The inevitable freeze arrived early last Wednesday morning (24 degrees at 6:00 am, if you’re taking notes!), and most of my annuals looked like this sad tithonia:
The tithonia, after a busy few months of providing beauty for me and nectar for the butterflies, is now in the compost bin and will help provide nourishment for next summer’s crop!
However, a quick walk around the yard revealed quite a few survivors! Here are the hardier souls:
Lavatera in the vegetable bed
The cosmos in the center of a large pot all died, but the calendula that surrounded them, and possibly protected them from the woodchucks, live on! Looking at this photo, it occurs to me that I should collect some of those seeds!
Another calendula shot, just because it’s pretty. There are still several buds!
This frilly snapdragon in a pot on the side porch continues to bloom, but the sweet potato vine and ornamental peppers in pots right next to it bit the dust!
The scaevola and bacopa are still going strong.
I have dusty miller in several places around the gardens, and all of it still looks great. The gomphrena died, but its dried flowers lying across the dusty miller make a pretty picture!
Of course all of the coleus in my side and front porch container gardens went limp and slimy after the freeze. No worries, though; I took cuttings of my favorites, and they’re already well rooted. The real surprise for me was how much did survive!
The three varieties of tradescantia in this hanging pot are still alive. I think the bed of thick rhododendrons in front of them was good protection.
While it’s not as flashy as the variegated types, I’ve always loved the soft, fuzzy texture of this tradescantia, as well as the lovely shade of purple on the reverse of its leaves. After consulting this website, I’ve determined that this is probably T. chrysophylla ‘Baby Bunny Bellies’, which I think is the cutest name ever!
The plectranthus (‘Troy’s Gold’) that I left outside is a survivor. It roots in water quite readily; I have two jars full in the house!
Now, back to that witch in the first picture! I think she is the sole reason I still have a pot of impatiens and a few begonias blooming still! Her trick was really a treat as she protected the delicate plants sitting behind her!
Begonias and impatiens that survived under the witch’s protection! The oyster plant (T. spathacea ‘Tricolor’ ‘Moses In the Cradle’) in the background was not so lucky!
I don’t know whether this begonia was protected by the witch or by its proximity to the house. Either way, I’m happy it’s still with me!
The growing season may be at its end, but I’ve been busier than ever this week chopping up the dead plants for compost, digging out the dahlia tubers and canna rhizomes, and bringing the pots into the garage for storage. I’ve just gotten started planting the 350 or so new bulbs I ordered from Scheepers, and I’ve moved a few rooted cuttings from their jars of water into small pots of soil. Thankfully, since the freeze and a short spate of colder weather, we’ve had a few mild, sunny days–perfect conditions for playing in the gardens and stopping now and then to admire the survivors!
Cosmos and Cleome 