Oh how you break my heart.
All summer your vines grew and grew.
Covering the black tuteur & providing great cover for the pupating Monarch caterpillars.
As fast as you were to produce foliage, the opposite was true when it came to producing buds.
Until September rolled around.
But even after your buds appeared, they were excruciatingly slow to develop.
Did I "site" you wrong?? Not enough sun?? Too much??
Finally, in late Oct, a bloom emerged from a solitary bud (and maybe only then because I "helped" open the bud??)
However, once the calendar tipped into November, things progressed quickly:
Each day, a little more color.
Until today, the day before our first frost.
Sweet sorrow.
You see why you break my heart??
All that gorgeous loveliness, waiting ever so long to show itself....
Crushing to last only one day.
I was reading online that someone overwintered their vine in the garage.
I think I may need to try that, if the frost doesn't get it first! I want another chance for a better display....
Meanwhile, in the rest of the back garden, things are looking tranquil and amazingly green (for November) prior to our predicted freeze.
Notice Nicotiana 'Sylvestris' boldly glorious in bloom.
Sorry for the photo overload. I can't seem to help myself when it comes to late season bloomers.
Above three photos included solely because they contain my cute little Butterball ~ thanks for indulging me!
He's been my garden companion almost from the day the garden became mine. 14 years later, he's aging, with a plethora of problems, so every time I capture him (especially in the garden) it's all the more precious.
Below: random Fall photos
If it truly does frost, I promise I won't "whine" like I usually do about the garden season being over. I'm more than ready for a break. It's been a decent gardening year with a lot of overdue landscape maintenance accomplished. There's more in the works. So although I have not had an "about face" regarding snow and cold, I'm ready for a "rest" before carrying on.
or could it be I'm mellowing with age....appreciating each season for what it offers???