15Nov2010: Garden Bloggers Bloom Day

Once again Garden Bloggers Bloom Day has rolled around.   Hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens, this is the day when gardeners from all over the world share with each other what happens to be in bloom in their gardens.

While things have slowed down considerably, there is still quite a bit going on at The Havens.  There are little spots that are sheltered, there are very hardy bloomers still hanging on in spite of three mornings in a row with frost on the ground and a hard freeze a couple of weeks ago.

The sheltered include one lone optimistic Purple Hyacinth Bean. . .

. . . a couple of clematis . . .

. . . the salad greens in the cold frames and the swiss chard.

The hardy optimists are the bed of garlic . . .

. . . the Knockout Rose, which truly is on its last legs. . .

. . . several different dianthus . . .

. . . Mexican hat . . .

. . . the one chrysanthemum that I have not managed to kill . . .

. . . some pink yarrow . . .

. . . and the last of the fall blooming crocuses.

There are a couple of black eyed susans still persevering, hugging the warmth of the ground, and the miniature rose in front is also still pretending that it is rose season.

But by and large, the bloom season seems to be done for this year.   Right now we are harvesting the leaves from The Havens, the rental property that The Havens owns and the neighbors across the street who never do anything to their lawn but mow it.

Soon it will be truly winter, and I imagine at that time I will discover that I need new long winter underwear, just like I discovered that I need new outer wear earlier this year.   I hate shopping.

The winter birds are here.   We have a full complement of titmice and chickadees, a large flock of juncos, lots of carolina wrens, sparrows and finches, a group of cardinals, blue jays, red winged black birds, downy wood peckers, rose bellied wood peckers and hairy wood peckers.  There are still robins hanging around.  The other night an owl had a young dove for dinner.  I also was pleased to note a nuthatch hunting on the elms yesterday.   The yard sounds very busy when you walk around it.

Well, I must go off to walk Miss Ruby.   Stop around to visit some of the other participants in GBBD here.