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Although this could very well be a picture of me finding a new treasure at a favorite nursery, it's actually an illustration by David Catrow for a children's book called Plantzilla.

Thursday, December 15, 2016

December 2016 Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day

Listening to the radio on my drive to work this morning, I was shocked to hear the announcer say that we were already half way through December.  How could this be?  I'm so far behind in Christmas preparations that there must be a lot more time before Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day hosted on the fifteenth of every month by Carol at May Dreams Gardens.  Only ten more days until Christmas?! Have you ever had that dream where you walk into a room to teach something or give a speech and you've nothing prepared?  Had it not been for the radio reality check, GBBD might have completely slipped my mind this month.  Because it was dark when I got home from work on Wednesday, I went out with a flashlight to find what's blooming in my garden this month.  Despite freezing temperatures last week, some things are carrying on. 

Lonicera fragrantissima hasn't lost it's leaves yet but has started blooming.  Crazy but the humming birds seem happy about it.

Arctostaphylos

Garrya  not yet in full tassle.

Lo, how a rose e'er blooming, From tender stem hath sprung.

I wonder if, after the lows in the low twenties predicted for this week, this bud will ever open?


Quelle est cette odeur agréable?  

Why, it's Viburnum × bodnantense ‘Dawn’ of course which has been blooming since October and will continue until June. 

Camellia japonica

Another Camellia japonica.

Camellia sasanqua.

The first of the Hellebores is not yet open but will be soon. 

I cheated and used this picture that I took earlier in the month as the ones I took of this fuchsia were too dark.

Meanwhile, in the greenhouse...


The blooms last so much longer in the cooler greenhouse than they do inside. 

Pachystachys lutea, aka Golden Shrimp Plant reminds me of blogging pal Jean who grows various Shrimp plants in her Georgia garden.  The whitefly reminds me that I need to get out some soapy water or neem oil.

One of the less hardy Abutilons enjoying winter in the greenhouse.  
Thank you Carol for hosting!  Happy GBBD all!

17 comments:

  1. You have quite a lot blooming, still! I was just checking on my young Lonicera fragrantissima yesterday and noticed buds starting to expand. Meanwhile, my Garrya is fully open. I forgot about GBBD and Foliage Follow-up this month. Now everything is covered in snow again. I'll have to try to make a small post with the photos I did take yesterday.

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  2. That rose! When I saw your little preview image on May Dreams site I thought it was one of the maple leaf roses you made. Hope your Christmas break starts soon... so you can attack that to-do list!

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  3. I always like the pink flowers of Arctostaphylos against its bluish-green-gray leafs. A very appealing combination. The first picture of the greenhouse schlumbergera reveals a growing collection of very cool small planters!

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  4. This is dedication! Any snow up your way?

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  5. Flowers in December. I either need to move or build a greenhouse.

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  6. You can always count on Hellebores to be unfazed by the weather.

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  7. I'm impressed by your diligence - and by the quality of photos snapped using a flashlight at night in what was probably freezing cold! (Anything below 60F is "freezing" in my estimation.) The Schlumbergera looks like it's glowing from the inside.

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  8. I wish I was as talented with a flashlight and camera as you seem to be. What an array of blooms after freezing temps.

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  9. That is my favorite Fuchsia...fingers crossed the one I added this year makes it. Happy gbbd, Peter.

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  10. Happy Bloom Day, sir outlaw! I grew up in Alaska, and live in zone 5 now. I still appreciate every bit of gardening here! Zone 8 seems like it would be dreamy. :)

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  11. Happy GBBD! I already have a touch of white fly on a couple of my greenhouse plants too. So frustrating. One good thing about December flying past is that winter is flying past along with it.

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  12. Ahhhh, the time's a-wasting for Christmas prep! I'm envious of all your blooms. So much hope here. :)

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  13. I'm imagining you walking around in the dark in the cold with a flashlight taking photos. Your neighbors must enjoy you!

    Happy GBBD!

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  14. Thanks for the reminder - I completely missed GBBD this time around. And I am not half as dedicated as you are - nor do I think I have a working flashlight. It'll have to wait until tomorrow. It will be a short post - just about everything is still covered in snow.

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  15. Judy used to have sing that song about a rose blooming a lot when she was a kid. She and her friends would drive the teacher crazy by singing, "Lo, how a nose 'ere blowing." I suppose you've heard that one. Nice flowers!

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  16. What a great variety, even if they are little bits of color! I'm quite impressed with your dedication (flashlight photos) and determination (greenhouse) to have flowers in your life!

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  17. Wow, you have a marvelous diversity of plants and blooms for a zone 8 garden in December. Those camellias are especially lovely, but everything looks beautiful.

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Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! I love to hear your thoughts.