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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.

Friday, January 15, 2016

Garden bloggers' Bloom Day January 2016

After work and shopping (just groceries, nothing exciting.) this dark evening, I grabbed the bags from my car  and was greeted by one of my favorite winter fragrances, that of Lonicera fragrantissima. Because it's dark when I'm home during the week at this time of year, these pictures were taken on Sunday.


Climbing the steps to our door another wonderful scent tickled my nose, it's heavy perfume is one that I always associate with The Northwest Flower and Garden Show because it's often heavily used in the gardens there.
Sarcococca

Speaking of great winter fragrances, Viburnum × bodnantense ‘dawn’ scents the air during the day  from October through May or June.  It's cheerful pink blossoms are a visual treat as well.

Cyclamen coum.  Those in the ground haven't sent blooms up yet.  Perhaps this is an earlier-blooming specimen.  We'll see what happens in years to come.

The catkins of the Contorted Hazel  (Corylus avellana 'Contorta')  will soon expand to become dangly earrings that wiggle with the slightest breeze and thrill the gardener.

Likewise Garrya elliptica.   

Seems like there's one Mahonia or another in bloom from fall through spring.

Helleborus argutifolius 'Pacific Frost' continues it's floral show while the Helleborus orientalis are just pushing up new leaves and buds.

Grevillea victoriae has been blooming for a while now and is still covered with buds, promising blooms for months to come.  Unless they suddenly decide to all fall off.  While it hasn't happened to this specimen, the plant is rumored to have that nifty little quirk.

Cheating with these just added Primula vulgaris.  While there are some blooming in my garden, they're looking a little tired from being pelted with rain and eaten by slugs.  A little cheap and cheerful color, visible in the light from the back porch, lifts my spirit when I take the dogs out.


The plant in my garden that gets the award for longest bloom time is Abutilon megapotamicum.  If we don't get a long and deep freeze, It'll also keep it's leaves all winter.

A not-so-hardy abutilon in the greenhouse. 

Last but not least is the Camellia sasanqua 'Yuletide' that I thought I'd killed.  The little shrub actually has lots of blooms on it.  Wonder if they were there last month?

That's about it for this month.  The Jasminum nudiflorum has been blooming for quite some time now but the pictures were all really bad.  The Schlumbergeras (Christmas Cacti) are finished for this season but there are a few that bloom later in the year - Easter cactus, Whitsun Cactus, etc.

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day is hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens on the fifteenth of each month.  Hie thee forth to her blog to see what's blooming in her garden and in those of other participating garden bloggers the world over!

Happy GBBD and happy weekend everyone!













18 comments:

  1. Garden Bloggers Bloom Day has come up on me unawares. I'm not sure if I even have anything out there blooming. I'll have to take a quick look today as soon as the sun comes up. You have lots of happy flowers to show off!

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  2. Scent or fragrance is huge with me. Sarcococca never works for me, nor does daphne. So I'll be content with your lovely photos.

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  3. My goodness, you're bloomy! I like that Hellebore a lot.

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  4. Lovely flowering plants Peter! Mahonia, camellia, cyclamens,what wonderful primulas!
    Happy GBBD!

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  5. I could almost smell the blooms in your first few photos, Peter! I was pleased to see the Garrya - I've got to go out an give my plant, only several inches tall, a pep talk to encourage it to get growing so I can have my own beautiful blooms in a few years.

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  6. It's always fun to see what's blooming in your garden.

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  7. January is treating you well, fabulous collection! Lonicera envy here.. mine has never bloomed.

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  8. I can testify to that lovely Grevillea victoriae quirk. And I'm jealous - it looks like the leaves on your hardy Abutilon are still looking good. Mine couldn't handle our recent bout of cold and they're all crispy.

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  9. WOW. And it's only mid January.
    None of my Helleborus are blooming yet nor any of the Mahonias. Thankfully, I have the primroses I bought at Molbak's last weekend... I don't call it cheating. I call it necessary.

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  10. I might have been able to claim that Abutilon, had I not picked it (thinking it was sure to be a goner anyway). Barren of blooms here, so I'll enjoy sharing yours.

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  11. Oy, you have a lot of flowers! I knew that at some point in my life, I need to get one of those fabulous Garryas, but now I'm going to have to add that Abutilon megapotamicum to the lust list as well.

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  12. So many lovely flowers and perfumed too! You have reminded me that my Garrya has just one tassel on it this year, I wonder why, it was covered with them last year? I'm envious of your Lonicera, mine has never flowered, maybe I ought to move it.

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  13. You have lots of great flowers this month! My Helleborus argutifolius and x sternii are starting to bud, but no flowers yet. Same with my sarcococca. Oh, geez. I forgot about my new Garrya. I planted one out along the fence line as part of the new screen planting, and it has catkins. My Abutilon megapotamicum never did bloom this year, though I finally got it growing a little better after I replaced the awful soil in its container with better stuff. Maybe I should try it in the ground now that the deer can't eat it.

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  14. You have so many wonderful winter blooms this month. Your Corylus avellana 'Contorta' is stunning. It is much colder here but I do have some Hellebores in full bloom...early for this time of year due to the milder winter we have had up until now. I enjoyed my visit to your garden!

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  15. That yellow Hellebore is a beauty. I envy you your fragrant blooms.

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  16. Beautfiul blooms! I love the Helleborus- always been a fan. You have a lot blooming right now- love it!!

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  17. I love all your winter flowering plants, they are so welcome on the darkest days. Is the Grevillea outside? Looking forward to another tour of your greenhouse, I bet you have lots of goodies in there to get you through the winter.

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