Brrr! It's December!

I'm afraid it's going to be one of those winters--cold and foggy. I haven't counted but I bet we've had at least twenty foggy days since October and it isn't even winter yet. We've had several frosts, none below about 25 degrees though so it could be worse and I shouldn't complain. 

One of the ways I can tell how cold it's gotten is by the looks of my hardy banana. I'd say it could and probably will get colder before spring. 

Musa basjoo (Hardy Banana)

Yes, the garden is a mess but there are still a few flowers and foliage to keep things interesting. 

The below Correa (and the white flowered one that I forgot to photograph) have been blooming since September. They're so pretty, sitting in my covered patio.

Correa x 'Dusky Bells'

On the cold nights I've been covering my patio potted plants with blankets. This Impatiens is continuing to bloom. In fact it's blooming more now than it did all summer which leads me to believe that it prefers cooler weather. 

Impatiens sodenii 'La Vida Rosa'

The same thing can be said for this Bacopa. In summer I was constantly watering and fertilizing it and although it thanked me with pretty blooms, it didn't look nearly as nice as it does now! 

Bacopa 'Rosea'

I'm hoping the temps don't drop too low because these flowers really do help stave off the winter blues.

Bacopa 'Rosea'

This Abutilon is situated in a sheltered spot and continues to pump out blooms.

Abutilon

Check out this winter-blooming Clematis 'Freckles'! The weather hasn't discouraged it in the slightest!

Clematis cirrhosa var. purpurscens 'Freckles'

Aren't these the cutest flowers?

Clematis cirrhosa var. purpurscens 'Freckles'

Clematis cirrhosa var. purpurscens 'Freckles'

Clematis cirrhosa var. purpurscens 'Freckles'

I even trained a few of its stems to cling to this makeshift trellis thingy on my patio's ceiling.

Clematis cirrhosa var. purpurscens 'Freckles'

Another winter blooming Clematis is a species called urophylla. I think it is a bit more temperature-sensitive though because the blooms haven't opened. They just sit there teasing. Yes. It has really gorgeous foliage too!

Clematis aff. urophylla

These tough, easy to grow Daphne are the best! They bloom almost continually and seem to be impervious to the temperatures.

Daphne transylvanica 'Summer Ice'

The one drawback, however, is that they don't really have much fragrance when the temps are in the 30s or 40s. 

Daphne transylvanica 'Eternal Fragrance'

Daphne transylvanica 'Eternal Fragrance'

The Mexican Orange has also been blooming off and on since early fall.

Choisya ternata (Mexican Orange)

Choisya ternata  (Mexican Orange)

This little Callirhoe flower is a pleasant anomaly. 

Callihroe involucrata var. tenuissima

Neil Bell is happy and that is good  because I don't have a hummingbird feeder proper. Just flowers like these for the hummers.

Grevillea 'Neil Bell'

Reliable both in its winter-blooming and in its inability to photograph well, (Okay, maybe it's the photographer.) this Viburnum has a few blooms and tons of buds. Clematis 'Freckles' clamors up its mossy branches.

Viburnum bodnantense 'Dawn'

Viburnum bodnantense 'Dawn'

Here's another tender plant that I have been covering with a blanket. I really hope I'm successful in keeping it alive.

Anisodontea x 'Tara's Pink'

Reseeders like this Feverfew are tougher than they look!

Tanacetum parthenium aureum

There is an interesting story about how I came by the rosebush (below) but I won't share it here. Suffice it to say that it is a winner! I've moved it around so many times and it still rewards me with this... even in December!

Rosa 'Adelaide Hoodless'

Rosa 'Adelaide Hoodless'

Who doesn't love a tough and long blooming Penstemon?

Penstemon 'Garnet'

Speaking of tough, my Gardenia apparently didn't get the winter commencement memo and is trying to bloom!  See that fat, white bud there?

Gardenia 'Frostproof'

A few surprise blooms on this Armeria too. 

Armeria juniperfolius

And check out my Sarracenia. I know you're supposed to cut them back, but why?

Saracenia sp.

Sarracenia sp.

I'm going to have tons of baby Nicotiana seedlings next year. This plant is a blooming fool!

Nicotiana 'Mutabilis'

 I was surprised the Crinum wasn't killed back by the cold.

