Thursday, December 15, 2016

Garden Bloggers Bloomday, smacked upside the head by winter*...

I really didn't think I was going to have any outdoor bloomers to share today, after last week's ice storm, but since there were a few things with flowers I took no chances and snapped photos before the next round (approximately 3" of snow) hit, yesterday afternoon. After all who wants to clean snow off flowers to take a picture? Not I. So without further chatter here's what's blooming in my garden this December Bloomday.

Eriobotrya japonica — last year I found the scent to be overpowering. This year it's perfection. Maybe it has something to do with the cold air?

This one slays me (I wanted to write sleighs me). Correa backhouseana it was flat on the ground until Tuesday when it finally started to rise. And yet it blooms on!!! (wonder if it will survive our cold temps over the next few nights?).

Arctostaphylos densiflora ‘Sentinel’ — the hummingbirds are happily feeding again.

Arctostaphylos x 'Austin Griffiths'

Abutilon nuabtang, crazy right?

Abutilon nuabyell trying to keep up. But the branch snapped under the weight of the ice so it's a withered bloom.

Abutilon megapotamicum 'Red' — broken branches on this one too. Oh well, it needed pruning.

Mahonia x media 'Charity' — I'm so glad this guy remained upright. I saw sad photos of a friend's plants who all toppled over and needed to be cut back.

Grevillea victoriae 'Murray Queen'

Still sideways, mostly.

Fatsia polycarpa ‘Needhams Lace’ — my latest Fatsia bloomer.

Acacia dealbata, it's been through so much I'm including it even though those are only buds. Plus this might be it's farewell post (cold ahead)...

Helleborus argutifolius, crazy tough!

This one remained fairly solid during the ice, not much bending.

So that's the meager (yet thrilling to me) garden bloom round-up. There are also a few things blooming inside, like the Ludisia discolor.

And in the basement, Aloe 'Blue Elf'...

And Grevillea 'Ned Kelly' — which finishes my Bloomday post. Thanks to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for hosting!

* a note about my word choice — I am well aware that winter doesn't actually start until the 21st but here in Portland we are most likely to get winter weather during the last of November through December and January. So for me, winter is already in full swing.

All material © 2009-2016 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

43 comments:

  1. You still have quite a lot blooming. I hope things continue to return to upright positions after this latest snow melts. Poor Murray Valley Queen. Silly me. I went out to take photos yesterday of a few things after the freeze, and completely forgot about GBBD and Foliage Follow-up. Now everything's covered in snow...

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    1. I've been doing this Bloomday thing long enough that the 15th means just one thing, flower photos! Of course the fact it was my nephews birthday also had me remembering the date.

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  2. So surprising how much you have in bloom. Amazing.
    I'm with you on the starting of winter, except a bit more extreme. As far as I am concerned, November is the first month of winter, even when the weather is warm.
    Those Ludisia flowers are a nice, subtle accompaniment to that killer foliage.

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    1. In the past I've cut off the Ludisia blooms, as they interfered with the foliage. This year I decided we need all the floral happiness we can get!

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  3. I brought my potted Correa into to the garage …just to be safe !

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    1. Smart! Since mine's in the ground...and the garage isn't insulated/heated/etc...that wasn't an option here.

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  4. I really can't imagine snow and ice in your area. Here all the plants are back underground though we can still have lots of tree and shrub damage. It's interesting that your Arctostaphylos look just like my ground cover variety. Very strong family resemblance! I waited until the temp got up to 1 degree this morning to go do errands. More snow and cold on the way here.

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    1. My skin hurts just thinking about your cold temperatures!

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  5. I forgot today is Bloom Day but I don't think I have anything but snow photos. :) I must add grivellia and mahonia to my garden!

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    1. Add them, and the hummingbirds will thank you!

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  6. Happy GBBD! Once again, we escaped Portland's fate. Not even a single flake fell at my house. Nineteen is the predicted low for Friday. Yikes. It's nice that you have so many winter blooming plants. Correa backhouseana is quite a trooper!

