Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - November 2018

Welcome to my zone 9a garden in Southeast Texas where we had our first light freeze of the season last night. The temperature barely dipped below the freeze mark but it was enough to turn many of my garden plants to brown mush. I had proactively taken my succulents and a few other potted plants to the garage to protect them, but those that were in the ground were on their own.

This freeze was actually a few weeks early. Our normal average first freeze date is December 10. Does this portend a colder than usual winter like we had last winter? We know that our weather patterns are changing but it is not yet entirely clear how they are changing or to what extent. Time will tell.

The cold night did not affect my roses that were in bloom.

'Lady of Shallott.'

'Peggy Martin' blooms profusely in spring but she also gives us some secondary blooms in the autumn.

'Julia Child.'

The freezing temperatures nipped the tips of some of the petals of this 'Belinda's Dream' bloom but it was mostly unaffected.

However, a lot of my plants looked like this porterweed today. It'll have no more blooms to feed the butterflies this year.

The Hamelia patens shrubs were frostbitten on top but the leaves nearer the ground were still green. All the blooms were gone, though.

When I knew cold weather was coming, I took some pictures over the weekend. This was the lantana then.

And here it is on Wednesday. Like the Hamelia, the bottom portion of the plant was not affected and the leaves are still green.

Which is probably good news for this caterpillar which was still feeding on the leaves today.

This red dahlia was blooming beautifully on the weekend. No more.

And the marigolds have been at their absolute best over the last couple of weeks.

Looking at marigolds in bloom always makes me happy.

Turk's cap was a bit frostbitten but still in bloom today.

And so are the chrysanthemums.

More chrysanthemums.

The Cape honeysuckle won't last long if we get much colder weather, but so far so good.

And, surprisingly, the blue plumbago was not affected. Apparently, the micro-climate where it lives stayed above freezing.

This 'King Humbert' canna was just about to bloom, but it won't now.

My few purple echinaceas are hanging in there.

And the few leaves still hanging on my little Japanese maple have turned this brilliant shade of burgundy. Nice to have some color still in the garden.

Thank you for visiting and participating in Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day and thank you Carol of May Dreams Gardens for hosting us.

Happy Bloom Day and happy Thanksgiving.