After several days of weather around 40° F but no rain, the garden has dried out. The bottom of the rain garden once again is just tufts of Deschampsia grass and the standing water is but a memory.
We had a nice frost, probably around 27-28° although the thermometer is under the eaves where it indicates a higher temperature than the back of the garden: 32° F.
Part of creating a sustainable garden involves choosing plants that work in your climate. Other than some plants whose hardiness is being tested (Grevillea ‘Coastal Gem’, Leucodendron, Cordyline ‘Festival Grass’), all of the plants have no problem with a light or even a moderate frost. Plants that survive frost without problems don’t need to be replanted, wrapped in plastic with Christmas tree lights or otherwise coddled.