David

Otherwise known as an echinops.

This one grows regularly by the footpath entrance to the Smestow Valley Railway Walk from Alpine Way, Compton.

This picture of a rather ragged michaelmas daisy was taken, by coincidence, on Michaelmas (St Michael’s day, September 29th).

I made a recent visit to the Shropshire countryside to see if there were any new fungi for the autumn. But all I managed to spot was that these sandy stiltballs were still going strong.

Exotic trees often produce the strongest colours of autumn. The tree of heaven originated in China.

Its leaves turn a subtle mix of yellows, oranges and even pinks.

The large flower or seed head of this one shows it is a female tree.

One set of creatures which have benefited from the long spell of wet weather has been slugs.

This one was sliding along the canal towpath near Compton in the middle of the day a couple of weeks ago.

Another gift from the new world, and now a common garden plant. It seemed like there was at least one raindrop still resting on every petal of this group of flowers.