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!

July Is Here!

The heat-wave-that-refuses-to-leave has taken my weather-wimpery to a whole new level. Garden chores are left undone while I spend early mornings and evenings dragging the hose around, saturating poor, thirsty plants. The rest of the day is spent in other places, usually indoors with a room AC unit that is so loud it could drown out a Boeing flyover. But I can't complain. Well, let's face it. I can, and I do because I'm a weather wuss. 

Despite the meteorological mayhem, the garden is doing surprisingly well. Granted I've resisted the impulse to dig up and move plants and I've even gone so far as to lay an old bed sheet over a few plants that I fear will get sunburned. My efforts have paid off. Nature is so forgiving. 

I'm not a huge fan of Daylilies (Hemerocallis ssp and cvs.) but I've always sort of wanted a white one. Last fall when I saw H x 'Early Snow' on clearance for a buck I grabbed it. Finally, it just started blooming. Ain't it perty?

Hemerocallis x 'Early Snow' 

I have a few pink daylilies too. This one really trips my trigger:

Hemerocallis 'Coming Up Roses' (I think)

While my pink 'Tri-Color' Alstroemerias are a bevy of blossoms, this one is much more demure.

Alstroemeria psittacina 'Variegata'

I've always had a soft spot for the genus Centaurea so, last winter, when I was flower-starved, I bought seeds for Centaurea rothrockii. It just started blooming. Check out the size of these babies! And the bees love them.

Centaurea rothrockii

Another newbie last year is Talinum calycinum, also called Rock Pink or Flame Flower. The tiny, one-inch blossoms only appear in the afternoon. And they drop their little seeds! I've already got a few baby plants popping up. 

Talinum calycinum

Another product of my flower-starved winter has also just started blooming. Check out this miniature Morning Glory, called "Rose Feathers." (Ipomoea quamoclit.)  I bought the seeds through Baker Creek. It's just starting to bloom. 

Ipomoea quamoclit

Here's what the foliage looks like--all soft and ferny.

Ipomoea quamoclit

Don't you love growing new plants?

Here's another newbie for me. I don't typically grow yellow flowers but when I saw this last fall at a plant sale, I succumbed. 

Kniphofia 'Pineapple Popsicle' 

Check out my Gardenia 'Frostproof.' Just in the last few days the fragrant flowers began to appear. I love it. 

Gardenia 'Frostproof'

Ditto for the Dahlias. Actually only this one so far but the others are making good progress.

Dahlia blossom... I don't know the name

Look at how happy the Portulaca plants are.

In other news, during a recent trip to the store, I (naturally) had to detour to the plant department. Check out this morbid plant abuse! Mulitple pots of Digplexis 'Illumination Flame' being tortured with 100 degree heat and little water. What are the store owners thinking?

Plant Abuse

Speaking of morbid, I instinctively reached for my camera when I saw this Trachycarpus casualty. What do you think, Mindy? Would your hubby cut this one down? LOL

And now, a few critters:

This snake thinks he's hiding but, come on dude.

At twilight, a Hummingbird rests just a few inches away from me. 

 Finally, a better photo of the aforementioned sweet little Song Sparrow who likes to sing to us.

I love this little guy!

I hope your garden and its inhabitants are making you happy.