Renishaw Hall Gardens in September

When I arrived at Renishaw Hall Gardens the opening line of John Keats' famous poem To Autumn could not have been more apt for the scene I saw in front of me. Indeed it was the very definition of the 'Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness'.

On the front lawn the gardeners were busy tidying up piles of brown leaves.

The mulberries are beginning to ripen with visitors encouraged to help themselves to a taste of one of them. Just the one mind!

For a more exotic touch in front of the hall the lemon tree is also bearing fruit. When the gardens were laid out over 100 years ago Sir George Sitwell was inspired by gardens in Italy.

The herbaceous borders behind the house are certainly past their best now but as autumn comes in some of them have a second life at this time of year.

Not everything is looking like it's time for the garden to be put to bed for the year. The Bottom Terrace is still a riot of colour.

Around the fountain the pink lilies and fuchsias mingle in with each other.

With so many flowers still out the insects are making the most of it.

I wasn't the only one who was taken by the White Garden. Two artists had set themselves up by it and were busy sketching away.

I didn't have a chance to go down to the Woodland the last time I visited and so I missed the hydrangeas that are down here. I wasn't going to leave before I went down there this time. Some of them are showing their autumnal colours now but the petals are still in perfect condition.

For others the bright blue stands out in the morning gloom.

Not every plant knows it is autumn. This rhododendron seems a little confused.

I thought this was going to be my penultimate visit to Renishaw as originally they were going to close the gardens for the year in October however when I arrived I noticed a sign saying they would be opening in November. Hurrah!