Texas landscape saved by sage

Just as the landscape relaxes down into hues of dried grass and exhausted mulch, out burst the blooms of the Texas sages. Energized, it seems, by the cooler temperatures and occasional oh-so-welcome rainshower, the sages in my garden are brightening spots that have barely seen vibrant color all summer long.

Although both the plants above have been steadily growing and flowering since May, there is something about the light of a November/December day that brings a beautiful brilliance to their colors. I shall be taking cuttings of these two star performers with a view to filling in various dull spots in the yard. Either neglected areas that I have still not gotten around to planting, or the sad spots where less strong willed plants gave up and shriveled in the relentless heat of summer 2011.

The first crispy grass morning

The geese are heading south, the grass has a satisfyingly crispy crunch to it and all the signs of a garden slowly putting itself to asleep for the winter surround me. But, confusingly, a forsythia, one of my favorite signs of spring, is in full bloom. Have the temperature patterns really been so crazy?

Until yesterday my orange canna were standing tall and strong. The soft leaf yucca and red yucca were still blooming as though the threat of freezing was the stuff of wild imaginings. I suppose the forsythia saw no reason not to join in. I wonder if it will still have the energy to flower again in February?