Frost

A few days ago, we awoke to find the garden covered in frost. Then, the morning after, I tried to pick some leaves out of the bird bath, and I found them frozen inside a thin layer of ice.
I've lived in California for more than twenty years now, and I'm still surprised about the ice on the birdbath each time it happens. Especially because we really don't get snow down here in the valley. It's either clear and frosty or, when the clouds roll in, it warms up just a bit.
Of course frost can be a big problem for gardeners. I used to dash out on the cool evening to cover my bougainvilla and some other tender plants. With limited success, I might add. Now I have Clematis lasanthia on that fence, and have replaced most of the tender plants with natives that have, so far, pulled through admirably. Of course, a really bad frost might still do some damage to my new plants. But average temperatures should not be a problem. And I'm actually really glad we're finally getting some chill hours for the fruit trees.