heartbroken

We had a freeze come through most of Florida in the first few days of the new year. It reached temperatures Gainesville hadn't seen in several years. For three nights in a row we had weather below freezing (29, 22, and 31 degrees.) I figured most of my plants were hearty enough to withstand the temperatures, although I did cover the citrus, birds of paradise, strawberry plants, and a few other young and/or cold-fearing plants.

I didn't expect what happened next. Everything froze. Hard.


The Blood Red Honeysuckle lost most of its leaves. What's strange is the hibiscus in front of it that survived with leaves still green. All the rest of the hibiscus lost at least their leaves.


This La France Hibiscus is my favorite plant. Its leaves died on all but one stem. How strange is that? Not to mention the mandevilla vine growing on the trellis behind it, which survived with blooming flowers and buds intact even though it faced the brunt of the southern winds.

I am so heartbroken. I spend many, many hours in my yard. I put every plant in the ground myself. And the worst part is that I have to wait until spring to see what actually survived. March just can't come quick enough this year.