Well it’s GBBD and it’s hard not to look at the Camellias as the main focus for this time of year.  They just seem relish the colder temperatures even though they are just barely hardy here.  This particular C. sasanqua actually died back to the ground one year and I was ready to take it out but instead it began growing again and now goes up to the roofline.

Its companions for Fall weather are another C. sasanqua and a very long blooming hardy hybrid.

But surprisingly there were a couple of unusual flowers showing up despite the fact that we have been below thirty degrees on a couple of nights.

There was also an azalea that yielded a flower and then this morning I noticed that the Loropetalum had a single blossom wanting to bloom.

Perhhaps the Loropetalum was not aware that it is barely hardy here.  

Of course there are lots of things in the yard that are getting ready for spring like the Edgeworthia.

As we look forward to winter actually arriving (they are calling for over 60 degrees next week), we have cleaned out the greenhouse to make it fully usable for the citrus and various small pots for South African and South American flowers.

You can get some appreciation for why I do this with close up images from the right side and upper left of the greenhouse image.

The other thing that struck me as I wandered the grounds over the last couple of days is what marvelous color we’ve had this year.  There are just so many ways in which fall colors make the days seem special, sometimes from trees you wouldn’t think of for color..

And then me close with another sort of color