots for something a bit more seasonal.

This year I’ve chosen pansies to bring a fresh splash of colour to the patio. They’re all potted up and ready to brighten things up as the days get shorter and the temperatures start to drop.

And the geraniums? They’re all settled into their new home in the greenhouse, where I’ll keep an eye on them over the coming months.

I honestly love spending time in my greenhouse. The radio on in the background, a bit of pottering about, looking after my plants… it’s one of my favourite places to escape to. There’s something so relaxing about it, especially at this time of year.

Gardening really is about looking ahead as much as enjoying what’s flowering now.

So, summer geraniums out of sight for winter, and pansies taking their place. A little change of season here at The Little End Cottage. 🍂

Are you bringing your geraniums in for winter, or do you grow yours as annuals?

I’ll be doing another post soon about cutting the geraniums back for winter. They’re still so pretty at the moment that I couldn’t make myself give them the chop just yet!

Happy Sunday everyone 😀



Moving geraniums into the greenhouse for winter ~ overwintering pelargoniums in the UK ~ autumn patio planting ideas ~ planting pansies in terracotta pots ~ preparing a cottage garden for winter ~ greenhouse gardening in autumn ~ caring for geraniums over winter ~ seasonal container gardening ~ English cottage garden ~ autumn flowers for pots ~ cottage garden inspiration ~ new gardeners ~ learn to garden ~ pansy ~ pansies ~ autumn planting ~ gardening

💚🏡💚🏡💚We had the first nip in the air here yesterday, a little reminder that autumn is definitely here and the weather is...
08/10/2026

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We had the first nip in the air here yesterday, a little reminder that autumn is definitely here and the weather is due to change, perhaps become a little normal for this time of the year. The weatherman even mentioned a light frost!

I was up with the larks this morning, actually before them I’m sure, I have a busy day ahead with one thing and another. It could even be dark when I have to walk Murphy. That reminds me of when I used to work. We didn’t have Murphy then, but we had two other cocker spaniels, Bertie and Oscar. They certainly knew what it was like to be out each morning at 5:15am, walking in the dark, during the winter months. I’m watching Murphy still snoozing, he doesn’t know how lucky he is, but he’s going to get a shock very soon! 😂

Anyway I digress …… now where is that crochet hook?! 🧶

Happy Thursday everyone!

PS. I’m not crocheting all day by the way! 😂







Yorkshire cottage garden ~ English cottage garden ~ country garden ~ Yorkshire countryside ~ cottage garden inspiration ~ English country garden ~ rural Yorkshire ~ cottage garden ideas ~ garden tour ~ traditional cottage garden ~ country living ~ garden inspiration ~ autumn garden

07/10/2026

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Yesterday I told you about the year tulip fire broke my heart… today, I’m sharing the tulips which made me so happy to have them back in our garden again!

After yesterday’s post about the tulip fire disease, which devastated my tulips four years ago, I’ve had so many lovely messages from people. ☺️

And so many of you asked about the beautiful, healthy tulips in the photos …
“What are they called?”

So I thought I’d share them properly. 🌷

The collection included:
🌷 Tulip Aveyron
🌷 Tulip Black Parrot
🌷 Tulip Holland Chic
🌷 Tulip Merlot
🌷 Tulip Queen of Night

These are just some of the tulips I’ve grown since then, and they’re a little reminder that a gardening disaster doesn’t have to be the end of the story.

Two years after the tulip fire, I was planting tulips again… and thankfully, I’ve had some beautiful displays since.

Sometimes it’s good to share the good news as well as the bad.

And after yesterday’s tulip fire story, I thought we all needed a little bit of tulip joy!

Have you chosen your tulip bulbs yet? …….
If you have, don’t forget, don’t be in a rush to plant them! 🩷🌷🩷



tulips ~ tulip varieties ~ tulip collection ~ spring bulbs ~ planting tulips ~ cottage garden ~ English cottage garden ~ spring garden ~ tulip inspiration ~ beautiful tulips ~ tulip fire ~ growing tulips ~ UK gardening ~ Yorkshire garden ~ new gardeners ~ cottage garden flowers ~ container gardening

🌷 The tulip mistake I’ll never make again…Four years ago, I made what I thought was a perfectly sensible gardening decis...
07/10/2026

🌷 The tulip mistake I’ll never make again…

Four years ago, I made what I thought was a perfectly sensible gardening decision. I planted my tulip bulbs in mid-October, along with the rest of the spring bulbs I’d chosen.

