Thursday, February 15, 2018

February 2018, Bloomday

After the 2nd warmest January on record here in Portland, it's definitely looking like spring out in the garden. Unfortunately that spring-like weather has come to a screeching halt, the low temperature the morning I took these photos was 27F and there's talk of possible snow and much cooler temperatures for early next week. Mother Nature has to keep us guessing doesn't she? Hopefully the cooler weather won't put a stop to this show, since it's underway...

Arctostaphylos x ‘Austin Griffiths', covered in pink blossoms...

Azara microphylla, with a faint (delicious) smell of cocoa and vanilla...

Daphne x houtteana, those flowers are just about open.

Edgeworthia chrysantha 'Nanjing Gold' has burst into full flower...

I can't get enough of those bright yellow blooms.

They're fuzzy...

And they smell amazing!

Edgeworthia chrysantha ‘Akebono’ is a little behind it's yellow cousin.

Eriobotrya japonica (Loquat) has been blooming for almost 3 months now, the bees appreciate that.

Grevillea miqueliana, I don't think I could love this plant more.

Aren't those flowers wonderful?

Hakea epiglottis, tiny flowers that pack a powerful fragrance for their size.

The Helleborus; beginning with a blurry H. 'Black Diamond'...

Helleborus 'Ice 'n Roses'

Helleborus argutifolius

Helleborus x 'Golden Sunrise' (with a few aphids, keeping it real...).

Helleborus x ballardiae Pink Frost

Helleborus x hybridus 'Jade Tiger' (and more aphids)...

And finally a NOID Hellebore...

Or two (I must have the tags somewhere...).

Jasminum nudiflorum

The NOID Rosemary

Stachyurus salicifolius, almost...

And finally I'll wrap up this post with the Euphorbia, E. characias

Euphorbia x martinii 'Ascot Rainbow'

And because they're so gorgeous right now, several photos of Euphorbia rigida...

Click on over to May Dreams Gardens for links to all of this month's Bloomday posts.

Weather Diary, Feb 14: Hi 48, Low 34/ Precip .27"

All material © 2009-2018 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

33 comments:

  1. So, what's with this cold forecast? I thought we'd decided that it was spring now. Did mother nature forget to send a memo to old man winter? Thank goodness for these winter flowering gems. Grevillea miqueliana is gorgeous. I've got a tiny one planted too close to the street in a parking strip but it hasn't bloomed yet.

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    1. I am so bummed about the weather change...I hate being cold and I hate for things that were looking so good to get hit with a freezing blast, and snow. Damn.

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  2. Hope the weather doesn't put paid to all this loveliness. Yesterday and today are about ten degrees above normal here then back down to cold. But overnight lows look like they will be quite high. Really don't know from day to day what to expect.

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    1. That seems to be the one thing we all can agree on... we don't know what to expect.

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  3. Snow! Is Mother Nature a sadist, or what? Actually, I envision her more as the lead character in "Kill Bill," taking revenge for what been done to her. In any case, I hope your lovely blooms won't be harmed by the cold snap. The photo of the Grevillea miqueliana has given me a new plant crush and my reaction to the hellebores is pure envy as, with one small exception, all of my hellebore blooms are no-shows this year.

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    1. You know I don't think I've ever seen Kill Bill! Reading Uma Thurman's piece in the NYT I realized I missed it. Still I appreciate the comparison you make, it seems valid!

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  4. Don't much care for Hellebores but that black one is a beauty. Azara blooms? Who knew...and such cunning little blooms they are.

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    1. Wow, I've never heard anyone not like Hellebores, I love that about you!

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  5. I am ready to cry over the weather that's on the way. I do not like it one bit. I was hoping after the flower show to go at gardening non-stop. I have stuff to get done out there. Ah well, I'm spending my days in the greenhouse sowing seeds. I loved seeing your flowers and I hope they don't take a bad hit. No snow and definitely no ice.

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    1. Exactly, things were looking so good...this is such a slap in the face.

