It certainly has been cold this winter, but Monday the weather took an extreme turn with temperatures plummeting to -5℃ last night. Three days ago, my Arum lilies (above) were still in fairly good condition, but this morning, to my utter dismay, they were flat on the ground, wilted and broken (below). It looks like something has ploughed right over them but, no, it's only the cold! I made the mistake of watering them on Monday, thinking of their natural habitat in the Cape where they get winter rainfall, not taking into account that they don't get the frost that we do!
The Sword ferns are also worse for the wear, except those that are under the protection of a Black Karee tree, which has sheltered them from the severe frost.
Saved by the over-hanging canopy of the Black Karee!
The colourful walkway of last summer now stark and bare
This Hydrangea is just a couple of dried-up sticks, yet new buds are already peeping through!
The Nasturtiums that flowered right through last winter have succumbed to this year's cold
The Zebra grass, dry and colourless. I don't cut them down until just before spring as the chickens love hiding from the cold wind between them and luckily they jump right back to life as soon as it warms up again.
More dead Zebra grass with my Cycad in the back-ground. Luckily he is also afforded some protection by the White Stinkwood.
Echeveria glauca in a wheelbarrow, too big to bring inside, showing the effects of the cold. I'm just hoping and praying the cold won't get any worse...
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My garden - Frosty-white and cold it lies .
Underneath the fretful skies;
Though the winds are keen and chill
Roses' hearts are beating still,
And the garden tranquilly
Dreams of happy hours to be
In the summer days of blue
All its dreamings will come true.
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