Winter and the flowers are still blooming

Just after my last post, we had a light frost which would have killed the tomatoes. My heartier plants, like the broccoli, monk's hood, dahlias, and nasturtiums kept on putting out new buds, as did my last remaining sunflower. The periwinkles woke up and started to bloom too. We had weather hovering around zero since then, with some light snow that did not last on the ground. Last night the temperature plunged and today we woke up with the lawn covered in snow, and the cannas looking worse for the wear. The monk's hood is still in bloom. Who knew it was so hearty?

The onions and green onions have been enjoying the cold weather and behaving as though it is spring.

Today I went outside after work to dig up the cannas and the giant dahlias, which despite having frozen the past couple of days, still had flowers on them. The calendulas were flowering under a cover of snow. I noticed as well there was yet another bunch of ripe raspberries ready to pick, though a bit soft from being partly frozen.

I popped the last of the broccoli plants into the compost, not expecting the tiny florets to grow much more without cold frames.

You may notice the ladybug on my last blooming sunflower. They seem to like sunflower stalks for hibernation.

I found some more potatoes when I cleaned up the last of the hay bales last week, which were delicious in an omelette. We have just a few more cloves of garlic before our stock from this year is done. I have maybe a dozen more tomatoes still ripening, and whatever is still green goes into the compost.

We are still looking for a supplier of hay. I have sent messages to all my country-living friends within a short range of Montreal asking to look out for neighbours who have supplies and are willing to deliver.



Josh spent a day last weekend driving around near the Shire to see if he could find anyone in the Lachute/Wentworth area, with no results.

Gardening season draws to a close. Its been a good one despite the erratic weather.