
Well, yes. Winter is coming, Minus eight when I got up this morning, a mix of rain and snow forecast for this long, Remembrance Day weekend. Veterans and scores of Canadians will be standing as the snow falls Monday, paying tribute to our fallen soldiers and all those who have served.
The weather was a bit different last Tuesday – sunny and warmish. Marigolds still blooming, Cassia still standing. Water still liquid in the rain trough. Here are six things in my garden – some photos taken on Tuesday, some taken this morning. To see photos from gardens around the world, where, it seems, many others are also experiencing sub-zero temperatures, visit The Propagator’s page.
1 – the aforementioned cassia – this is my popcorn cassia (Cassia Didymobotrya) on Tuesday and again this morning.
2 – I found a purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)still in bloom on Tuesday. It’s not blooming anymore (I cut it and put it in a vase) – the second shot isn’t the same flower but it may as well be, it’s what all the other coneflowers looked like this morning…
3 – Annuals – there are still a couple (literally two) brave looking snapdragons (Antirrhinum) around…but the marigolds (Tagetes) have had it….
4 – Here’s some fabulous fall foliage from Tuesday on my favourite Viburnum – Korean Spice (Viburnum carlesii) – and my favourite smoke tree (Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’). Today there’s only a few leaves left on each of these:
5 – Have I mentioned frozen water….

6 – And finally, a simple wide shot of our eastern tree line. The clouds were kinda neat on Tuesday, and the pines made an interesting boundary, I thought. To everyone observing Remembrance Day, Veteran’s Day, Armistice Day or whatever it may be called where you live, may you have a peaceful weekend.

The landscapes are beautiful and the cotinus is a very beautiful tree that I grow here too. (Mine still has leaves but not for long now.)
Did I tell you that I will probably be going on vacation to Quebec next summer (with my wife and sons)? It will be a first time and I can’t wait to discover this country…
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Ah – you will love Quebec!!!
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A similar thing happened with the dahlias and zinnias this morning after the first frost. Nowhere near as cold as -8 though. Nice autumnal foliage in no. 4.
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Yes, dahlias would’ve been toast a week or two ago here! It’s s bit warmer now, just above freezing, so if I keep moving it’s quite nice outside!
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Some of what you have is headed our way; there are frost and freeze warnings for quite far south in Texas and Louisiana. We’ll not dip below freezing where I am, but there are going to be some sad flowers nonetheless. I’m no gardener, but my sense of things is that when the marigolds give it up, the rest of the flowers are going to give in, sooner rather than later.
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Yeah – shriveled marigolds are a pretty good indication winter is on your doorstep!
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Indeed, a few days can make a big difference. No more outdoor flowers until spring. Kinda sad.
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This seems to be one of those years when I’ll have to make a concerted effort to shift my mindset, to ‘enjoy’ winter and not just tolerate it. Hopefully that shift will come soon!
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Yes, resistance is futile. Embrace the Now. ๐
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I quite it like it when winter starts the garden tidy process for me. I appreciate the opportunity to tidy up and get some bulbs in the ground. Stay warm!
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Thanks…15 cm of snow on the way today! My snowshoes are ready!
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Ouch! That is more than just a bit too cold. – and that was two weeks ago! I think I could pass on that climate.
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Yeah, it was a chilly few days. OK, a chilly week. But this week, and for the next bit, we’ll be above zero (ie in the low 40’s), with a fair bit of sun so it’ll be nice!
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Gads; that somehow doesn’t make it much better.
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๐
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