bright side

Despite the cold spell which knocked out the flowers (and fragrance) of my Osmanthus heterophyllus, this fall has been relatively mild. I know that because of the appearance of the plants in my garden during my first foray out in a month (now that thesis is predominantly done). Things are starting to look wintry, but there is still some floral color to add to the winter foliage. Although natural areas of Albuquerque are predominantly brown and grey in the winter, my garden is a bit different. I even saw a rose in perfect bloom in my friend's garden yesterday. Although fall and winter get me depressed, I have to look on the bright side of things.

First the leaves.

While my back was turned, Eriogonum umbellatum has changed into its winter wardrobe of burgundy.
So has Penstemon clutei (which I call P. cutie-i)
The strawberry ('Mara de Bois') has turned a striking red-orange.

Karl (Calamogrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster') has turned mostly yellow and beige.
Juniper 'Wichita Blue' forms a nice scene against the Sandias.
Now the flowers:

Amazingly, there are still flowers on Salvia 'Indigo Spires' which usually blackens and dies to the ground in October's cold spells.
Salvia chamaedryoides also has some flowers left.
Savia coahuilensis has been surprisingly tough, and although it has a bit of a scraggly appearance, it blooms for a very long time (nonstop since June). It is spreading through underground rhizomes, and I may have to pull them out as they encroach on other plants.
Most of my rosemaries have some flowers on them, almost as good a show as early spring - maybe better on some plants.
This wild erigeron only has one flower on it, but it was so charming that I had to take a photo.