Anyone who watches the weather knows it doesn't always follow a calendar system ~ if it wants to act like winter out of season, it most certainly will. That's exactly what's happening here tonight ~ with 2" of snow predicted to be on the ground by morning. Mercy, it seems early!
At least we have warning, right?? Which means the past two days were spent readying the garden for a blanket of white. You know it wasn't all work tho ~ of course time was taken to capture some last bits of fall!
'Autumn Brillance' Serviceberry for one. This year it got the chance to truly be brilliant:
As opposed to last year when everything froze and turned brown.
Above: The front garden (past it's peak) but the colors really were magnificent.
More pumpkins....
Made even better with the addition of a certain special black cat!
The last of the containers (to be overwintered) were dragged indoors, including Buddleia 'Orange Sceptre' still in bloom:
Another "goodbye walkabout" was conducted. Feel like deja vu???
It does to me too.
But this time, it's for real ~ or at least that's what we've been told. Three nights in the lower twenties should absolutely do it.
A lone, self-sown petunia (under the mugo pine) ~ barely opened just to face certain death:
for even the overhang won't protect it from this cold.
and I wonder about the ornamental kale too...
Fairy garden pieces including the little birdcage below were also collected (a pink geranium bud is in the background ~ maybe I should have saved it too??)
Despite big plans, a genuine fairy garden never got created this summer. The pieces just got stuck hither & yon. Next year for sure.... Gardening is good for that, right??
btw, I told myself I wasn't hauling SO MUCH inside this year but now it feels like the same amount (or more??????)
I really do "need" that greenhouse!!!! ;-)
Loving your orange and pinks Kathleen. Oh I hope you do not get that nasty white stuff yet.
Posted by: Lona | October 25, 2012 at 03:44 PM
I almost forgot. Not to worry about the red delphinium seeds. They could very likely be sterile. Thanks for trying though I really appreciate it.
Posted by: Lona | October 25, 2012 at 03:45 PM
It's a good thing your 'Autumn Brilliance' got a head start on its autumn change, so you could enjoy the colour before the brown stage.
Kudos to the optimistic petunia, naively flowering as if it's spring.
It's always fun to have plans for the garden to work on, like your fairy farden. It gives you something to plan and anticpate over the winter.
Your Halloween cat display is very life-like.
Posted by: Northern Shade | October 25, 2012 at 05:18 PM
Your garden is so magical no matter what, Kathleen. Shouldn't Ornamental Kale do just fine in the cold? I planted some this year, so I hope so. Your weather sounds exactly like ours--except for the snow!! Thankfully, ours is just a cold, windy rain...well, maybe snow would be better. (Did I just say that?)
Posted by: PlantPostings | October 25, 2012 at 09:33 PM
Your Autumn colors are divine. Yesterday we had snow... but hey! Not so bad. It provided a great photo op for the few remaining blooms to strut their stuff.
Posted by: Carolyn | October 26, 2012 at 06:37 AM
Hi Kathleen! I saw snow in Colorado on the news this morning and thought of you. Hope it stays away from you for awhile still. I haven't been blog reading for awhile but had to look through some of your last posts and see your pretty flowers. I feel like I've been so busy with kids I didn't really get to enjoy my garden the last month or so.
Posted by: Catherine | October 26, 2012 at 04:20 PM
Envious of your Serviceberry, love its spring blooms as well.
Hard to think snow is on the horizon for so many....yikes.
Posted by: Janet, The Queen of Seaford | October 27, 2012 at 04:07 PM
Your serviceberry is truly brilliant! The wild ones we have here usually get leaf spot and so don't color that well, although some years they do turn a bronzy yellow.
What are the woody plants in your front garden?
Posted by: sweetbay | October 27, 2012 at 10:19 PM