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 !