Cheesehead Gardening Episode 12

Wordless Wednesday

November in the Cheesehead Garden

It's November in the Cheesehead Garden.  Within the past week we were hit with our first hard frost, which is actually late for Wisconsin.  So what does the garden look like?  Much of my hostas are yellow and brown, laying on the ground like sad versions of their old self.

However, there are a few hostas that are must have hit the gym or something this summer and have toughed out the frost.  The hosta below is h. "Halcyon", it's one of the last hostas to go dormant in my garden.

My containers are all looking pretty sad.  It's time to start gathering them and putting them up against the house or in the garage.  The ones that have perennials and hostas in them will be placed on their sides and covered with leaves to prevent them freezing and thawing over the winter.

The mums are still looking good in the garden.  In the background is also Eupatorium Rugosum 'Chocolate' or Chocolate Joe Pye Weed.  It's a late bloomer and usually stays in bloom 'til the first snow fall.  My fall crocus are also in bloom right now.

One plant that is surprising me this year, still being in bloom in November, is my phlox.  It has been a great year for phlox in my garden, they must have enjoyed all the hot weather.  I thought the hot weather we had would have made them more prone to mildew, but it seems to have had the opposite effect on them.

Looking at these pictures reminds me of all the work I should be getting done in the garden before the snow starts falling here in Wisconsin.  So what does your garden look like this time of the year?