Has it been a month since we took a walk around the garden? It has been a month and a day, but truthfully, not much has changed since then. Autumn in DownSouth, Alabama is not as impressive as in New England or other places that have changing, spectacular colors.

Most of our trees are still green, as well as the grass. We’ve started having some cool weather, but no frost, much less a hard freeze. Colors from summer annuals are still hanging in there, but the time has come for me to yank them out and prepare the beds for something else. The collage above has pictures that I took yesterday, November 3rd. You can also see below what is probably not “the last rose of summer.” This shrub may have a rose for Christmas.

A couple of years ago, I bought some Encore Azaleas that bloom periodically over the seasons. They are still blooming, but are sort of disappointing. Never will they have the grand and gaudy display that our spring azaleas have. I’ve discovered that a few blossoms here and there is all I can expect.

I was a bit late getting pictures of the sweet olive shrubs. They were full of blossoms, but recent storms stripped them. The few remaining blooms are still sweet smelling. They’ll continue to produce blooms that perfume the back yard all winter.

Finally, my early-blooming camillia in the front yard has been blooming for about a month. It will continue through the winter also. My deep crimson camillia is full of buds that won’t open until January or February. A fun fact is the camillia is our Alabama state flower.

The real beauty in all of this is I have something blooming in my yard 365 days a year. What we lack in fall colors is more than compensated by the winter blooming plants.

“On each side of the river was the tree of life, which bears fruit twelve times a year, once each month; and its leaves are for the healing of the nations.” –Revelation 22:2

This verse from Revelation makes me smile. It’s describing life in the New Heavens & the New Earth having perpetual fruit trees that undoubtedly also produce blossoms each month. And, unlike my garden, will not produce thorns and briers or weeds.

Which reminds me, I’ve got some weeding to do. Then, I’ll be ready to plant pansies.

Shalom, Dottie