The Fat Lady's Sung


That's it - the frost's turned my Dahlia leaves to mush. But oh, what a finale to see us out until next year. These are the dark leaves of D. 'Moonfire' on view with their delicate white tracery for just a few short hours yesterday morning. The best was saved 'til last.

Comments

  1. Helen/patientgardener30 October 2008 at 07:50

    Despite the car being completed frosted over yesterday morning my Dahlias are fine. I can only think that there is some sort of protection from the house

    ReplyDelete
  2. emmat30 October 2008 at 08:10

    I think there's so much protection from the house it's untrue. Especially old houses which leak heat all over the place. I bet if we had infrared goggles to view the way in which we are wasting money heating up the neighbourhood, we'd spend more time doing insulation etc!

    ReplyDelete
  3. CanadianGardenJoy30 October 2008 at 11:31

    VP ... hey girl .. I hear the your sadness in this frost victim .. but you have to give it up some time .. and I'm sure next year it will all be even more spectacular !
    Dr. Who said so !!! hahaha

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mr. McGregor's Daughter30 October 2008 at 14:13

    At least you got a beautiful shot out of it. Our freeze came without the frosting. All I had was droopy stems & leaves. At least I cut the last three blooms & buds & brought them in before the cold.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Monica the Garden Faerie30 October 2008 at 14:37

    Can your dahlias survive in ground over winter where you are? Here I'd have to dig them up. We've had frist a few times already and I admit I'm ready for a long winter's nap!
    ~ Monica

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous30 October 2008 at 17:35

    My dahlias have been completely befuggled but, oddly a Cobea next door to them is still flowering.

    ReplyDelete
  7. VP30 October 2008 at 17:44

    PG - my Dahlias are wall protected too, but I think -4 was just that bit too much for them!

    Emmat - and you live in that Heat Island that is London.

    Joy - I bear news re Dr Who - have a look in your Blotanical messages!

    MMD - I did the same. I amanged to rescue some budded David Howard blloks, so at least I'll have cheerful Dahlia blooms on my kitchen windowsill for a few more days yet.

    TGF - we're supposed to dig them up and store them overwinter. I haven't bothered for the past few years, but I make sure they have a very thick mulch to snuggle under for the winter!

    James - hello! I was just admiring your snowy Cornish Aromatics when your comment came in :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous30 October 2008 at 21:39

    We were just -1 here so only my Ipomoeas bit the dust. Don't know what I'd do if we get a real winter - I'm being a bit indecisive about covering up large tender plants. It will serve me right if I get caught out.

    ReplyDelete
  9. VP1 November 2008 at 15:19

    EG - know what you mean. They always look so forlorn when they're covered up don't they? I'm wondering whether this much earlier start to wintry weather is a bit of a sign though...

    ReplyDelete
  10. Elizabeth Musgrave2 November 2008 at 15:27

    I have moonfire and it is just hanging on. We are high enough up here for the wind to be a problem but not the frost. Still can't be much longer. I shall keep my eye on it. They have been really beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  11. VP4 November 2008 at 19:41

    Elizabethm - I do envy you your remaining Moonfire. I'd got used to ours hanging on to mid-November. I feel a bit short-changed this year. Still, their exit was pretty spectacular.

    ReplyDelete

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