Thursday, November 15, 2012

Bloomday November 2012

November is not a very floriferous month here in my garden, however, going for a record six months of nonstop blooming (thankfully) we have the beautiful Abutilon hybrid 'Fairy Coral Red’...

Not even the powerhouse runner-up Grevillea juniperina ‘Molonglo’ can claim six months nonstop as it’s currently taking a bit of a breather. All summer I was rooting for this plant to grow so it would be visible in it's carefully chosen spot at the back of the border, against the wall. I finally read the tag the other day...turns out it only gets 2ft tall. Duh. Guess I'll be moving this one.

I shared this one last month too, but heck I'm desperate! Grevillea 'Neil Bell'...

I noticed these Aloe haworthioides buds shortly before bringing the plant inside for the winter. They keep getting bigger and bigger, I hope changing it's surroundings won't keep them from opening.

This Cryptanthus budded up while still outside, it's been a nonstop flower show now for a few weeks.

Disporum cantoniense 'Night Heron'...I know, these are not flowers. But this plant generated so much praise when I shared it's blooms back in May that I wanted to share what happens next...

Callistemon 'Clemson' round two of the crazy bottle brush flowers still going strong...

Fatsia japonica, this is a different plant than the one I shared pictures of earlier in the week. It's blooms show signs of a lot of activity. I can't see this one from the house so I'm not sure who's been visiting with such energy.




Mahonia x media 'Charity' how can you not love a plant that sends up blooms like this in November? I think I need another, or three.

Close up...

Mahonia fortunei 'Curlyque,' these are almost finished, just a couple of flowers remain. They have been enjoyed by a visitor just like the Fatsia above and are planted only about 6 ft away from it. I wish I had a window on all this activity.

Last winter I threatened to move this Mahonia eurybracteata 'Soft Caress' as early as possible in the spring. Instead I removed the leaves of the bamboo and Tetrapanax that were hiding it and it's responded very well. New growth and flowers too!

Need a few more flowers to brighten your November day? Visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens (our virtual hostess). Happy Bloomday!

30 comments:

  1. Hmmm, I fancy one of those Mahonia "soft caress" and there are some nurseries selling them in the UK so I will buy one next year.

    At first I thought that there was nothing in bloom in my garden, but then I remembered my Cyclamen and my Mahonia japonica and I still have some blooms on my Hellebores as well, so I am not totally bloomless!

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    1. Hooray!

      My first "firstie" ;)

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    2. Congratulations! Wish I had a prize for you.

      Mark and Gaz had a beautiful Mahonia 'soft caress' in their garden too. It's such a beautiful plant.

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  2. You just can't beat abutilons for longevity of bloom! Mahonias are beautiful year round, look dangerous, bloom in the winter, have beautiful blue berries - who wouldn't love them?

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    1. Not only do they look dangerous but they pack a pretty good poke too. If you know what I mean...

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  3. Love that Mahonia 'Charity'! The upswept blooms with the downturning branches -- just fantastic!

    The Abutilon looks much nicer in your photos than in other photos I've seen. Is it really that deep red?

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    1. On my screen (and in real life) the Abutilon is much more orange than red. Then again I have been known to say "orange" when Andrew says "red"...so who really knows...

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  4. OMG...I'm so glad I'm not the only one who was SURE a plant was supposed to be taller/shorter/narrower than what it really says! I can never decide how I feel about Mahonias...but your 'Charity' could make me a believer ;-)

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    1. If we could only wish our plants into being the size we want them to be...

      And I can see your garden happily accepting a couple of 'Charity' too!

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  5. Replies
    1. You ended up planting a couple didn't you?

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  6. I am in love with your mahonia 'charity.' I agree, you need three more at least! I get soo excited about mahonia time! Even though it comes with the cold, that is one thing to get all plant geek about this time of year.

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    1. I remember seeing some beautiful ones in Vancouver BC, I think actually that was the final straw that convinced me I needed to take the plunge.

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    2. They are a popular one up here. It has kind of become a staple in commercial landscapes and I LOVE IT!

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  7. 'Charity' looks a lot like 'Arthur Menzies', but Arthur is just budding for me and has always gotten frozen out of blooming in years past. I swear I'm putting a sock on it at the first hint of freeze this year. Otherwise, it is going great guns, so I really can't complain. Do you know if 'Charity' is supposed to be hardier?

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    1. Yes I agree they do look a lot alike and I don't think 'Charity' is theoretically any hardier. Maybe it's a slightly earlier bloomer thus getting things going before the freeze attacks? This is my second one as I lost the first completely, no idea what did it in.

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  8. How lovely to still have so much in bloom. I really love the globe shaped flowers of the fatsia. Marvelous!

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  9. Plenty of blooms you have there even at this time of the year! The photo of the cryptanthus is great, love the foliage and the dinky flower,

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    1. If more than one of those little flowers would open at the same time that would be great, but they seem to be on a timer and just open one at a time!

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  10. Love the Mahonia's, am going to try my hand at an abutilon in 2013 too!

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    1. After having lost a couple of Abutilon over winters I thought this one was a goner too and just stuck the container in the garage last fall during a hasty clean up. Surprise! It lived all winter with no water and virtually no light. What a survivor! I highly recommend it.

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  11. Not only the quirky fun flower, but the foliage of that Mahonia looks Dangerous, too. :) Happy GBBD!

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  12. Hmmm... I'm rethinking the Mohonia, I have the extremely pesky Oregon grape , every where.

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    1. "pesky/everywhere" sounds like it is not a plant I want to introduce into my garden. Did you inherit it? Yes, sounds like it's time for you to discover the nice Mahonia! May I suggest:

      M. eurybracteata 'Soft Caress'
      M. fortunei 'Curlyque'
      M. fortunei ‘Dan Hinkley’
      M. gracilipes
      M. x media 'Charity'

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  13. Wow-love the Mahonia 'Charity'! A few Mahonias are just marginally hardy enough here to drive a gardener nuts and winter takes it's toll on the foliage.

    I'll have to look for that Disporum. Is it a spreader? I grow a variegated variety in dry crappy shade and it's a thug.

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    1. In my experience it's not at all a spreader, in fact I wish it were a little more thuggish. Hope you can find it, I do know Cistus and Gossler Farms have both had it in the past, and they both ship!

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  14. I'm a bit jealous of your Abutilon. It's lovely and far more refined that mine (that I didn't even show for Bloom Day - I'm that tired of it!) Charity is looking gorgeous - wish I had the space!

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  15. Wow--that mahonia is fabulous. Why don't I have mahonia in my garden? Hmmm...must add it to the wish list! The fatsia blooms are fabulous--love that, too. You have a lot blooming in your November garden--lucky you! Hope you have a lovely week!

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