Usually, by late November, all the flowers are gone. This autumn has been different. After a one-day freeze, the temps returned to the 70s, and flowers are still blooming. The coneflowers have new blooms, and the red sage is still vibrant. Even the sweet alyssum, which usually dies with the sweet potato vines, is still richly colored and keeping company with the geranium that survived the frost of two weeks ago. The most surprising is the black-and-blue salvia. In past years, it has yellowed and died long before now. However, in August, I cut it back severely, expecting it to pass on. Instead, it is now lush and in full bloom as if this were the first week of May! After 15 seasons, this garden still surprises me.
