Over the last week, we’ve seen another drop in temperature. The warm hats, scarfs and gloves are out for the duration. With this, the colour has faded with the dahlias shrivelling up, but many of the plants have taken on a new beauty in the frosts. If you are willing to brave the chill to venture out into the garden there is still lots to take pleasure in.
1. Hydrangea
The colour may have faded from the hydrangea but the mopheads still look good with the morning sun on the frosted heads. I leave the heads on through winter then cut back in spring when the new growth starts. This protects the new growth from late frosts. Then I thin out a few of the older stems. This seems to keep it at a size where it doesn’t block the path and it flowers well each year.
2. Hebe
The hebe flowers still providing little bursts of colour in the garden. The thin dark green leaves look like they’ve got a variegated edge rather than the layer of frost it actually is.
3. Sempervivum
This particular sempervivum pot has suffered in the frost and isn’t frost-proof as it’s cracking a bit. The sempervivum looks lovely with the layer of frost. They seem to have survived over the last few years from cold but don’t like to get too wet so I may shift them to a sheltered spot. The pot has plenty of drainage and the soil mix is heavy on the sand and grit.
4. Heuchera
The frost seems to make the various heuchera in the garden stand out more with the heavily veined varieties looking particularly spectacular.
5. Grass
The lawn has been decimated this year with builders, rain and having to leave things off the patio on it. But it is rather a pleasant feeling that crunch underfoot as you walk across the lawn.
6. Ophiopogon planiscapus nigrescens ‘black mondo’
The ophiopogon remains a stalwart plant throughout the year with its evergreen black leaves. The edging of white frost has only added to its beauty.
I started the work last week shifting a few plants around where I’ve planted the new holly tree. I’m looking after Alice on my own today while Amy is out so probably won’t get a chance to do any more today but I may brave the cold tomorrow to try and finish tidying the area. The shrubs all need moving slightly along to give them all space to spread to their full size eventually. I hope you all have good weekends whatever you are up to and don’t forget to check out the Propagators blog if you fancy taking part in six on Saturday.
Love the hebes.
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Great photos. I like frosty mornings, apart from having to clear the car windscreen. We had a few frosty mornings last week. It adds a sort of magical feeling to the garden. Unfortunately the rain and wind are back again.
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Yes, looking like I’ll get rain later. Aiming for two last pots of tulips potted up before it comes.
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Beautiful, frosted photos! The black grass is impressive…. will it survive intact?
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It will. Not actually a grass but it is evergreen and hardy. Useful plant for pots and gap filling. Sells at silly prices. I picked up much of mine at local plant sales. I can’t comment on yours this week as no comment space but penstemons nice to see.
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What pretty photographs – and loved the little sempervivum in particular!
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I think they come into their own this point of year when lots of other larger plants faded.
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And such pretty shapes at any time of the year!
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The couple of frosty mornings we had this week were virtually rimeless so I’m still waiting for that particular photo op. Missing out on frost is something I can live with, I’m happy to sit in the warm and look at other peoples pictures, like your lovely Ophiopogon.
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Not venturing out for long at the moment but not too cold today.
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The frost here is usually so mild I don’t get those lovely frost rimed photos. We’re getting ready for the Atlantic storm, today is the calm before it arrives.
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Very calm here but don’t think it’ll last as my wife is out drinking so rain guarenteed. I’m going to try and get my last tulip pots done before.
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Loving the Ophiopogon, looking even better with the frost!
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It’s a useful plant through the year. Shame it sells at stupid prices but got enough now to start dividing.
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I have to go see my hebe. Hidden under the fleece, maybe it’s in bloom ?!
I put my sempervivums under cover in the greenhouse, sheltered from the rain to resist the winter and the frosts.
Is your ophiopogon not protected in winter? Is it resistant to frost?
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The Hebe flowers take a long time to fade. The semps suffer but recover. The ophiopogon is out all year. Proved hardy so far been out through the beast from the East. Doesn’t seem to have suffered. A lot is in pots near the house so gets some warmth from bricks. I’ve got some in the ground in the front garden this year but I think it’ll be fine.
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OK, I’m going to take a look at mine( ophiopogon) that are in the groud and I’m confident after reading your experience about them
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Looking them up they are rated fully hardy -12 and lower. Reckon mine have been down to minuses previous years.
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The frost has made everything look so good, altho the things you’ve chosen would look good w/o the frost outline. It’d be hard to pick a favourite from this Six. Does your hebe always bloom this late? That’s a real beauty & certainly a colour not often seen in December, at least not in my garden.
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The hebe started blooming a few months back. At this point the blooms are starting to fade.
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We have had one or two light frosts, the kind that makes things mushy rather than attractive! Nice photos.
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Had plenty of mush. Lawn has been squishy for weeks.
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Beautiful pictures. There’s still a lot of beauty in the garden if we take time to look.
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