Autumn is around the corner

It's late August and Autumn is around the corner, as heralded by these hawthorn berries in our garden.  The lack of rain here in West Essex might have had something to do with it too.  The lawn looks dreadful although we have managed to keep alive the newer plants.  Our established Japanese anemones are suffering in varying degrees: the dark pink and white ones not so much but the pale pink ones haven't produced a single flower and the leaves are drooping.  I heard today that St John's Pond is empty...yet again.