Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - December, 2018

Yarrow and blueberry leaves

We had hard frost in early December, at least two nights in the 20s, so I'm surprised the fall blooms are still going. The winter blooms are starting too, giving a nice mix of little surprises around the yard. I started to look for more winter flowering plants two years ago and it's nice to see those growing in. Gives me a reason to go outside in the dark of winter!

Thanks to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for hosting the monthly roundup of blooms.

Penstemon

Borage survived the frost

Lewisia

Hollyhocks

Hollyhocks

Daisies

Fuchsia 'Delta's Sara'

Fuchsia 'Genii'

Yarrow in the lawn

Alyssum in the lawn too

Anemone 'Ruffled Swan'

Creeping rosemary in the retaining wall

Helleborus, labelled as 'Midnight Ruffles', but I think it's too light

Helleborus 'Cinnamon Snow'

Indoors, the African violets are taking a break, but my birthday orchid is blooming in the kitchen window, and downstairs the Christmas cactus has a scattering of blooms.

What's next? Many more hellebores, and camellias!

Helleborus 'Cinnamon Snow', just getting started

Camellia 'Winter's Snowman' 

Camellia 'Yuletide'

In bloom this week: December 1, 2018

After being out of town for Thanksgiving and then sick all last week, I finally got out to wander around the yard today. It's soggy out, as one would expect for November - err, December! I expect we'll have a heavy freeze early next week, so this will be the last of the fall blooms. They're looking a little sad and tattered anyway, ready for the crisp colors of winter to take over. The hellebores are ready.

Lewisia

Nasturtium

Hollyhock

Hollyhock

Anemone

Daisies

Penstemon

Fuchsia 'Genii'

Fuchsia 'Delta's Sara' - the blue has faded

Borage plans to take over the world

Hellebore, I'll have to look up the varieties for winter

Hellebore

Hellebore

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - January 2018

Hamamelis x intermedia 'Diane'

I'm feeling rather pleased with myself for finally planting for winter interest last year, so there are quite a few blooms in my yard this January. Of course that makes me want to plant more, surely I have room for a few more witch hazels and another patch of hellebores?

Yesterday was bright and sunny with record high temperature of 57F, but I hope the plants know it's not spring yet. I'm betting we'll have more cold weather to come.

Thanks to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for hosting this monthly roundup of blooms. There are plants blooming somewhere every month!

Hamamelis x intermedia 'Diane' just starting to bloom

Camellia 'Winter's Snowman' 

Camellia 'Winter's Snowman' 

Camellia 'Yuletide'

Helleborus 'Cinnamon Snow'

Pieris japonica

Sarcococca

Chimonanthus (Wintersweet) just starting to bloom

Viburnum x bodnantense 'Diane'

Calendula, seems likely to live through the whole winter

Borage is also hanging on

Indoors, I bought two new amaryllis bulbs this year and they are spectacular. One of my old bulbs is getting ready to bloom too.

Amaryllises in the kitchen window

Amaryllis 'Rosy Star'

Amaryllis 'Tres Chic'

Only one African violet is blooming now

What's next? More hellebores, and I'm excited to have snowdrops coming up (and so far not eaten by the wildlife).