It’s always a last ditch rescue mission for me, this late in November, when I’m madly trying to bring in every last plant from the cold. Most of my container plants have been hauled indoors, but I still have a few things growing in actual soil that I wanted to save. So far we’ve been lucky. No temperature nosedives, but we have had a few nights at slightly below freezing.

So, today I was out digging up lantanas, a monster pineapple sage, a lemon verbena, and large clump of lemongrass. Sure I could have let them freeze and die out there, but something in me just can’t allow it. Especially since we’ve already had a few frosts, and those plants were still alive and kicking. I figure with that much tenacity the least I can do is help them along. So, on a good year—like this one—I dig them up, stuff them into pots, cut them back and hope for the best.

So, now I have a massive hibiscus, underplanted with setcreasea and purple oxalis perched on a desk in my bedroom. In truth, I really don’t have room for all these plants in my indoor space. But the mother hen in me is determined to make room, by hook or by crook. Eek, I just remembered I forgot to bring in that lemon verbena. Now, where’s my flashlight?