Our first frost this autumn was later than usual, and was actually a hard freeze, dropping to 26F(-3.3C) on Sunday, October 10th. Most gardeners in warmer climates imagine a hard freeze like this:
But cold climate gardeners know the scene can just as easily look like this:At Their Best in Autumn
It takes more than one hard freeze to wipe out a hardy garden, though we all know this is the beginning of the end. Some plants, however, are truly at their best in autumn, and others seem to get a second wind once the temperatures drop and the autumn rains return.
I had never grown bidens before, so ‘Goldilocks Rocks,’ a trial plant from Proven Winners, was an education for me. I grew it in the old washtub I use as a planter to mark the entrance to the Secret Garden. I confess I forgot to water it during our prolonged dry spell, and it never blinked. It doesn’t need deadheading to look good, and it’s hardy to at least 30F. It probably would not enjoy standing water, but otherwise it’s as trouble free as anyone could want. Bidens ferulifolia is native to Arizona, and is also called Apache beggarticks or fern-leaved beggarticks. Glad to make your acquaintance. The asters above are native to our area. In a hard freeze, the open blossoms get ruined, but new buds will open after the freeze. Flowering tobacco (Nicotiana alata) and various mallows also behave this way. Their foliage is quite a bit hardier than their flowers.Last of the Colchicums
The double-flowered colchicums are the last to flower here.
Vegetables Still in the Running
Yes, the tomatoes are over and the basil is history, but there are still vegetables and herbs worth eating out there.
There’s also kale waiting to be harvested, and often there is broccoli, though not this year.
Fantastic Foliage
Many biennials have great looking foliage in the autumn of their first year. We’ve already seen forget-me-not foliage in the birdbath tableaux.
Do you remember Allegheny vine (Adlumia fungosa), which I wrote about here? Finally, let’s not forget about the foliage autumn is famous for: While we’re not going to attempt to prevent the inevitable, we cold climate gardeners don’t throw our hands up in defeat. We enjoy the remaining beauty for as long as we can, even if it means squinting and pretending we don’t see the signs of eventual decay. The leaves of border phlox have been ravaged by drought, but the recent rain encouraged a second flush of bloom. A more fastidious (or ambitious) gardener probably would cut them all down, but I deadleaf a few every time I pass by, and turn a blind eye to the browned remains of the spent blossoms. Soon enough all will be austerely neatened by falling snow.Inspired by the words of Elizabeth Lawrence, “We can have flowers nearly every month of the year,” Carol of May Dreams Gardens started Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. On the 15th of every month, garden bloggers from all over the world publish what is currently blooming in their gardens, and leave a link in Mr. Linky and the comments of May Dreams Gardens.
It’s wonderful you still have so many blooms! I was out taking pictures of what is still lovely in our garden in southeast PA – still mostly looking nice, actually, though I loved the way you put it: “squinting and pretending we don’t see the signs of eventual decay” – poetic and true!
Of course, that was two weeks ago. There is a lot less than there was then. But it is still nice to be out on any mild day. Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to comment.
That is your view across the street?! I live in suburbia, so I am more than jealous! Your photos are lovely, and you blog informative!!
Yup, that is my view across the street. Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment.
I love this time of year, as fleeting as it is. In addition to the ornamental plants, I enjoy seeing the fall foliage of the native red-osier dogwood, wild raspberries and the various grasses. It hasn’t been that cold yet, here in the U.P. of Michigan. Days are mostly sunny still. Great photos and view across the street.
What a view you have of the wooded area! I can imagine that the early spring is just as beautiful.
Lene
No freeze here yet and this must be a record. The morning glories are really sensitive to temperature changes aren’t they. The marigolds just continue on and always look so pretty with a sugar coating of frost. Love your foliage also.
Gotto love those cold hardy plants! I am not looking forward to jack frost at all.
I love the view from across the street. Trees are such an important part of our landscape. Thanks for sharing the fall color.
I wonder if your cooler summer creates plants that can take that freeze and keep on going? It seems to me they would be toast here if it dropped that low. The double colchicums and your wonderful view are fantastic!
Hard to beat that autumn view of the trees across the hillside. Down here in central Texas, its hard for us to even imagine an October freeze – especially one down to the mid-twenties!
It’s hard for me to imagine your summer heat!
You really did get a cold snap. Here in the Falls, we had a light frost, just a dusting on the grass and car windows. You still have a lot blooming, much more than here. Very pretty images.
Love it love it love it Hot Stuff Sedum is amazing! The double cochicums too, goregous. I’m pretty sure the only thing frost nipped was the morning glories;) Nice variety of what’s in bloom.
Cosmos, zinnias, and coleus were the most noticeable casualties. Of course, one hard freeze does not slay a garden. It’s when you get several in a row that the plants really start to surrender.
I can ID 2 of the three ex-asters – Symphyotricum lateriflorus on top, bottom right is S. novae-angliae. The double Colchicums are just stunning.
My goodness, Kathy, that birdbath garden shot looks more like Tennessee that what I imagined your cold climate would look like after a hard freeze! Good to know, that an experienced gardener can plant for that effect. Kudos! We have those same asters, or similar ones, but don’t know their names, whites and blues, all welcome! 🙂
Frances, the credit must go to my oldest daughter, who has taken charge of that bed.
Nice to see that you have lots of blooms left. Not so here. Beautiful view across the street.