Saturday, December 15, 2012

Bloomday for December 2012

I've got something new blooming in the garden in December! Are you ready for this…

Wow, flower power eh? I’m not sure if the sun hadn't been hitting it “just so” that I would have even noticed! Those little red bits belong to Persicaria 'Brushstrokes' and all joking aside I’m glad that it’s happy enough to be blooming, I wasn't sure it got enough water over the long dry summer. Here’s what the foliage looks like (and it’s what initially attracted me to this plant)…

Other than that small surprise it’s business as usual around here, just the same ol’blooms that have been sticking around for months. I will share them simply because I like to be able to look back and see just how long some of these keep producing! Like the Fatsia japonica…

Both of them…

As I was taking photos one of the hummingbirds that has laid claim to this shrub came cruising up for a snack.

My presence disturbed him so he flew over to one of the parking strip trees to wait for me to finish. He also stayed long enough for a portrait.

The Mahonia x media 'Charity' is still looking fabulous.

This plant is on the north side of our house along the neighbor’s driveway, somewhere we rarely see. Pretty nice of me to share this bright winter bloomer with them isn't it?

In our driveway is the much photographed (3 Bloomdays in a row) Grevillea 'Neil Bell'…

It’s so nice to see these bright orange fireworks on a grey day.

Other Grevilleas are getting in the mood too, Grevillea juniperina 'Molonglo' has opened it’s first new bloom for the season.

What? You can’t see it? Look at the far right of the photo under the Opuntia pad, kind of an apricot colored thing. Grevillea juniperina 'Lava Cascade' wasn't going to miss out on the Bloomday spotlight and popped this little bloom open just in time…

There are still a few blooms on the Abutilon…

And unfortunately the Tetrapanax papyrifer didn't manage to burst open for Bloomday, wouldn't that have been fun. Ah well…

You certainly know the drill by now…visit May Dreams Gardens for all the Bloomday links!

22 comments:

  1. That Mahonia is stunning! You have to put some of your best plants where the neighbors can appreciate them -- it's the best way to spread the gardening bug!

    Tetrapanax: is the "dust" enough of a reason not to grow this plant? Put it this way... if you had to start your garden over, would you grow Tetrapanax again? I'm thinking of trying it next year but I'm concerned.

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    1. YES! I would never hesitate to plant Tetrapanax. It's not like the dust just flies off the plant, you have to be working with it (like cutting leaves or planting under it) and touch it to cause it to become airborne. They do have a reputation for being invasive but in my experience you need to disturb the roots in order for it to send up new plants. Also those new plants are extremely easy to remove. Plant it!

      (I'd offer to send you a couple of babies but so far my attempts to propagate this plant have failed miserably....once detached from mom the babies don't manage to stay alive)

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  2. Great blooms, the Mahonia is nice and bright on cloudy days.

    We'll look for the Tetrapanax in full bloom on another post. Should be a beauty.

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    1. I hope you're right about the Tetrapanax blooms. If we get a freeze before they open that will be the end of that!

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  3. We're still waiting our mahonia charity to flower. And that Grevillea has won me over, 3 bloomdays in a row, wow!

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    1. You really do need to add a Grevillea to your garden...

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  4. I'm going to start looking for Grevillia 'Neil Bell!' That bright color is really glorious. Cheery bright yellow winter blooms, one more reason to love mahonia!

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    1. I wish I could give you a lead on where to find the Grevillia, but I got it from a friend who was having a plant sale. She does garden design/maintenance work and knows a ton of folks in the biz...no telling where it came from!

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  5. Your mahonia is gorgeous! I'm adding it to my spring shopping list. I hope that your tetrapanax bloom opens soon.

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    1. I'm glad to hear that about the mahonia, and I hope so too. Just as long as the freeze holds off! (I'm seeing 30 degrees next week...)

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  6. So interesting that Fatsia blooms in your area, and I never see it blooming here. Maybe I'm just not looking...

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    1. Really? Maybe they need a winters chill that your climate just doesn't provide?

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  7. lovely bloom day! you certainly have me beat for blooms. I still have echeveria ... but they were moved to the shed. I love your mahonia. It is amazing that you share that much happiness with your neighbours. Are they the ones with the large trachycarpus? Because if that's the case I think you are even.

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    1. You have a most excellent point there Louis! They are the same neighbors with the Trachy. Now they didn't plant it, but they did have the good sense to not rip it out along with all the other plants when they bought the house. If they had well then I don't think we'd be on talking terms.

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  8. How blessed you're to live where you are and have so much going on. Grew up in Australia, so any grevellia makes my soul stir. My grandmother had two what we call Silky Oaks with a furry leaf underside. They were at least 80' tall. The big yellow blooms and leaves were nothing short of majestic.

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    1. 80ft tall! I can't imagine, they must have been beautiful. I hope someday to be able to visit Australia.

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  9. Looks like you are still enjoying fall in Portlandia - that Fatsia...wow! (not that the Opuntia with all the grevilleas is not as impressive)

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    1. They say some parts of town got a rain snow mix yesterday. Not here...yay! It is very much still fall...and I am enjoying the lack of a freeze. Although part of me is worrying too, I don't want the plants to suffer with a deep freeze before they've had a mild zap.

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  10. I love the hummingbird. The ones in my garden are always so tough, zooming around me threateningly to try and get me away from their flowers. Happy Booomday to you and your fabulous garden!

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    1. Thank you Maggie...and the same to you and yours!

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  11. Interesting to see the blooms on the Fatsia. A reminder that it's related to Hedera.

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  12. I have tried many times, in vain, to photograph the blossoms on Persicaria. The new camera might help, but mine ('Lance Corporal') are long gone. December is treating you well. Happy Holidays!

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