One of the things I have wistfully dreamt of, along with having slim ankles and a puppy named Marvin, is a picture-book frosty winter garden. In this dream, in which I have adequately protected my tender plants, the low sun is shining poetically upon rimy seed heads whilst goldfinches feast gratefully on teasel and thistle. On the whole, this is not a common scenario in the west of our country. Sog and slowly disintegrating mush is more the look we go for. Today, however, my wish has come true. Well one of them anyway. It is a proper, fully paid up member of Club Frosty, there even is a light dusting of snow. If you wish to see more gardens, which may or may not be chilly like mine, then pop over to our Meme-Master Jim and share their worlds. Too cold for hanging about, let’s get on. I warn you, there will be little variation on the theme.
Throughout the heatwave we made sure there were plenty of water sources for the birds. One, an old baking tin, we called The Lido as it was where the sparrows like to bathe. This morning, after an initial foray into the garden to scatter some apples for the blackbirds, I told OH that all water was frozen apart from the avian swimming pool. As I was making a cuppa in the kitchen he shouted “a sparrow has just walked upon the water”. Nil point for observation. Some anger management ice-breaking ensued. Here are some ice-bound water hyacinth which are undoubtedly doomed. Enjoy then while you can.
The multi-headed sunflowers did well this year and my idealistic, unrealistic, aims were for plump heads of seed for the winter foragers. Truth: small, tiny seeds. Disappointing. Next year I will undoubtedly be thinking the same.
This Salvia leucantha should not be here. It should be wrapped and cosy. Would someone please call the Salvia Protection League. The plan was to bring it into the greenhouse but I got diverted and then it was too late. Please forgive me. I have cuttings. Harsh but true.
I’m not in the slightest bit worried about the pansies. They might be bowed at the moment but I have confidence they will pop right back up.
How did these sempervivum miss the scan? Feeling a little bit guilty but guessing that excess rain will be more of a demise than cold. Fingers crossed.
Lastly we have Correa backhousiana, new to the garden, but aren’t we all. I have grown this before, at Cliffe, and am happy to have it around again. It has spent the summer stifled by a Salvia curviflora and now has emerged to find winter. Hope it isn’t too unhappy.
There you have it: six. on. saturday. Stay warm/cool whatever applies. ‘Til next time.
Off The Edge Gardening 
Very nice photos, and you managed to make us appreciate the cold of winter in Six items. Jim should have frosty correas like yours in no time. I hope both will survive
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Thank you Fred and fingers crossed!
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That’s quite a frost Gill, but it does make for pretty photos. Pansies are the most amazing flowers when it comes to frost, they always amaze me the way the pop back up when the day gets warmer. I lost one of my correas because of wet roots even though it was in a huge pot. I don’t think they mind frost.
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It does, but I think there will a lot of clearing up afterwards. I love pansies, and violas, they are such brave souls. I am hopeful for the correa, which I probably shouldn’t have said. 😀
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Frosty photos are pretty, they make us look at the garden in a new light.
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They do, like raindrops it enhances everything. Not so nice to work in though! 🙂
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Just don’t tell the Salvia Protection League where I live. It’s Salvia carnage out there. S. leucantha does rather try my patience, November is not a good time to start flowering if you’re going to die in the first frost. And S. corrugata; same for you.
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Ha! My corrugata looks like over cooked cabbage. 🙄
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I’m afraid this week your blog has finally shattered my illusion of us being siblings on account of stupendous ‘wordsmithing’. Also I have slim ankles! Sorry about your Salvia carnage it was looking so very good.
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You might come from the slim ankle branch of the family. ☺️ And thank you, Sis x
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But thankfully we have both inherited the green finger gene!
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Oops, thanks for the nudge. I too have left the sempervivums outside. The salvia looks so beautiful in the frost and the correa flowers so delicate. Lovely.
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What is worse is they are still there..I am going to rescue them NOW!
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I actually like frost rimed flowers and leaves, but I know how frozen the fingers get taking such photos. As for the semps, I think it is wet that kills them rather than cold. I do have some indoors and some outdoors, sheltering under a bench with a ‘lid’ on! I have come to the conclusion that any plant that wants to live in my garden has to be tough. Be interesting to see what remains come the spring!
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Beautiful! I didn’t have time to take photos this morning, to busy de-icing the car and salting the drive as I had things to do. Let’s see what Monday brings. 9.30 weather permitting?
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Thank you☺️ I’ve been worrying about Monday.
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Gorgeous photos Gill. The frost may destroy some plants but it does look beautiful.
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Thank you. It is a beautiful destroyer! But is good too, I think. Making sure plants shut down for a rest and keeping bugs in check. It’s not all bad.
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Oh it does look cold but your pictures are quite lovely and really capture the season.
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Thank you. We (I) have been spoilt for a while with very mild winters.
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Love a little frosty photography, I haven’t seen frost in years…the hyacinths look magnificent, like crowns.
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Ha! Of course, you have other challenges to bear. It’s not as good as it’s cracked up to be. Would love a bit of warmth in the air, but we’ve a while to wait. What temperature are you at?
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I think 25 Celsius is the high, 78 F and low 60s in the morning..
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Just perfect!
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Lovely, frosted photos. I haven’t managed to get MY sister to participate in Six-on-Saturday…….she doesn’t know what she is missing.
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You have done so much in such a short amount of time, give it a bit more time and you will get there.
As for slim ankles Noooooo!! We called them Wednesday Ankles when I was a radiographer as in ‘When’s day gonna break!!’ 😊
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Thank you friend. Looking forward to seeing you very soon x
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