Unfortunately, we then had a very warm start to winter, and when spring arrived, I was horrified to see that my tulips were growing in the strangest way. The leaves were distorted and marked, the growth looked completely abnormal and I had absolutely no idea what was happening.

After some research, I discovered it was Tulip Fire - a fungal disease that can affect tulips.

I had to burn all the affected tulips, remove all the compost and thoroughly sterilise the pots. 😩 Thankfully, I hadn’t planted any in my borders, otherwise the problem could have been much worse.

It was a gardening lesson I’ll never forget!
These days I don’t rush to plant my tulips. I wait until we’ve had at least three good frosts before I plant mine and even so I wouldn’t plant until the last week in November at the earliest.

Tips on how to prevent tulip fire:
🌷 Don’t rush to plant your tulip bulbs. Planting later means that the bulbs are less likely to spend weeks sitting in warm, damp conditions.
🌷 Give the bulbs good growing conditions. Choose a spot with good drainage and plenty of air movement.
🌷 Give them breathing room, don’t plant the bulbs too close together.
🌷If any of the bulbs are soft to touch, don’t risk them, throw them.
🌷 This one is REALLY important. If you spot signs of tulip fire remove the affected plants and burn them.

I’m sharing the photos in this carousel because if you’ve never seen Tulip Fire before, it’s useful to know what you’re looking for.

BUT most importantly, if you’re planting tulips this autumn, hopefully my mistake will save you from making the same one!

Have you ever had Tulip Fire in your garden?



tulip fire ~ tulip disease ~ tulip bulbs ~ planting tulip bulbs ~ when to plant tulips UK ~ tulip fungal disease ~ tulip gardening tips ~ spring bulbs ~ cottage garden ~ UK gardening ~ tulip problems ~ new gardeners ~ learn to garden ~ gardening challenge

🐶🖤🐶🖤🐶‘It’s Murphy Monday!’Misty mornings, woodland paths, beautiful trees, sheep in the fields and, if we were very luck...
05/10/2026

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‘It’s Murphy Monday!’

Misty mornings, woodland paths, beautiful trees, sheep in the fields and, if we were very lucky, a glimpse of deer both near and far.

There’s something rather special about this time of year. The woods are beginning to change, the mornings have that beautiful misty softness, and every walk seems to reveal something different.

And, of course, Murphy is never far away … with a log or two!

Just a few moments from our walks over the past week. Nothing planned, just beautiful countryside, fresh air and a very happy dog.

Which is your favourite photo?

Happy Murphy Monday everyone 😀



Yorkshire countryside, autumn walks, woodland walks UK, misty morning, English countryside, cottage life, country walks with a dog, working cocker spaniel, autumn in Yorkshire, rural life, trees, sheep, deer

💚🩵💚🩵💚 And just like that… they’re growing up and walking their own path.A very early Sunday morning after a sleepover at...
04/10/2026

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And just like that… they’re growing up and walking their own path.

A very early Sunday morning after a sleepover at Granny’s and these two were off to rugby training. 🏉💙

It feels like only yesterday they were tiny enough to carry, and now they’re disappearing down the garden path in front of me, heading off on their next adventure.

How did they grow up so quickly?

I know this path will see them walking, running and racing down it for many years to come… but I’m going to treasure these special moments.

Sunday mornings, muddy boots, rugby training and two very special little boys. ❤️

Have a lovely Sunday everyone ☺️



grandsons ~ growing up too quickly ~ grandparents and grandchildren ~ Sunday morning ~ family memories ~ childhood memories ~ rugby training ~ country garden ~ cottage garden ~ garden path ~ Yorkshire countryside ~ country life ~ family moments ~ making memories ~ autumn garden ~

🩷🩵🏡🩵🩷October cottage garden ….. believe it or not! I removed some of my geraniums from my summer pots earlier in the wee...
03/10/2026

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October cottage garden ….. believe it or not!

I removed some of my geraniums from my summer pots earlier in the week, and they’re up in the greenhouse now until next year. I couldn’t bring myself to do the same to these just yet, they’re enjoying this beautiful weather far too much!

Happy Saturday everyone. We have Max 👦 and Finn 🧒🏼 going for a sleepover today, wish me luck! 😀🥰

What do you have planned?



Geraniums ~ roses ~ cottage home ~ gardening ~ autumn garden ~ October ~ Home sweet home ~ cottage garden style ~ English garden ~ country ~ rural garden

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