Remember how I filled up the entire card with 120 shots in Nov
Don’t worry, I’m not going to post all of them, but will share a few by subjects instead of all jumbled up.

Butterflies had been frolicking on the Echinacea blooms, right up to the day before a brief spell of icy weather moved in.

It was an ongoing kaleidoscope.

A lone Checker is soon joined by a brazen

Painted Lady
and a little sulpher moves in

The Checker decides that three's a crowd and resorts to more private dining at the Dusty Miller.

The next day,

a trio of lacy skippers monopolize the Echs, so the Painted Ladies found another cone flower in a nearby bed and some lavender blooms sticking out of the leaves.

That new camera takes great pics, doesn't it? I had noticed too that we had scads of butterflies this fall. The vitex were covered with them, as were the obedience plant, and well, just about everything. I walked past a large stand of Indigo spires the other day, and a cloud of painted ladies rose up out of it.

Don't get any of those here . Great shots Maggie. I never tire of chasing them around and they do make lovely subjects.

Most of the trees are in their prime right now. I didn't think they would color up after that spot of ice we had. Here's a few shots from before the first frost.
Long border west end

and from tuther end

The tallow tapestries

Very pretty pics, Mags. I think our leaves and flowers were preserved through that hard freeze because it rained before freezing. The cannas were completely encased in ice, as was everything else, and nothing seemed too bothered by it. My roses have been blooming like crazy ever since.

It's nice to see some garden blooms and fall color again. Everything here is shades of brown. I'll be glad to see a little bit of snow to brighten up our landscape.

Maggie, your butterfly pictures are wonderful. My favorite was the trio of little lacy skippers. They look so delicate against that huge bloom.

Lovely leaf colours Maggie, not sure what a tallow is?

Sorry to be away so long guys.
Wasn't it great Caro, to have been expecting the end of the garden and then to get a reprieve. You are so right - the rain did as the Florida citrus growers do to protect thier crops by spraying them with water as soon as the temp hits 33.
Here's some of the last of my roses, on their last legs, sort of thing.
I love the glow inside of Lady Hillington.

Mrs. Dudley Cross has good pink/cream blend in cool temps.
\image(Mrs. D Cross}
And Arch Duke Charles does its bi thing best in the cool air.
The Iceburg forgives me anything,, poor thing - it gets all the treatment I can give it and still can't seem to sap the iron out of this yucky soil. (yes Gail, I have been giving it lots of green and lava sand maybe it will kick in eventually!)


Wonderful to have you join us again MK! I have tons of autumn pics to keep you snowbunnies in the garden spirit thru the winter
Hope you will share some of your snow pics with us again this year - if it ever comes! I hear the ski resorts are hurting right now in other parts of the country too.
Here's some mums that are still in bloom.
First the Korean daisy one that has been here for maybe 15 yrs or more.

then the unknown hybrid one that we call 'Dad's Mum' (for pun fun) because it was in his garden for a few decades before I brought some of it over here.


Terry, the above is a Chinese Tallow (Sapium sebiferum)native to China and Japan. Has wonderful waxy white berries and makes its color every year - even without a frost. But sorry, is only hardy in zones 8-9. Which means it is one of those that can die back in our occassional serious winters, but it has always come back from the roots. I have a distant shot of it on the other puter and will shrink for here next time. It has a lovely pyramid shape.

Oops, I got some the formatting wrong for these two , from above
Mrs. Dudley Cross has good pink/cream blend in cool temps.

And Arch Duke Charles does its bi-thing best in the cool air.

Lovely pics, Maggie.

Thanks for a shot of rose-love, Maggie. I do miss my roses! Am enjoying not having to worry about gardening right now but it won't last. I sit on one of my two patios (when it's warmer) and enjoy the birds. The mockingbird and cardinal and wren visit me at least 3 times a day. My poor puter has been down and haven't surfed in ages BUT as of last night I'm a happy DSL user! After I'm back from the holidays, will try to surf by here more often. Hope everyone has a Happy Holiday! I, personally, am hoping to get snowed in with my family in Lubbock! :o)

Love that DSL!!! Just the thing for these heavy with pic pages
You must tell more about your new living situation Gail.
Hope you have a good drive and a beautiful whiteone - and hopefully get snowed in right through the next wkend
Happy Hols dear one.

Just a few last shots of Before My Fall Fell, since its well time to start a winter one ;-)
Wanted Gail to see what became of that little start she gave me of the papyrus plant. I believe it is Cyperis involucratus

and the Fatsia had a good bloom through Dec.

I promise the next thread will include winter pics
Oh wait, I've really enjoyed this un from early Nov

Too pretty, Mags. It was a great Fall this year, wasn't it?

Maggie, I'm sooooo glad my plants continue to thrive with you and BJ. I'm already getting the itch to find a new garden home. When things get quiet, I plan on starting back on the hunt for one with no lawn, all flower beds, not huge.

Well that's wonderful news. I knew you wouldn't be able to go without flowers for too long
And what a good thouht to know you will restock the new one with so many of your original plants' offspring. More evidence of the plant families turning gardening friends into family.

Maggie, you put that so convincingly, but I know you won't let those plants go easily..

Maggie, I somehow missed that photo from early Nov. What Color! TX is looking better and better as I slip and slide on the ice today. All that pretty snow has melted and then froze into a sheet of ice.

I would love to grow some of the papyrus you show in the pic. I'm trying to add more contrasting foliages to my garden beds. But I imagine it takes warmer temps than I have here.

It is meant to be more tender than my zone (borders 7&8) would provide, but it is on a south wall and comes backs from roots in spring. If the foliage wasn't knocked back by freeze, it would prob become too aggressive here. Esp since that spot retains a lot of downhill seepage, which keeps its feet wet. You might enjoy keeping some in a pot within the border and then taking it in to your enclosed porch for the winter. If so, I would send you some roots - regardless of Ter's remark. Is he trying to stir it up or what? ;-)

Me?? stir it up...as if I would do such a thing...