When I reviewed my records of first frost and first snowfalls, I wasn’t surprised to notice 2025 sits right in the middle of early and late dates….so there’s no reason for me to be dismayed by how my garden looks today, no matter how bleak. I harvested the last carrots on Saturday, the last Brussels sprouts yesterday…there are cherry tomatoes ripening (I hope) in a paper bag in the pantry, dried herbs in jars and vases of poppy seedheads poking up on multiple bookshelves. Plus, spring is only four months away!
It’s time, today, for the last vase of (somewhat) fresh garden flowers for the year. Many thanks to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for hosting IAVOM.
Calendula, or pot marigold, are really hardy. We’ve had below freezing temperatures most nights for a few weeks and they’re not quite ready to give up. Not even the few inches of snow that fell a week ago has been enough to entirely turn off whatever genetic messaging compels the plant to keep trying… Here are a few tattered blooms in the antique glass ink jar I found in the summer. Have a great week everyone!
County Gardening 
What probably is a routine occurrence for you, or at least not unusual, evoked a terrific memory for me. Your photo of the snow covered flowers reminded me of these snow-covered lantana outside my door in 2004, when we experienced a deep Christmas Eve snow in southeast Texas. People still talk about it as the Christmas miracle. There was enough snow for me to build a snowman, and tuck a lantana bouquet into its ‘hands.’
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Now That’s would have been a great photo! How fabulous for kids, and kids at heart, to have snow for Christmas! Surprisingly, we’re not guaranteed a white Christmas here in southern and southeast Ontario. It’s about a 50-50 shot. Not surprising, perhaps, if you realize that the southern tip of Ontario is about the same latitude as northern California.
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My favorite photo from the event is this snow surfer with his board, on the beach in Galveston. And, no: I didn’t realize that Ontario/California connection. Interesting!
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Aw, those intrepid calendula. 🧡 I like your ink well!
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Good to note the comparison. Sometimes we don’t remember correctly. Sounds like you’re on target with your garden. Something to aim for with everything else. But it doesn’t always work out that way!
Sent from my Galaxy
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Your blooms in the inkwell almost look like an oil-painting. I still have yellow Bidens & some purple Osteospermum blooming on the deck. We seem well protected, amongst the trees.m
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The small ink bottle makes the flowers look bigger, like mums.
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That’s a lovely inkwell Chris – I certainly don’t have one that shape. And what stalwarts those marigolds are – seeing them poking out from under the snow is such a glorious sight!
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Nice to see the cheerful Calendula flowers! Our planting and bloom schedules appear to be very different. I’m just now sowing flower seeds, including Calendula seeds, and looking forward to seeing the blooms in spring 😉
https://krispgarden.blogspot.com/
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Your ‘tattered’ blooms are beautiful Chris! And all the more so for it being mid November. I have also had a couple more flowers on mine this week – they have amazed me at how tough they are!
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Lovely calendula! I knew they were hardy, but not snowfall hardy.
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They’re just fabulous! The ONLY drawback, for me, is how floriferous they are in that deadheading is required almost every day…
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Such a hopeful, colorful post! Spring is only four months away–yay! While March can still be a little cold here in my northern Midwest garden, usually there are Hellebores and Snowdrops and Crocuses poking through by then. Thanks for the hopeful note! You Calendula blooms and the vase are lovely!
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Thank you Beth – March is iffy here as well, and very damp, things start to sprout and the days are longer!
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