Wednesday, November 16, 2016

November GBBD: End of the Season

What a November this has been so far!  The month began with the Cubs winning the World Series, the first time in 108 years.  This die-hard Cubs' fan was ecstatic and walked around in a joyful delirium for at least a day.  Three days later, a new baby granddaughter entered this world, and Grandma was filled with joy, not to mention impatient anticipation as we wait to make the drive to Texas to see her for the first time.  And then three days after that was Election Day.  Like many others, I watched in disbelief as results came in that night, and woke up the next morning filled with dread and worry.  Talk about running the gamut of emotions in just one short week!

But I'm not going to talk about politics today, nor the fairy-tale ending to this year's Cubs' season, nor am I even going to show off my precious granddaughter today.  Instead, let's talk about the garden.  The beginning of November was amazing with warm weather and many annuals still blooming in the garden.


Just a few days ago, November 10, to be exact, I was admiring this 'Senorita Rosalita' Cleome.  I've planted this cultivar in pots the last several years, and it never did particularly well. This year I decided to plant it in a bare spot in the sidewalk garden, and what a difference!  Topping out at 3 1/2 feet tall and spreading even more in width, it is obviously much happier here with room to grow.  Lesson learned for next year.


On the same day, I walked around admiring the zinnias, knowing their days were numbered.  To my surprise, I found a late visitor enjoying the blooms.  This poor Monarch looks like he's had a rough time, and sadly, I don't think he had time to make it South before the cold set in.  Many of the zinnias were looking just as tattered, but there were still enough fresh blooms to enjoy one last time.


One last time...because this was the scene the next morning.  Our first frost arrived on November 11, and what survived that first morning was given a final blow the next morning with even colder temperatures.  Seeing the end of summer/autumn blooms is always a bit sad, but I'm not complaining.This was the latest first frost ever recorded in our area, so we had an unusually long season to enjoy the garden this year.


While the frost pretty much zapped the garden, there are still a few annuals blooming.  'Victoria Blue' Salvia is still looking good as are the geraniums, and surprisingly, some verbena in a pot survived the cold.  Of course, the few pansies I have are thriving.


As is the ruffled kale, which seems to get more colorful as the temperature drops.


The few roses I have don't mind the cooler weather either; 'Zephirine Drouhin' has even put out a few new blooms.


As the garden winds down for the year, it is a good time to enjoy the last days of autumn color.  The leaves turned late this year. My maple, the star of our front yard every fall, still is hanging on to many of its leaves.


Grasses are at their peak right now, and the seedheads of switchgrasses, for example, add beauty to the garden as they rustle in the breeze.



One of my favorite vignettes in the garden each year is this, Amsonia hubrichtii with a Beautyberry next to it.  My camera wants to wash out the color for some reason, but this Amsonia is a dramatic gold right now and positively glows in the sunlight.



While November doesn't have the riot of colors that summer has, there is still much to enjoy in the garden.  Even seedheads have a beauty all their own and sometimes an extra surprise if you look closely enough.

 I've really appreciated the extended season this year, especially this past week as I've found once again that there's nothing quite like gardening for soothing your soul.

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day is brought to you each month by Carol at May Dreams Gardens.

34 comments:

  1. Wonderful fall colors! Congratulations on your Cubs. I'm thinking Jim Deshaies must of brought them luck. I still miss him on the Astros' telecast team.

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    1. It took me awhile to get used to Jim, because I missed Bob Brenly, who went to the Diamondbacks. But Jim is good and quite funny. Wish he and Len could have announced the World Series; we Cubs fans got pretty tired of Joe Buck:)

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  2. Rose, many congratulations and good wishes on the arrival of your new and precious granddaughter.

    Also well done the Cubs, many blogging friends were talking about this!

    Your garden just looks lovely, still a lot of colour to see and I've enjoyed all of your photo's here. Your maple is simply stunning. Autumn (The Fall) does provide such brilliant colour.

    May you enjoy these last weeks of November ... I'm really finding the year has gone by so quickly.

    All the best Jan

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    1. Thank you, Jan; I can't wait to see my new granddaughter--it's so hard when they don't live close by enough for me to just pop over and hold her. As for the Cubs, it was indeed a fairy tale, and even people who weren't Cubs fans got caught up in our joy. Despite the extended autumn, I agree that this year has gone by so quickly. Maybe winter will as well; I can only hope:)

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  3. Rose, your ruffled kale is very beautiful! We had the first frost, next the second one, then another one.. Lovely roses and zinnias, yes it's a pity the warm season has finished. The photo of seed heads is stunning!

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    1. Nadezda, I just saw your latest post--wow, snow already! It's supposed to get much colder here this weekend, but I am definitely not ready for snow yet. As for the seedheads, it was funny--I didn't even notice the spiderweb until I downloaded the photos.

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  4. Congratulations on the safe arrival of your baby granddaughter!

    Your garden is filled with lovely things. Plenty of colour.
    We've had a very mild November and it hasn't been cold at all (by our standards that is.)
    Maggie x

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    1. Thank you, Maggie; I can't wait to meet her! This is my third granddaughter--out of eight grandchildren--so I can't wait to have tea parties and play fairies once again.

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  5. Oh, I always love your Amsonia/Beautyberry combo! It is stunning! We had frost the same morning, but I still have some Zinnias and Lantanas blooming on the west side of the house. I'll pick them before Friday night's plunge into winter. We've been so spoiled with the mild weather this autumn.

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    1. The Amsonia really is gorgeous this year, Beth. I was almost happy to pull all of the zinnias after the frost so that the Amsonia and Beautyberry could be seen more clearly. Yes, we have been spoiled this fall. I still have a lot I'd like to get done in the garden; I postponed so many chores because it was so warm. Something tells me I probably won't get it all done:)

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  6. Congratulations Rose....what wonderful news. God bless baby Granddaughter.

