In the garden this week, I had a couple of surprises. Late autumn continues to slow the growth of many plants, which isn’t a bad thing. Although the grass doesn’t need mowing now, brown leaves are falling across the lawn every. single. day. But they will do that until March.

My first surprise is discovering that a plant I bought as a type of phlox may be a white plumbago. I need to do a little more research. But that’s the first photo in the collage, upper left.

The top middle is one of several lantanas that are doing well now.

It’s odd to see azaleas in the fall, but that’s the point of the Encore varieties. True to their name, they may take their bow at any time during the year.

I have continued to have several buds and blooms on my knockout rose.

My other surprise is that two of my early camellias started blooming this week. The white one is a camellia sasanqua and the coral blooms are from a camellia japonica.

I’m not in the yard much these days, although I’m missing out on some perfect weather to work in the garden. I have to wear a boot on my sprained ankle for three more weeks and am supposed to continue to limit my activities. If it keeps me from having surgery, I’ll do it.

Have a blessed week everyone, Dottie