Welcome to Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day for November 2016.
Here in my USDA Hardiness Zone 6a garden in central Indiana, we just woke up to the first freeze of the season a few days ago. This beat the old “latest first freeze record” set in the 1940’s by about four days.
This means my bloom day post for November features some seed heads covered with heavy frost. They are the ghosts of the growing season past.
Do you recognize Joe Pye Weed in the first picture? I plan to cut off those seedheads in the next few days. I love Joe Pye but would not care to have its flowers all over the garden.
The same is true of the goldenrod.
I enjoy goldenrod in late summer and early fall and so do many pollinators, but it would not be good to have it all over the garden. Those seedheads’ days are numbered.
I’ll let the seedheads for tall sedum stand through the winter.
It provides a nice landing pad for snowflakes in the winter time and I’ve never seen it self sow.
It’s funny how that first freeze stops everything in its tracks, including these autumn crocuses.
Some of those buds might open up when the sun hits them and warms them up, or not. Shrug. We gardeners in temperate climates with four seasons must grow to love and accept our seasons including winter. No flowers last forever and that’s okay. We would grow weary and tired of them if they did.
I made one last check for buds on the Christmas Rose, Helleborus niger, before heading inside.
I’m hoping for some winter flowers around Christmas time or earlier from this hellebore because if I don’t get blooms from it, I’ll be bloomless outside until possibly February when the snowdrops and witch hazels wake up.
But inside…
There are always blooms on the Crown of Thorn plants.
I have two of these euphorbias, one with yellow flowers, the other, in the background, with pink flowers.
Nearby, Plectranthus ‘Mona Lavender’ is blooming.
The blooms are much lighter, nearly white, which makes me wonder if this was mis-labeled or if it just has faded blooms when it blooms under low light conditions like those indoors.
Or is it copying the nearby Thanksgiving-Christmas cactus?
And that’s what’s blooming here at May Dreams Gardens.
What’s blooming in your garden today? We’d love to have you share what’s blooming in your garden with us for Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day. It’s easy to participate. Just post on your blog about whatever is blooming in your garden, then come back here and leave a comment to tell us all about those blooms and then put a link in the Mr. Linky widget so we can find you.
And remember always…
“We can have flowers nearly every month of the year.” ~ Elizabeth Lawrence
It seems like winter is on its way. We have not had a freeze yet, but I am sure it will be here before too long. Your seed heads look nice in the garden and your indoor blooms are lovely as well. I agree that the sedum are attractive in winter with the snow on them. Happy Bloom Day and thanks for hosting!
You inspired me to place a seed head photo on my GBBD post. There is a beauty in plants covered with frost but that is something I've not tried to photograph. I will now. I will probably be flowerless outdoors until March but who knows – a spring flowering Lenten Rose bloomed for me in January this past winter (and then was hit by temperatures going below zero).
Nothing outside is blooming here either with all the frosts and freeze. My Thanksgiving Cactus is blooming inside. Such a cheerful little plant. Happy GBBD.
Those Joe-Pye weed seedheads have been long gone in my garden. After a few years I learned my lesson, though I do have some nice transplanted seedlings, but enough is enough. And yes, sedum heads will remain. Thanks for hosting.
Your seedheads are beautiful, frost gives us something new to admire in our gardens. Love your indoor plants too!
I have cut down everything that can be cut down. I am loving my Oakleaf hydrangea with it's colorful leaves and the dried flowers. Oh, I can't forget the exfoliating bark later.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Thank you again for hosting such a wonderful concept- I love looking at the gardens all over.
Such a wonderful autumn. Amazing that we have flowers in mid-November.
Thank you for hosting as usual. We have not had any frost yet but it probably will not be long now.
Looking beautiful ♥
The frost adds a melancholy note but your garden is still wonderful. I hope the hellebores pull through for you in December but I have no doubt your greenhouse will be filled with beautiful blooms. Thanks for hosting, Carol!
Frost, ugh. Ours is coming…hopefully still weeks away but it's coming. Your garden wears it well.
Interesting to read what is blooming for you, Carol. I too have been peeking to see if there are any buds on my early bloomers!
A frost already? Thats no fun for gardeners. Our frost is way behind schedule and its so warm here the Tulips have decided to send leaves up. I leave all my sedums standing as well. The birds love the seed heads left in the garden.
I agree that seedheads look pretty with snow (or frost) on them! The change of seasons is bittersweet, but I would not give it up.
Frost is so beautiful in your garden. Ours could happen anytime now but we've had a warm and very wet fall so far so maybe the freezing temps will hold off for a while longer. Happy GBBD and thank you so much for hosting the party year after year!
It looks as if winter has settled into your garden. But there is still plenty to enjoy with the frosted seedhead looking so dramatic.
No freeze or real frost for me in DC yet – but it looks like we will have a COLD Thanksgiving and it is on the way.
We've only had one frost so far, about a month ago, and since then lots (and lots) of rain. We've usually had our first snow by now, so this is new territory for me! I'm amazed I even have anything blooming!
Happy Bloom Day!
We've had an amazingly warm and late season here in Portland, OR, too. As wonderful as it has been keeping all the flowers blooming, I may actually be ready for a little seasonal weather now. Thank you for sponsoring Bloom Day, Carol!
There are only two blooms that survived the frost, and that is nigella and snapdragons. The nigella is an aberation, blooming late with the extended warmth. The snapdragons are my go-to for late flowers. I love, love, love them!
Hi Carol, Amazingly, I still have some flowers blooming in my Maine garden. But, like you, I am turning my focus on indoor blooms. -Jean
Your frosty seed heads are beautiful. Frost has yet to arrive here, and I could almost welcome it, if only to slow the weeds down. My Thanksgiving cactus is almost done blooming. Meanwhile, my Christmas cactus is just starting to form buds.
I do enjoy those seedheads, and you're right, Carol, they will look even prettier covered with snow. I did pull out as much goldenrod as I could, however, because you can have too much of a good thing. Thanks for hosting Bloom Day once again!
I love seeing the seedheads! And your wonderful indoor plants…
This is our good-weather time of year, when the garden is waking up after the summer heat 😉
Hi Carol, I know that that first frost is right around the corner. At the moment we can still enjoy a few of the lingering flowers. We even picked a couple of handfuls of raspberries last week. Your Plectranthus image reminds me that we need to dig ours.
We've had an freakishly long, warm fall here in Oregon too. No frost yet – to my knowledge at least. I'm so behind in everything, so I'm grateful, and feeling a little guilty about my gratitude at the same time. Happy belated Bloom Day!
Three days late but I'm here to report I have blooms on one hellebore and the violas are hanging in there. I'm also missing some crocuses that should be there but are not.