November Blooms

It has been a beautiful weekend--we got our "Indian Summer" after all, just a little later than usual! I spent a good amount of time outside today, cleaning up peony and hosta leaves and spreading mulch. Yes, I know it's too early for winter mulching, but the rest of the pile had to go so we could get our cars inside this winter.

Most of the fall foliage colors are fading, but I was surprised to see so much in bloom around the yard. Next to the side door are my potted 'Goodwin Creek Grey' lavender and a 2-year-old 'Arp' rosemary that are enjoying some cold snaps before they come indoors for the worst of winter. The lavender pot is too heavy to move more than once, but I brought the rosemary out front--near the 'Bressingham Ruby' bergenia, which is sporting its winter color already--to better show off its pale flowers.


In the backyard, a few valiant little calendula plants were still offering cheerful blooms. I had cut them back late in the summer to their basal foliage when their scruffiness really started to get to me. They all gave me rebloom at their new shorter height.


Last but not least, my alpine strawberries are still blooming like crazy. There are no fruits for their labor, but since I walk past them to get to my car every morning I appreciate them nonetheless.


I have a few other pictures to share, and posts brewing... but I will be out of town until late Tuesday night and then have tournament games for our indoor 4's volleyball league on Wednesday night. So I hope to squeak in a post on Henry Mitchell sometime Thursday, to make the November Garden Blogger's Book Club deadline!