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    1. I'm seeing forecasts between 16 and 19 for tonight. Yuck.

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  7. Wow, after your reports of ice storms and cold, I can't believe any blooms survived, but it looks good! I'm particularly surprised your abutilons are blooming... Is that normal for this time of year? I love the Grevillea. Thanks for recommending I participate! This has been fun!

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    1. It is normal for the Abutilons to be blooming this late, they're tough! Tonight's cold though, it will probably mean the end of that.

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  8. How do these blooms survive after freezing? I don't understand Portland gardens at all.

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    1. Ha! That makes two of us, and I live here...

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  9. Your fairly abundant Bloom Day comes as a surprise after the post with everything encased in ice...but a pleasant surprise.

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  10. I figure winter starts when winter weather arrives, and yours and ours counts. I'm so glad to see some of your blooms survived all that horrifying ice.

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    1. In a past December Bloomday post someone got upset at my saying winter when it wasn't yet winter. Whatever. I like your definition.

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  11. I think your garden handled those first winter blasts admirably, Loree! I'm amazed by the Abutilons - maybe it's just heat blasts they can't stand. I need to hunt down Grevillea 'Murray Queen'.

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  12. You have lots of blooms for Bloom Day despite the cold and your Eriobotrya japonica is amazing! I enjoyed the visit!

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  13. Someday I will have that yellow Correa. You must be so relieved with the amount of bounce-back you had after the ice storm. I imagine the super cold temps on the horizon are more of a worry.

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  14. That you have any flowers at all is impressive.

    Your Hellebore looks remarkably in the same shape as mine, in far different conditions. The neighbor's Eribotrya that hangs over the fence is blooming here also. Funny how even though they are in very different climates many hundreds of miles away, they are doing the same things. Your 'Ned Kelly' looks like a winner, what a beautiful range of colors.

    Best wishes for as much plant survival as possible, in challenging conditions.

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    1. Thanks for the wishes Hoov, I'll take them!

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  15. Oh i can't imagine how your plants still bloom in winter, and it seems they are not yet covered with snow. They are very beautiful. I haven't experienced winter, so the snow photos are beautiful but a bit scary for me, haha!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by Andrea, and lucky you! (with no snow experience)

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  16. So many lovelies! I've fallen for Mahonias during the past several years, for some reason. It's interesting how you can be aware of a plant for years, and suddenly you find yourself fawning over it. Maturity?

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    1. I've done the same thing with many plants. Maybe it is maturity, I also think it might be seeing them in just the right way, a way that you hadn't seen them before. In a great combination, planted in the right conditions, etc...

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  17. Wow, amazing! All this blooming after the freeze. Those Abutilons...mad!

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    1. Right? I wonder what they'll look like tomorrow morning?

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  18. Meteorological winter is from Dec. 1 to Feb. 28, so your definition is spot on...

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    1. Thanks for the confirmation Steve. I was going to use those dates in my defense, but then decided that wasn't fair since I don't believe in the meteorological dates for summer.

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  19. You have a lot of blooms for December. I particularly like the Arctostaphyllos and Mahonia. The Hellebores too, I have some that bloom in March (usually), but none at this time of year.

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    1. I think my Hellebores are extra early, due to our warm autumn.

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  20. So many blooms! Amaz-balls!! After looking at this post and a FB post Kate recently had, I am determined to add more winter bloomers to my garden as it expands. The ability for the hummers to get some natural juice is impressive :) Happy Holidays

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    1. You definitely need Mahonia and Arctostaphylos -- they're tough!

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  21. Most of your lovely blooms are familiar but I'm impressed that they are blooming at this time of year for you! The second flower reminds me of our native Kowhai trees.

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    1. Oh! Thank you for commenting, I am excited to learn of your blog. I had to look up Kowhai tree, but I can definitely see why you think so.

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