No roses, but salvia [both annual and perennial], zinnias, sunflowers [Lemon Ice], and phlox Katherine are still blooming. So are the geraniums [pelagonium] and -here and there- the impatiens. One of the clematis has been putting out new shoots and buds (oooh, that is going to be one unhappy plant next week). We have had frost several times, but the plants don't seem to understand that they are supposed to consider summer finished. Well, the impatiens have been cuddling with fallen leaves, and most of the others were somewhat protected by surrounding stems from the plants that did floop after the first frost, but the sunflowers are standing bare to the wind- actually they are rather sideways on the ground, yet happily sending up stems which in turn are happily making dozens of blooms.

The geraniums have been my biggest puzzle. A row of plants I started from cuttings off a plant an office mate has had for years; apparently considerably hardier than one would expect. In a cold-pocket area that will freeze when elsewhere is merely cold, they seem to think each frosty morning is a reason to make some blossoms- a mass of bloom making an amazing show. Their leaves have thickened and darkened a bit (hmmm, zonal markings are appearing), but only a few of the exterior leaves have died from frost-bite. I hadn't planned to keep these overwinter, I'm not at all fond of their salmon/orange-ish color. Sigh; why is it that the colors I like least seem to come from the hardiest plants?! and worse yet, why I am succombing to the feeling that any plant trying so hard to live should be allowed a chance to bloom another year!

Meldy, I've had similar surprises. My big one this year is white Lantana montevidense flourishing in a pot with frozen pelargoniums and convolvulus Blue Daze all around it. Looks like it's actually hardy down to somewhat below freezing - this morning's low 20s finally did it in, I think.

hi, gardenpaws - I've had lantana Lollipop in past years, and it seems to me that they also kept blooming long after frost. Makes me wonder if they are slightly more tolerant than their zone 8 rating indicates.

How did you like the convolvus? I was so disappointed with it in the past, that I haven't tried it since. Maybe I'm missing something. hmm... OTOH, I seem to remember they were slug bait.

grannybloomer - I think you waved the magic wand.... the garden catalogs (of which I had not seen one at the time of your posting) are now outnumbering the other sales catalogs! My mailbox runneth over.

Season's Greetings to everyone!
Don't forget to keep the birdfeeders full and give them fresh water daily; then lean back in a comfy chair and watch the birds in-between dreaming over the catalogs.

Not a sales pitch, but I've been asked which birdfeeder I liked -- especially after my comment about birdfeeders to look at as opposed to birdfeeders which feed the birds. We've been using this birdfeeder for the past 5+ years and it's still like new. We used 50-lb test line (fishing dept) to hang it from the eave and it's as close to being squirrel-proof as is possible. Costs slightly more than four bags of sunflower seed, or dinner for one squirrel for a month.

Here is a link that might be useful: birdfeeder

Well, better late than never! I've been busy with church stuff since I'm a singer and a delegate to our council, and then there's the elderly cat to be looked after... and then of course there's paid work. I'm finally starting to clean up the shelves, and cut back the stock plants, in preparation for seeds and cuttings.

Blue Daze looked fine to me, possibly not as profuse on the flowering as I might have wanted. I've never grown it except in a container, which might be why I haven't noticed significant slug damage. I'd put up with quite a lot to get that shade of blue in the garden, however. There aren't all that many blues (outside the salvia and borage families) that don't have a purple cast to them.

Happy New Year, three weeks late!

Robin

This has been a strange year for our zone. I had tropical spider lilies blooming into early nov. this year. My hostas just ended around xmas. And I had 3 stubborn bearded iris bloom in late dec.

Do you or do you not cut back tall grasses? I have tried both ways and the plants seem to being fuller left alone. Some are so huge and sharp, it's painful cutting them back!!! When I do cut back the smaller plants, I do so in March.