Samhain (pronounced ‘Sah-wain’) celebrated on the 31st October, marks both the end and the beginning of the Celtic Wheel of the Year. Halfway between the Autumn Equinox and the Winter Solstice, Samhain is a cross quarter festival marking the ending of Autumn and welcoming the first signs of Winter. It is the third and final harvest festival, where the cycle of birth and growth comes to an end, and there is a move towards death, hibernation and a dormant phase in nature.

A seasonal shift is happening. Cobwebs glisten with morning dew, there’s a coolness to the damp lawn underfoot, and a few remaining pops of colour are present in the garden from dahlias, anemones and roses.

The greens in the trees have started to fade, red and yellowing leaves have been spotted here and there, and sycamore seeds are hanging and ready to spin to the ground.