Not too shabby for mid November!

Well, I finally accept the fact that winter is around the corner.  We had an amazingly beautiful fall right up until about week or so ago.  It seemed to have been making up for our less than amazing spring and summer.  But after a few frosts, we finally had a pretty good freeze last night with temperatures down in the mid 20's.  So, that means it's perfect weather to get up really early and go watch a soccer game!  Sweet Pea's soccer team played today, unfortunately they lost by one goal, but it was a great close game.  Her team ended up first in their league and second in their division, pretty exciting for her.  Anyway, a good thing about getting up that early on a weekend meant there was lots of the day left to get other things done.  Even though birdbaths were still frozen I decided to go out and do more  fall clean up.  There is still quite a bit more to do, but now I know I have to take advantage of the dry days, cold or not, to finish.  Once I get moving I forget about how cold it is anyway.

This planter just looks better and better.  I love how it's filling in.

A newer evergreen shrub in my garden, which is supposed to do well in the Pacific Northwest, is False Holly (Osmanthus heterophyllus) 'Goshiki'.

This Aster is one of the few things left blooming in the garden.  Wallflower, Erysimums and Daphne 'Summer Ice' are about it for now.

The shed garden looking pretty good for the middle of November.

There are still quite a few apples left on the tree.  I can't reach them and need to remember to have my husband get some down.  They have been so good this year.  I recently chopped some up to cook with a really good maple glazed pork tenderloin the other day.

I have filled many bags with leaves and pine needles from the path.  It gets so matted and wet that our dog won't go outside.

Sarcococca ruscifolia is already full of buds.  It blooms in late winter with the best smelling flowers.  It does great in dry shade and is evergreen, I love it.

The pond had a layer of ice on it this morning.  The fish are hiding at the bottom and there are still lots of leaves to scoop out.  The Water Hawthorn is just starting to bloom, it actually prefers the cooler weather and blooms into winter.

The window boxes outside our dining room window are doing great.  The Littlest Gardener chose the colors of Violas.  They are bright and cheerful!

Overall it's still looking pretty good outside, I do miss not seeing many flowers though.  

Hope everyone has a nice Thanksgiving!  My sister and her family are driving from Idaho to join us,  we're excited to see them and hope they have a safe drive especially since it sounds like there are several storms predicted.

All words and photos in this post are property of A Gardener in Progress.

Not done yet!

We've had several good frosts already, there have been lows in the 30's at night.  But, that doesn't mean the garden is finished.  I'm always amazed and impressed with what still is going on in November out in the garden.  I decided to slip on the wet and leaf filled Crocs to take a few pictures of some of what still looks good, but it sure felt cold while I out there (could've been the wet bare feet).  I guess if the flowers could handle it, so could I!

Dahlias are still hanging on and blooming.  I love the dark colored foliage on this one.  Calibrachoa is still blooming and looks nice and colorful.

There are still lots of pretty blue Hydrangea 'Nikko Blue' flowers.  Many have faded, but there are quite a few that still look this fresh.

Geranium 'Rozanne' the flower that never wants to stop is still going very strong.

Hardy fuchsia 'Pat's Dream' is just covered with flowers.  The hardy fuchsia by the pond is also blooming well.  These will bloom until the first hard freeze.

Erysismum 'Apricot Twist', which according to the tag only blooms until March, hasn't quit blooming.

This Swiss Chard has been here since May.  We just keep cutting off the older leaves and new ones just keep on coming.

I've never had a Nasturtiums blooming this late.  There is Kale and beets growing to the left.

Our lone pumpkin is still on the vine.  The girls wouldn't let me to cut it off, they want to see what happens.

Aster lateriflorus 'Prince' was new at the end of summer.  Tons of little flowers are blooming.

Rose 'Lady Emma Hamilton' keeps putting out buds, they don't seem to like the frosty cold weather and don't open much further than this.

Euphorbia 'Ascot Rainbow' is covered in heavy dew here.  This will be evergreen all winter.

Daphne transatlantica 'Summer Ice' has many, many fragrant flowers.  This will bloom almost year round.  I was worried it was dying toward the end of summer, one whole branch died back.  I added some compost around the roots and gave it extra water, it seems to have bounced right back now.

We also still have lots of apples on the apple tree.  I recently picked some and made the most delicious apple pie.  Click here to find the recipe.  It was amazing!  (I  did cheat and used the premade crust that you just unroll into a pie pan, but I did still cut it and make a lattice top.)

Hope there are still some plants holding on and adding some life to your garden!

All words and photos in this post are property of A Gardener in Progress.