A gardener's week

It's been a busy week in the garden. I actually did get several of the tasks that I had set for myself completed. Many plants have been moved to new spots where I hope they will be happier - among them volunteer 'Laura Bush' petunia seedlings. blue plumbago, autumn sage, several volunteer flame acanthus plants, a Hamelia... Well, the list is quite long. I also got a bit of weeding done, the dead apple tree has been removed, and the pomegranate tree planted. All in all, a productive week.

More could have been done but today was not a good day for working outside. The temperature was fine, but that wind! It blew continuously and hard all day long, making any attempt to work outside rather unpleasant. I finally settled for walking around the garden to document what was still in bloom here in the first week of December.  We had a couple of light frosts earlier this week and, according to the weatherman, we should have a hard freeze with temperatures in the high 20s at the middle of next week. By the time December's Bloom Day rolls around on the 15th, I may not have any blooms to show you, but here is a sample of what is still blooming today.

For a couple of weeks now, the 'Ducher' rose bush has been covered in these luscious white blossoms.

This morning glory has done really well for me this year. Since it is in a somewhat protected place, it survived this week's frosts and is still sending out blooms. If it gets as cold as anticipated next week though, it will be gone.

Likewise the purslane which has bloomed and bloomed in its pot on the back porch.

The Copper Canyon daisies, seen here with some milkweed, have bloomed gloriously for a few weeks now but their blooms will not survive a heavy frost.

The Hamelia patens was nipped by this week's frost but is still blooming. It, too, will go to sleep for the winter when the heavy frost comes.

 And so will the 'Calico' Dutchman's pipe vine, but it will be back next year.

Most of the roses in the garden are enjoying a "second spring" just now and that includes the miniature 'Red Cascade.' I love these tiny velvety red blossoms.

And, yes, in case you wondered, the yellow cestrum is still going strong after eight continuous months of blooming.

These lovely blossoms of 'Old Blush' are a special end-of-the-year treat.

The creeping purple lantana has never been prettier or more floriferous.

The toad lilies continue to reward me for all those months of waiting and wondering, "Will they or won't they?"  They would and did!

The 'Radsunny' yellow Knockouts suffered more than any of my roses in the heat and drought of summer. I even lost a couple of them, but those that survived are putting on a show here at the end of the year.

The cuphea cigar plant continues its blooming ways.

And so, of course, does the dependable 'Caldwell Pink' rose.

This bicolor lantana is blooming as though there is no tomorrow.

And let us not forget the vegetable garden where several of the crops are doing very well indeed. That includes the broccoli which has a few heads ready for harvest. It's on the Sunday lunch menu.

And it won't be long before these sugar snap pea blossoms become crisp, tasty peas.

Not quite in bloom yet but this leatherleaf mahonia soon will be and once it does bloom the blossom will last all winter long.

Another long-lasting blossom is this succulent, a member of the aeonium family. It has been blooming for several weeks now and shows no sign of fading.

In addition to these blooms, one of the Esperanzas escaped the first frost and is still going strong, as are the Turk's caps, the various salvias, and the 'Radazz' and pink Knockouts. The garden is enjoying these pleasant days of late autumn and it is showing it with flowers.