Crinum x powelli

Seriously, I'm not kidding. The cold weather is preserving these Clematis blossoms. They've looked like this for over a week. 

Clematis viticella 'Venosa Violacea'

More hummingbird food!

Mahonia x media 'Charity'

And this:

Arbutus enedo 'Compacata'

And lastly, I was so happy today when I saw tiny flowers appearing AGAIN on this Osmanthus. This is another plant that blooms intermittently throughout the year and it's quickly becoming a favorite. Hopefully the weather will allow me to get a whiff of its fragrance.

Osmanthus fragrans aurantiacus 'Apricolt Echo'

Winter foliage:

Hebe albicans 'Pink Elephant'

Hebe albicans 'Pink Elephant'

This Geranium, so far so great!

Geranium harveyi

With a Japanese maple towering above my patio, you can see what I have to contend with every November.

Leaves!

Pathway leaves!

Patio leaves!

Most of the leaves are now where they belong, in the beds where they will break down and feed the soil and its critters. 

Patio leaves gone!

That's the update for now. Keep warm, peeps. Spring is right around the corner.

It's Almost Over

Can you believe 2018 is almost over? The years just seem to fly by, don't they? We had some 28-30ish degree nights a week or so ago but now we're back to normal. In fact, just now, as I write this, I saw a honeybee outside. Nature is so resilient. 

So here's what's blooming:

The first blossom on this Camellia. Isn't is gorgeous?

Camellia sasanqua 'Shishi-Gashira'

I have this Rhodochiton under cover and it's still got a few blooms. I hope to overwinter it.

Rhodochiton astrosa 'Purple Bells'

There are still a few flowers on this Mimulus. It looks cute with the variegated Ficus, doesn't it? Both are in pots.

Mimulus x aurantiacus 'Cherry' and Ficus pumila 'Variegata'

This fragrant pelargonium is still blooming too. 

Pelargonium 'Filbert'

 More blossoms and buds on the Correa!

Correa 'Dusky Bells'

And this one too:

Correa 'Ivory Bells'

A few, rather tattered flowers on my Abutilon:

Abutilon cv.

In the front of the house by my main door, I have a large container with year round interest. The Viburnum tinus is so happy.

Viburnum tinus pink buds!

Viburnum tinus pink buds turning white before they open to white flowers.

Viburnum tinus

Speaking of Viburnum, 'Pink Dawn' is also happily doing its winter thing:

Viburnum bodnantense 'Pink Dawn'

The few common Primula that I have are all starting to bloom. This one has been in the ground for several years. Not my favorite color but hey, this time of year, all flowers are welcome.

Primula japonica

I was pleased as punch to see the first blossoms on my Chimonanthus. Check out all those buds! The fragrance is UH MAZE ING!

Chimonanthus praecox

Still more blooms on this Clematis:

Clematis cirrhosa 'Freckles'

 And this Clematis is just finishing with a few more blossoms opening:

Clematis florida 'Sieboldi'

Still blooming is this Lewisia with more buds popping up:

Lewisia cotyledon 'Elise'

Nandina--such a common plant during the summer but look how it shines in the winter!

Nandina domestica 'Moyer's Red'

The dwarf Nandina planted by my patio pond, even without the berries is equally vibrant this time of year.

Nandina domestica 'Wood's Dwarf'

The Sarcococca isn't quite there yet but it's still early. Come January it will be alive with blossoms.

Sarcococca ruscifolia

And also full of promise are the Daphne: 

Daphne odora 'Marianni'

And the green-leaf Daphne is even closer to blooming:

Daphne odora

 She's going to be beautiful!

Daphne odora

Here are some wide shots of my garden. Be warned, it looks pretty sad these days. I'm behind on mulching and I don't cut back most of my perennials until spring.

The patio pond

Don't you love the "winter interest" here? Not so much. The banana-leaf monster is here again!

But I will focus on the green. Here are a few leafy lovelies:

Windmill Palm grows much slower in a pot. This ones been here for ten years.

Windmill Palm -- Trachycarpus fortunei

Umbrella Pine -- Sciadopitys verticillata with a variegated Boxwood

And finally, here is a little hardy cactus I bought a few years ago from plant lady Trina Studebaker.

It's getting bigger. I am hoping it will flower someday. But for now I'm just glad I've been able to keep it alive.  

Opuntia

I hope there are bits of joy in your garden too!