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| This morning's sudden frigid temperatures. |
We had our first killing frost last night. I'd been dreading it because the flowers were still so beautiful, but we don't get to tell Mother Nature her business.
Some illustrative scenes from my gardens: Before (a few days ago), this morning in frost, and After (this afternoon after the sun rewarmed and destroyed the structure of the plants):
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| Before: My delphiniums, starting their third flush of bloom. I was hoping they'd flower more fully, but I don't think that's going to happen this year.... |
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| Frost this morning... |
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| After: Not so pretty this afternoon. Cosmos totally done. |
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| Before: Another part of my front border, a few days ago... |
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| ...and today. Over and done. |
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| Zinnias and a surprise reblooming iris in my North Border a few days ago.... |
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| ...and voila! Fifty shades of grey this afternoon. |
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| The Rainbow Border a few days ago (sorry about the harsh light -- the longer autumn rays make it hard to take photos of this west-facing border). |
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| No harsh colors this morning, only frosty shades of black & white. |
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| Dahlias and snapdragons and zinnias in the Cutting Garden a few days ago.... |
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| P.F. -- Post Frost. |
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| I couldn't find a recent photo of the four o'clocks, so here's one from back in September. They weren't blooming as much recently, but they still retained their structure yesterday... |
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| ...but not after this morning. I was shocked by their total collapse today. I hadn't seen the rose bushes between the four o'clocks since July, but now they're the only things left standing here. |
There are still a few flowers going: the snapdragons and bachelor buttons are cool-season annuals here and they hardly look touched, but nearly everything else is down for the count, at least for this year (in the case of perennials). Time to pull out the annuals so I can plant some more bulbs in their place.
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| At least a few flowers will keep going inside for a little while. These geraniums looked so floriferous that I brought them into my kitchen to enjoy for a time before putting them in the basement to overwinter. The hibiscus will stay in this spot until next summer. (Sigh. I like the sound of that already: "Next Summer." ) |
Time marches forward and stops for no one; certainly not for the flowers. It's time to move on to different things. Thanks for reading! -Beth
Frost, we should have that by now too, but I think we go to the tropics, because we had again a wonderful warm day with temperatures till 18 degr.C.
ReplyDeleteLucky you! I hope you are out enjoying your lovely warm temperatures while you can. Winter will be here soon enough for most gardeners. Thanks for reading, Janneke. -Beth
DeleteThe end of the growing season is always sad, Beth. You have documented it beautifully. We haven't had a killing frost in PA yet, but the biting cold wind was brutal today -- couldn't garden or take photographs. They have snow in Maine, so we shouldn't complain. Like you, I am already dreaming of next summer. P. x
ReplyDeleteThanks for your nice comments, Pam! We had a biting cold, windy day here today too -- a good day to stay inside and read garden blogs -- but not, as you point out, as bad as others have it. 'Till next summer.... -Beth
ReplyDeleteAw, Beth, it's tough isn't it? The beauty isn't gone; it's different - and soon you will have a season to rest, and to plan. Take care my friend! We got our hard freeze Sat. a.m. as well. Time to put the garden to bed.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your sympathetic words, Beth. You're right: we have to go through winter to get to spring again, with all the exciting new beginnings and growth that spring brings. (I just wish winter didn't go on quite so long...). Hope you're dealing well with your own post-frost gardens and getting ready for winter (during all your momentous changes this fall). Thanks! -Beth
DeleteIt must have been a shock to see your beautiful flowering plants in such a state because of the overnight severe frost since it's much easier to cope with a change in the seasons when the temperature is more gradual and you're prepared for frost and 'the dying of the year' in the garden. Your photographic record is very interesting and I hope your remaining plants that are indoors will give you pleasure as you plan your Spring planting.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Linda. It did seem rather sudden, I'll agree. I didn't expect it to get quite that cold for the first frost -- I thought perhaps it would get below 30F, but not all the way down to 20F. Oh well, I guess we don't get to control the weather... :-) Thanks for visiting! -Beth
DeleteWe hit 32 degrees but haven't had a frost yet. I'm impressed that your cosmos was still blooming. Such tough plants. :o) Winter gives us a break and a chance to rest and pursue other passions. But by the time spring breaks I'm half outta my mind with energy to get back in the garden. :o)
ReplyDeleteI know; aren't cosmos great? Long-blooming, easy AND beautiful. And I'm totally with you by March 1st: ready to be outside growing things already -- but the weather rarely cooperates with me... :-( Hope your winter is short and mild. Thanks for visiting! -Beth
DeleteSad to see the flowers go. Mine were dying back without the killing frost which anticipate tonight.
ReplyDeleteYes, very sad -- I commiserate with your frost woes -- but it gets all our flowers eventually, doesn't it? (At least those of us who garden above Zone 10....) Thanks for visiting, Donna. -Beth
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