The garden faced its first frost of the fall last Saturday (October 6th).
About average for us (as far as the date) but bittersweet as always....
Occurring just as many perennials were producing a few new buds (above Clematis 'Hagley Hybrid')
and Phlomis 'Russeliana'.
'Sweet Autumn' Clematis had almost finished blooming (above photo taken earlier) but forecasts with predicted lows of 23 (!!) mean work for the gardener had just begun.
Pots of tender tropicals made the journey indoors, pouting all the way.
Remaining vegetables were harvested with sighs at all the lost potential left on the vine.
It sounds morbid but final rounds were made throughout the garden to say goodbye for another year. Does anyone else do that?
Particularly sad for blooms like anemones which had only just begun to open.
Lavish bouquets were cut & gathered.
'Abraham Darby'
Only to wake & see the garden was spared. Wonder of wonders. A light frost, taking out only the tenderest of annuals.
Thank you Mother Nature ~ however prolonged it may be...
You will get to enjoy those late fall bloomers for longer now. At least you weren't caught by surprise, and you are ahead with bringing your tropical plants indoors.
I've considered planting some fall anemones before, but I think our growing season would be just too short for them here. As it is, the tall Actaea usually just manage to get some bloom time in before the season ends.
Posted by: Northern Shade | October 12, 2012 at 07:31 AM
Light frost, heavy frost, they both take out a little of the garden. Glad your blooms can hold on for a little longer. Sure does mark the end of summer.
Posted by: Janet, The Queen of Seaford | October 12, 2012 at 01:18 PM
I say good-bye to my plants before a frost too. Not morbid at all, though it is a little sad. We will probably get our first frost in the next week or two.
Posted by: sweetbay | October 12, 2012 at 09:40 PM
We had just a light frost here also, it was nice.
Posted by: Victoria | October 13, 2012 at 05:20 PM
Callibrocha is a real workhorse around here. One year it lasted until a killing freeze in December! My common geraniums can take a little light frost too. But impatiens are real wimps. All you have to do is give them a cold glance and they wither and die!
Posted by: RobinL | October 14, 2012 at 01:27 PM