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  6. I can't wait for my Grevillea miqueliana to grow up and be covered in those blooms. Or any of my grevilleas to bloom other than gaudichaudii. I'm glad my Akebono edgeworthia didn't try to start blooming in December like it did last year. It's still in tight bud and I hope it will be in full bloom after the danger of these hard frosts is past.

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    1. Now you've got me curious what other Grevilleas you have. And funny, I thought of your 'Akebono' when taking the photo of mine.

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  7. So many lovelies. Your collection of hellebores is inspiring. I need to expand mine!

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    1. I went on a binge last spring. Our winter was so awful that once they started showing up in the nurseries I bought three or four of them.

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  8. I often have a hard time understanding how you have SO much variety in your garden without it being a tangled mess (which it clearly isn't!)? Do you do a lot of selective pruning to help everything weave together?

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    1. Ah, I love this comment Dave! Last winter did some pruning for me, I have a feeling I will be doing more this spring. Well, assuming everything makes it through this cold snap coming at us.

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  9. I'm guessing the double dark hellebore is one of the O'Byrnes' strains: Onyx Odyssey if "black", Amethyst Gem if purple, or Double Slate if "blue". The yellow-tinged single is probably one of their Golden Sunrise strain. They're all pretty fabulous.

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    1. Thanks Nell! I swear the word apricot is in the name of the yellow-tinged single. Plus doesn't 'Golden Sunrise' usually have freckles?

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    2. I wondered about that after seeing you showed a (particularly nice) Golden Sunrise. The yellow-tinged single is probably Apricot Blush. You all are so lucky to have the O'Byrne hellebores offered in local nurseries/garden centers, because buying in bloom in person is the way to go with the strains.

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  10. Damn, I always descend into a spiral of envy whenever you post photos of H.Jade Tiger.I bought 'Golden Sunrise' a couple years ago and it has been holding steady at one leaf. I think it's a lemon.Is there a lemon law for plants ?

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    1. Oh yes, there should definitely be a lemon law for plants!

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  11. Oh my goodness, you have so many beautiful blooms going strong! Maybe the cool weather will keep the blooms going longer--kind of like they would be in a refrigerator. Sometimes that happens here, when we have an early start to the spring and then it gets cold again. It can be a little tricky for the fruit trees, but some of the blooming plants seem to do just fine. Anyway, wow--gorgeous blooms in your garden! I'm looking forward to Hellebore time :)

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    1. That's an interesting comparison Beth, the refrigerator. I hope you're right!

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  12. I think, yes, Gaia is taking revenge like Uma Thurman. Looks like a better winter for you than last year, though. Your Hellebores are especially fabulousa.

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    1. Last year was a horrid one for the record books. I'm hoping to never experience one like that again!

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  13. Wow, so many stunning blooms! Nothing is blooming in my garden right now. So strange, not even the daffodils or snow drops. I am wondering if that means another hard freeze?

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    1. Wow, that is strange Laurin. You guys (and Austin) have certainly been through a lot of ugly weather...

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  14. 'Nanjing Gold' (or as I like to call it: The Ninja) is stunning and so is Grevillea miqueliana bloom. Thank goodness for a mild winter.
    I thought bees hibernate...

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  15. Once again, the Edgworthia is amazing!

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  16. Wow! What a colorful show!

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  17. I just bought an Azara and don't really know what to expect from it. Do you have any photos showing the entire plant? How old and large is yours and what kind of environment do you have it in?

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    1. I don't have any "full plant" photos, I can try and take one for you. It's about 6 ft tall now. but has been hidden behind other plants (one of which just got dug out today). Your welcome to come by my garden someday if you'd like. Or there are several mature ones on the corner of NE Killingsworth and 31st in Portland. It's worth a drive-by if you're in the area. Or heck...maybe I'll stop at take photos! (mine is in afternoon sun)

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    2. Okay, yes, I do want to see your garden one day. I will make a note of the addresses and try to remember and go by there the next time I am in Portland.

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