Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - February 2019

Hamamelis 'Diane'

All of us who talked about what a mild winter we were having in January are surely to blame for the weather now. We already broke the all time record for snowfall for February in Seattle, and likely will end up with the coldest February on record. The snow is melting though, plants emerging a little bedraggled, a broken branch or two, but everything in my yard will recover. Spring is coming, just a little slower than I thought a month ago!

Thanks to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for hosting this monthly meme so we can take vicarious pleasure in pictures from warmer climates, or perhaps have slight satisfaction in seeing that there's always someplace with worse weather.  

Hamamelis 'Diane'

Snow drops sprung right up after the snow melted in this area

Snow drops

Helleborus 'Pink Frost'

Helleborus 'Cinnamon Snow' should spring back up

Camellia 'Yuletide', not sure if the remaining buds survive

Sarcococca

Primroses are still buried

Indoors, one African violet is blooming, plus my newest plant baby, an anthurium:

What's next? Daffodils outside, amaryllises indoors!

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - January 2019

Hellebore

This has been one of the mildest winters of recent years. Rain, of course, a little frost, no snow. I'm always wishing for snow, even when sprouting bulbs and buds on trees hint that spring is around the corner. It's certainly a time of mixed feelings! Perhaps by saying that this has been a mild winter, I will jinx us and bring some snow.

Thanks to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for hosting the monthly roundup of blooms, even when her garden is buried under six inches of snow.

First snowdrop

Wintersweet - chimonanthus

Rosemary

The slugs like primroses

Camellia 'Winter's Snowman'

Camellia 'Yuletide', seems oddly late this year

Hamamelis x 'Birgit' - hard to see in photos, but a brighter red than 'Diane'

Hamamelis x intermedia 'Diane'

Hamamelis x intermedia 'Diane'

Sarcococca scents up the whole corner of the front yard

Cyclamen coum, also a favorite of the slugs

Fuchsia 'Genii' may bloom year round

Helleborus 'Cinnamon Snow'

Helleborus, unknown

Lewisia continues to bloom

Inside, my kitchen counter is crowded with bulbs. Paperwhites that I picked up on sale after Christmas are blooming. Hyacinths that were forced in the fridge and then the garage are coming soon. And I've just finished repotting my amaryllises, the four big ones spent some time in the garage so hopefully they will bloom; the others are babies.

Happy new year - 2019!

Wintersweet, unknown variety of chimonanthus

As usual, I have no idea where last year went! At the end of every year, I think about how to have less stress and more enjoyment in my life, and spending time outside is a big part of that. I took my first walk of the year around the yard this morning, with gloves on to pull a few weeds and clippers in hand for some light cleanup. Starting the year off right!

Winter is all about witch hazel, hellebores and camellias, and so much more:

Hamamelis x intermedia 'Diane' is just getting started

Dawn viburnum is starting to fade

Helleborus 'Cinnamon Snow' will bloom for months

Other hellebores are just starting, if they survive the slugs...

Helleborus 'Pink Frost'

Camellia 'Winter's Snowman'

Camellia 'Yuletide' is later this year

Cyclamen coum

Sarcococca almost but not quite blooming

Snow drops are coming up

And a few fall flowers hanging on!

Daisies

Lewisia

Fuchsia 'Delta's Sara' - a few buds froze but new ones are out

Is spring just around the corner?! Some of these plants may regret their enthusiasm, although it has certainly been a mild winter so far.

Hydrangea buds

One peony is sprouting

I think these are an early tulip

Daffodils

Foxglove seedlings, and weeds