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Most of the flowers in my garden disappear long before December. Unusually, the astrantia (top) managed to hold onto several flowers until well into one winter. Over a couple of very cold mornings it provided me with a delicate little subject for photography, and a good reason for getting very cold fingers and toes!
The scabious in the picture below was newly-planted just a few months ago and still had several buds at the time. I didn’t know if the last ones would open, but this one has. It was just in time to get caught by a heavy frost. The frost didn’t last long – you can see the droplets forming as it melts.
There’s always a chance that the last autumn flowers will get a touch of early frost. I was lucky, however, that these two plants were still in flower when the heavier frosts arrived. There’s often very little left to photograph by that time. The frost lasted well on these flowers because they’re both on the side of the garden that’s shaded from the morning sun. If they’d been over on the sunny side, the frost on them would have melted early, long before I’d have had time to get outside with my camera.
Luck can play a large part in my photography. There are many things that I have little control over and there are also the unexpected surprises that nature brings. I just have to keep my eyes open for them! ❄
Ann Mackay: Inspired by Nature 
Gorgeous photos! I particularly like the scabious, those ice crystals are exquisite. Who needs Christmas decorations? 😊
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Thank you! 🙂 I reckon nature can do a much better job of decorating the garden than I can possibly do in the house! (Though it doesn’t look as if Christmas will be cold enough for frost.)
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And I for one am glad that you keep your eyes open.
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Thanks Jude! There’s not so much to see out in the garden at the moment, so it may be time to catch up on processing some older photos… 🙂
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Not much in mine either. Cleared away all the calendula and nasturtiums yesterday. Most of the perennials are just mush now too.
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Maybe it’s time to be indoors for a while – dreaming of spring.
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So beautiful; so ephemeral.
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They certainly are – and it’s pretty much chance as to whether there are any frosted flowers in any year.
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Reading your last paragraph, I thought, “Yes, indeed.” Unpredictable and surprising sights and events are a good part of what makes nature so appealing and interesting. There’s no chance of frost for us for at least the upcoming week, so I really enjoyed seeing these winter-ish beauties. Frost on a white flower is especially interesting.
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There’s not much chance of getting bored by nature when she has all sorts of interesting surprises to spring on us! 🙂 I don’t think we’ll get any more frost for the next couple of weeks or so – but I do have some older frosty photos that are waiting to be processed.
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Chose promise, chose due, as the French put it. You said more frosted flowers were coming, and here they are. Luck indeed plays a part, and this time you were fortunate.
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Agreed, Steve! I am indeed fortunate when nature supplies me with good photographic opportunities – she can be very kind!
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Beautiful photography!
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Thank you Antonia – I’m glad you enjoyed my photographs! 🙂
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Exquisite photos!
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Thank you Lisa! The frost is very generous in proving photographic subjects! 😊
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Late blossoms and early frost equal a perfect photo op, Ann. Thank you for putting up with cold toes and fingers to share the beauty.
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It’s an opportunity not to be missed, Tanja – especially when there’s not much else happening. And at least the cold fingers and toes are soon warmed up again. 🙂
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Yes. What is a little physical discomfort considering the photographic prize. 😊
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You too for the feast of love…above all a lot of peace! 🎄
Unfortunately, we got the Black Advent in Germany with the attack on the Christmas market in Magdeburg…unfortunately this gets under your skin and brings a lot of tears at the end of 2024!
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Thank you Ginnie – peace is the most important thing and I especially wish that for you and for everyone in Germany.
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It’s good that you still have interesting things in your garden.
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I’m lucky to have a few things left to photograph – there would have been next to nothing in my previous garden in Scotland. But I would like to have a bit more around for the bees and other insects both late and early in the year, when flowers are scarcer.
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