It’s time…despite the gorgeous, warm weather today, winter is coming. Clocks have been turned back, days are shortening. The garden, which was overtaken by the late summer burst of weeds two months ago, has begun to succum to the cold. The last remaining beauties unfold, to be overcome by the browns of winter in no time. Here is a short photo essay that will have to carry my mind through the winter.

From September, in my parents garden. A dark chocolatey sunflower that I picked and put a bit of Ampelopsis (porcelainberry vine) with, for the contrast of those wacky blue berries with the unbelievable dark brown velvet of the sunflower:

Late blooming dahlias…a gorgeous pinky mauve color–hubby’s plants:

Real fall-blooming Saffron Crocus from our herb ‘circle’. I picked the stamens once to use in a dish, but it was so much work. Now I understand why saffron is so expensive!

An Anise catterpillar, eating a piece of bronze fennel. They turn into a type of swallowtail butterfly. A few weeks ago they were here, fattening up. A few days later they were gone. Such wonderful colors. I name them Luigi, as I always think of Anise/Fennel as an Italian herb, and Luigi just seems right.

One Freaking Fig–had this plant for 4 long seasons now and I got to eat this one tiny, pathetic, nearly ripe fig from it this fall. It’s finally got a decent fruit set this year, that will never ripen now–too late, too cold. So much for buying ‘hardy’ Russian fig varieties, right? I’ll give you one more season, silly fig, then we’ll decide your fate.

And I leave you with this stunning beauty, the last Chicago Peace Rose in bloom.