The cold weather was such a surprise the other night that I didn't really realize how cold it was getting until it was too late last night. Sorry, really neat sun loving coleus. You were beautiful (all 5 varieties of you) and would have made such lovely cuttings but now you're totally dead. African blue basil, you I lament. How will I make pesto out of you if you are cold and dead! The kitchen was filled with the sweet/stench of your rotting leaves when I brought you in last night. I hacked 2 feet of you off to get you down to your woody stems but am still hopeful you'll revive, as your insides were green. Geranium, you seem fine, so hopefully you'll soldier on and we'll never speak of this again.
To everything planted in the actual ground, I apologize. Especially you, Persian Shield. You I planned to make gorgeous colorful cuttings from and put all around the house until it was time to plant you in the spring so I wouldn't have to pay $3 per pot at the spring flower show next April. But 2 pieces of you survived, and I plan to dig them up as soon as I get home tonight even though it will be cold and dark and I will have to use a flashlight. Cannas, your time was up. I was really disappointed in you anyway, and felt a bit vindictive when I saw your paper brown leaves this morning. I will take special pleasure in hacking you down to the earth, but am too lazy to dig you up and plant something better in your place. Hopefully you will learn your lesson and do better next year. Sweet potato vine, you started off so small and lovely and your electric green was a gorgeous, shocking complement to your Persian shield companion. But you grew too confident! Grew too quickly! Took over the entire carport, in fact! I am sorry to say, but this weather put you back in your place and hopefully your hubris will be restrained next year.
Climbing black eyed Susans, I will truly miss your cheery faces draped all over the white picket fence. You made the house a lovely home.
