Going, Going, Gone

The yellow-flowered Brugmansia in the courtyard was still in flower over Christmas and it wasn’t until January 5^ththat the flowers finally succumbed to our first proper frost.  Even then, it looked as if a few flowers had escaped damage, but with forecasts of really cold weather heading our way, I decided it was time to cut the plant back to about half its height (it had reached nearly 3 metres) and tuck it up for the rest of the winter.  I’ve packed straw around the lower part of the stem and enveloped the entire plant in a fleece cover. It’s not very pretty, but no one can see it but us and it will be worth it when it is hung with dozens of fragrant flowers in the summer.  Later, I will tuck it out of sight  until it is safe to unveil it in late spring, but for the moment it can stay where it is.

frost causing brugmansia flowers to wilt

frost protected brugmansia