    So pleased your team won. I can understand your joy after waiting so many years for a win.
    They got there :)

    It has been the most beautiful Autumn. One that will stay with me.
    The colours have been magnificent this year.

    Enjoy November Rose.........look forward to seeing your new edition.

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    1. Thank you, Cheryl. It is so hard not having her nearby--I was able to hold each of the other grandkids except her little brother the day they were born. I'm counting the days until we can make the trip to Texas. Yes, I think much of America, even non-Cubs' fans, were so happy after they won. It was such a positive feeling before the election and everything changed :(

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  7. The robins have eaten all the berries in our garden. Things are looking very wintery. My amsonia hasn't done much this year. No rain in our area. It appears to me that less rain brings less color in the garden. Maybe tonight. It is amazing that the zinnias have kept so much color after the frost. Happy GBBD.

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    1. I think rain really does make a difference in the fall colors, Lisa. We had much more rain--and more frequently--than you did this year, for which I feel very fortunate. I took the photo of the zinnias the morning after the frost; by the next day they didn't look so pretty:)

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  8. Rose, congratulations and good wishes on the arrival of your new granddaughter !!
    Your garden just looks so lovely !! It is a pity that our flowers die back for the winter !
    Greetings

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    1. Thank you, Ela. I'm excited to meet my new granddaughter in another week or two. It's always rather sad to see the end of the gardening season, but I am ready for a winter break.

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  9. We, too, welcomed a grandchild just a few days before the election - a grandson, in our case. And like you, my emotions fluctuated wildly between that wonderful event and the results of this year's election. Such a juxtaposition between hope and despair....

    The visual vignette of your tattered monarch and the zinnias is the image that is staying with me. We are all here for such a short time on Earth, aren't we? We play our parts and then the next generation takes over and life moves on.

    Congratulations and best wishes to you on the arrival of your precious granddaughter. I hope you get to see her soon! Cynthia

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    1. Congratulations on your new grandson Gaia! I agree with your description of that week: "a juxtaposition between hope and despair." Let's hope that hope wins out. I love your reaction to the Monarch, too; so true.

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  10. Fantastic and congratulations and the best wishes to your granddaughter. Lovely to see that still in november your garden is bringing several beauty's.
    Have a wonderful weekend Rose.

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    1. Thank you, Marijke. There's nothing so joyful as welcoming a new grandchild. The garden has died back even more since I posted this; I'm afraid the cold is here to stay.

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  11. I feel like that Monarch could be representative of my own life right now - as in being behind in just about everything. And, feeling a bit tattered. A big congratulation to you on both grand-daughter and seeing the Cubs win. I think in times like this, focusing on the good news in life is essential. I wish you a wonderful trip to Texas to see them all! Your frosty Zinnia is fantastic, and the spider threads in the last photo is a wonderful capture. And enjoy that Amsonia as long as you can - it's a genius combo with the Callicarpa!

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    1. Anna, I can definitely empathize--I feel as though I'm always behind. I'll probably finish my Christmas decorating on Dec. 26:) I'm trying to focus on the good as much as possible, and seeing my granddaughter and her little brother soon will definitely help. The amsonia is one of my favorites, especially this time of year.

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  12. You still have so many blooms and so much color. Love the photo of the frosted Zinnia. We had a sudden cold turn today.

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    1. What a change a week can make, Jason--not even my geraniums made it through the past few colder days.

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  13. Congrats, I bet you are proud and happy for the new arrival. A new gardener one day. I still have flowers in the garden even though it was frigid today. They are refusing to die. What a weird and crazy year this has been. Only the day before it was 78° then it droppd to 30°.That was after a few days of frost in the garden before the heatwave. Crazy weather and I know some plants will suffer from it.

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    1. Thank you, Donna. I try to introduce all of my grandkids to gardening; we'll see if it sticks with any of them. We've had similar weather; last Thursday I was out doing some final clean-up in a t-shirt, and by the weekend I brought out my winter coat. Temps in the 20's the last few mornings have put an end to anything still blooming.

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  14. Hello Rose girl ! that picture of the "iced" zinnia is stunning .. I would have blown up and as a picture on your wall some where ? and that gorgeous maple tree .. so beautiful ... I feel sorry for that Monarch .. so tattered and yet driven to follow it's instincts .. we have snow here for now ... you never know what will happen next .. just so funny to have Garden PA out golfing one day then the storm happens when he gets home .. haha
    YES ! I love my spireas ... especially Spring and Autumn they shine in the garden .. I think it is an under used under appreciated shrub .. I guess gardeners are spoiled for choice and they get left behind some how ?
    Take care and keep warm girl !
    Joy : )

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    1. Joy, I have several photos like this that I always think I should enlarge and hang up somewhere--sounds like a good winter project:) It's now the first of December and we still haven't had snow, but I'm not complaining.

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  15. Hope you are having a nice Thanksgiving. I hate to venture into the subject of politics, but even up here in Canada we felt the same dread and worry. The man is such a loose cannon! Who knows what he'll do next?
    I love the image of the zinnia covered in frost. This week we have had real cold weather for the first time, but today, it is back to mild temperatures. Good thing as I still have two packages of bulbs that are unplanted! I always admire the combination of Amsonia hubrichtii with a Beautyberry whenever you show it. Love that golden foliage!

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    1. Jennifer, I am just dreading the next four years--that's an awful feeling. The last couple of weeks, as he's announced his Cabinet choices, hasn't made me feel any better either. The Amsonia is definitely one of my favorites in the fall!

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  16. I love the image of the frosted bloom - it's a fine symbol of what happened on election day, sigh.

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