Thursday 12 November 2015

November is still blooming in Normandy


Autumn's colourful mantle is fast falling from tree to ground but close your eyes and the warmth on your face this week could easily trick you into thinking it was September or May.  Autumn has been very kind to to the flowers this year and there are still plenty to be seen here in Normandy, despite the fact it is now November.


Pink geranium - Pelagonium spp

English marigolds - Calendula officinalis

French marigolds - Tagetes patula

Fuchsia - Fuchsia magellanica

Sweet marjoram - Origanum majorana

White dead nettle - Lamiun album

There are still vegetables to be harvested, the weeds they are a-growing and I'll need to get the mower out again very soon.  18ÂșC in November is so warm.  Will we pay for nature's clemency later on?  Interestingly, (well I think so) when we moved here in 2007 we had a very mild, first winter.  All through that autumn and winter a few primroses were in flower down the valley and there were plenty of leaves to be seen.  This year there are none.  No leaves and certainly no flowers.  Does our friend Primula vulgaris know something we don't?  Are we in for a hard winter?  What do you think?

Mammsaurus HDYGG

20 comments :

  1. There's been so many holly berries here this year that mum is adamant that we are in for a really hard Winter. Personally I think that will kick in late January, after all we couldn't possibly have a white Christmas could we?!
    It does look positively Summery in these photos - my hydrangea is still starting new heads of blooms here too, what is going on ?!
    Now... piglets....

    thank you for joining in again Rosie :)

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    1. There is talk here in France about a hard winter and we have had a touch of snow on Christmas Day one year. Maybe my primrose theory will prove right? At least the piglets will be bigger by then and they have the hairy coat and fat layers to keep them warm.

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  2. i love fall sunshine. so great there is still some color to be found by you. here too. but not so much by my inlaws where we were this past weekend.

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    1. It has been the best autumn we have had in years .... and still the mild weather continues. But Annie's Mum and I think we may pay for this later ....

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  3. Hi Rosie, we were only talking this morning about how misleading the weather is at the moment here in Greece (the thermometer is showing 26C in the shade) and whether or not we are going to pay for it later. My husband, son and Dad are on the roof installing a hot water solar panel system and are sweating buckets up there.

    Autumn is more like a second spring with flowers still in bloom, except with autumnal colours splashed about.

    xx

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    1. You as well in Greece - the weather is certainly being very kind to us but in a way that worries me, although it should mean you get lots of free hot water! I even saw a butterfly on my walk 2 days ago.

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  4. The weather continues to feel as though it's May here in the UK too. There are lots of flowers in the garden that are still going strong and this week I've seen people wearing T-shirts and shorts. Is it making up for the rubbish summer we had this year, I wonder?

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    1. Our summer wasn't too bad but I think winter has now arrived!

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  5. Beautiful photos! Hope all is well with you

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  6. Such beautiful flowers !! Great to see still blooming flowers !!
    Lovely pictures, greetings !

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    1. Greetings, Ela - I love your sunflower avatar too :)

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  7. This week's has been such a muddle weather wise! I couldn't believe how warm it was earlier in the week but for the past two days I've been wondering which of the fenced will be blown down first!

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  8. Isn't it lovely just to have a little bit longer with the flowers and colours? I think I appreciate them more when I they are staying longer than they need to, like they are doing us a special favour. It's turned quite suddenly here, no chance of getting the motor out now for us!

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    1. It would appear winter has arrived today with cooler weather and heavy rain. Frost is forecast tomorrow so I need to get my tender plants protected.

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  9. Such beautiful flowers! In November though, that is weird!

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    1. On Wednesday I saw foxgloves in flower and 3 butterflies ...

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  10. I've noticed a lot of people saying warm it is in northern europe for this time of year and I must say, I am surprised at the number of flowers in bloom I'm seeing in people's posts

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    1. It has been a fabulous autumn although that is now all changing ....

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