Christmas 2013...

Garden Bloomers December 2013...

Cyclemen coum …thank you for blooming in December
Thank you Carol for hosting Garden Bloggers Bloom day http://www.maydreamsgardens.com

Surviving 12 degrees…I think

I've been dreading this kind of freeze, the coldest since the big FREEZE in , what was it... 08 ,  But I  planted this Acacia pravissima in 2011 anyway  , never mind that I lost nearly every zone 8 and 9 plant . What did I know then , I'd only just moved to the Pacific Northwest. Now a fair bit wiser ,   I still can't resist these Southern hemisphere natives. So far, I can't be sure, could be because they have been in the ground for a few years for …I think I have survivors

This Echreveria has been living under the Acacia , seems Ok. I moved the others and decided to  risk this one  .  it's seems to be saying ….  HA on you leaving me all on my own.

Dyckia 'Red Devil'  supposedly zone 7 , looks like a bad highlighting job I planted in the driest place I could find , under the Cotinus with plenty of gravel and pebbles for drainage.

Now , this is the one I really want to survive. Eucalptus camphora . It's apparently rare and endangered   in it's native Tasmania … oh please survive !

The carexs …no problem here

The Pittosporum tenufolium 'purpureum' left half dead in the last freeze. It struggled back and now quite a  sentimental  favorite.

Another Pittoporum , which one , I don't now , I bought it without a tag …

Within it bubble wrap shelter, Leucosceptrum stellipilum 'october moon the top half looks fried , but I can see fat fleshy buds near the base. '

And then we have the grasses again, always beautiful, never a worry  !

It was a cold and frosty morning...

But the sun was shining so out I ventured. I  think most things here are hardy , except the Grivillea austrelis  that I planted a few months ago !

 I'm surprised the Cyperus is still standing, normally I keep it in a bucket of water indoors all winter

The Sphora microphylla 'sun king' also planted this summer, I think the king needs a stole

  crystallized Achillea 'paprika' 

yucky Yucca

Basking in the sun and so far protected against the frost, Aloe striatula  

Tag bag 2013...

With all the talk of a prolonged freeze, I 've been going through my plant tags , I can't always remember how hardy some of the newly planted ones are. I know all the really tender ones are inside…but what about the others.
I lost so many plants a few years ago !

I've made little stacks , the tallest looks like from the new Xera shop ,  closely followed by Cistus  and Joy Creek nursery  

Then there are all the local purchases and a few from the Hardy plant sales . Not a bad year for plant collecting . Now to  wade through them and check which plants could use a wrap for the coming chill !

The invisible wizard returns….

Last year year it was a trio of goblins , this year the invisible wizard. How I look forward to the first frost  Banana transformation 

And where were you two on Bloom day...

The south African Nerine's are blooming away 

Slightly confused by the mild weather a couple of Om-fah-Lo Jeez beginning to bloom 

November Afterbloom day….

What blooms are left weren't looking that great , but the seedpods ...

My neighborhood Moggy and photo taking companion for this bloom day.
Happy bloom day and for much better blooms visit  May Dreams Gardens 

Leaf drop Paulownia tomentosa style...

When the Paulownia drops a leaf or two ... you know about it 

Gold in the garden...

I went out and found gold in the garden

bulb,bulb, bulbs...

Early last spring when I found I had far too much bare ground under trees and shrubs , I thought .... Crocus. And here they are ,  just arrived. Along with a few others. As it was only grey today, no rain , not cold .  I got to planting !

Fifty Crocus biflorus spring beauty dotted about in small groups  under the Acacia 

Twenty five Crocus sieberi tricolor under the  Rhody. Looks a bit of mess at the moment. I'm counting on the worms tidying  up .

Twenty five more sieberi for around the youthful Eleaegnus pungans'Clemson variegated'

I spotted a clump of Mascari 'glolden fragrance at Joy Creek Nursery in the spring. This is the spot  I thought in my garden  for them . All Chartreuse and yellows in early spring 

The last to be planted, Allium azurem . If they are anything like Allium unifolium  Twenty five  will  soon be  many ,  many , many more