Jack Frost is about

I was told by a neighbour yesterday that we have already had our first frost, I hadn't noticed but maybe the dusting of white disappeared while I was still snuggled under our recently installed winter weight duvet. Nothing here seems to have been affected but I am moving the last of the tender plants back indoors or into the greenhouse just in case. Meanwhile the garden is doing its best to keep some colour, I cut a tiny bunch of sweet peas this morning, the sunflower soldiers on and the sedum spectabile autumn joy is making a brave show. Look at the delicate display of Clematis Jouiniana Preacox, it's not a climber in the usual way but scrambles all over the place, because it's so beautiful I let it. As its a late flowering clematis and susceptible to early frosts I don't always get such a good display but this year its covered in tiny white stars and looks gorgeous. I often cut little sprays and bring them into the house.

I don't know how much longer these flowers will last, obviously not long enough for me, so I've been planting my bulb order, a total of 400 bulbs that need to find places in the garden and 10 hyacinths in pots that might just flower for Christmas. That's what gardeners do, keep planning and planting and looking forward. Hope the sun shines on you this weekend and the frost leaves your fingers and toes alone.