We are still in autumn. The Koelreuteria tree in the front garden has lost its leaves but other trees are still holding onto theirs. When a breeze disturbs them, a snow of dead leaves floats down.
The weather has been fine with plenty of opportunities for walking.
We keep waiting for winter to set in and on Wednesday we had lunch outside on the terrace of our favourite restaurant by the sea. The sun was shining and people were sitting in the sun in T-shirts. We have had several “last” lunches outside this year!
Wednesday brought so much sunshine that this small copper butterfly settled on our Mme. Isaac Pereire rose in complete denial of the calendar date.
During the day the blue skies warm up the garden with strong sunshine.
However, the nights with clear skies bring low temperatures and we have found ice on the birds’ water dish in the morning.
I have decided to coddle my abutilons this year. I swore I would never keep fragile plants in the garden. The abutilons have been with us for years, their leaves freezing in winter and then shooting again in late spring. Now I feel they have been so courageous to survive that they are going to get some help.
We have also got a Salvia leucantha that will need protection soon.
I just cannot manage to do justice to this beautiful flower when I take a photograph. It too will get special attention.
The lemon tree is still outside. It will go into the spare bedroom with gro-lights during the day but I could not deprive it of the beautiful sunshine we have been having lately. We do protect it with a fleece at night if the skies are clear.
Today is cloudy and more autumnal.
I hope nevertheless to be able to still enjoy some more days sitting in the garden drinking our tisane, See who joined us on Wednesday morning.
a french garden 
I envy you, we have slid very quickly into cold weather and snow is even forecast for next week. Lovely roses!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Just as I have been extolling our sunshine, we have passed into a very cloudy period. The clouds keep the night temperatures higher so I do not have to cover my tender plants. We have not had much snow in recent years so perhaps some is heading our way. Amelia
LikeLike
Your lemon is wonderful, and the butterfly on the rose is perfect. We enjoyed a long, warm (for Minnesota) autumn, with roses reblooming, especially the shrub rose “Sunrise Sunset. and abundant scabiosa and purple asters feeding the bees. They are all finally coated with our first snow.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow! First snow! We do not get much snow here. It usually does not last too long either. I bet your garden looks beautiful with its first coating of snow. Amelia
LikeLike
November seems more like October this year. We haven’t had much frost and the trees are still hanging on to the foliage. The dahlias are still bloooming too which is an unexpected treat.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Although we have had very favourable weather for the garden this autumn, I am behind with the work. We have one dahlia still blooming too. Amelia
LikeLike
I don’t envy you having to carry the lemon tree up into the spare bedroom!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I forgot to mention, the spare bedroom we keep the lemon tree in is on the ground floor. It did make me smile to think of us struggling upstairs with that big pot :), Amelia
LikeLiked by 1 person
Are the bumblebees still about in this mild weather?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I;ve seen fewer bumblebees this year. The carpenter bees come to the Salvia on the sunny days and I have only seen one queen white tail bumblebee trying to get the nectar from the winter heather which has not started to bloom fully yet. Now we have passed into a colder spell it is very quiet on the bee side of things. Amelia
LikeLike