We have been enjoying a wonderfully warm autumn here in Umbria with misty mornings followed by sunshine and, for the most part ,clear blue skies and so it was no surprise to discover, on Saturday morning, that we had suffered our first frost. The thermometer outside the backdoor that faces North was registering +5C but a light covering of frost was clearly discernable in some areas. Luckily, I had already moved some of my more tender subjects, grown in pots, to more sheltered positions and those that I had not got round to were OK but yesterday was spent finishing my "winter quarter arrangements" and last night brought another frost.
The garden has been looking very good this autumn though due to the mild weather and after two good rains of 30mm, one in September and the second in October following 8 weeks without a drop. Many subjects sprang back to life and re-covered themselves with flowers. I am posting a photo of the ever reliable Erigeron karvinskianus that colonises my dry stone walls and which is looking as good as in the spring.
