Remains of the Day

Baby, it's cold outside! Most of my garden flowers are covered with frost cloth. They've been that way for three nights now. I haven't lifted the cover once to check on them. I'm afraid to! I've only seen parts of limp, dangling little petunia and pansy leaves peeking from beneath their wind blown cover. But ... the roses, not to worry about the hearty roses. They are thriving and waiting their turn to be pruned. These are my Evelyn roses, just a couple of weeks ago. All blooms are cut (these beauties don't go in the compost!) and each old leaf is stripped. The canes are thinned, the dead and twiggy canes are removed and a small amount of slow release rose food is added with a good, deep watering. As the warm days arrive, little green leaves will be popping out all over! A nice thought on this cold February night.