An unapologetic plant geek shares advice and opinions on gardening, the contrived and the natural landscape, as well as occasional topics from the other side of the gate.

February 15, 2013

Bloom Day - Decembruary 2.0

     I know I'm not the only Bloom Day blogger who ventures back in time to see where their garden stood one year ago. Going through that excersize this month, I was pleased to find nearly the exact same players were featured in February 2012. If I my garden had been significantly ahead of last year, I would be worried. There has been little change in my garden in the past month.  We have had a blast of cold weather that has tempered things a bit, but I still have one or two new offerings.

More hellebores have opened.
Helleborus orientalis

Helleborus orientalis (2)

The camellias are approaching peak here. This is C. japonica 'Les Marbury'. I know I have shown it many times before, but I love the spiraled star-over-star pattern.
Camellia japonica 'Les Marbury'

C. japonica 'Magnoliaeflora'
Camellia japonica 'Magnoliaeflora'

Again I will repeat myself, C. japonica 'Crimson Candles' is a very undemanding plant, especially considering the show it puts on.
Camellia japonica 'Crimson Candles'

If you have the right climate, why wouldn't you grow Edgeworthia chrysantha?
Edgeworthia chrysantha (2)

Spiraea thunbergia 'Ogon'
 Spiraea thunbergia 'Ogon'

Narcissus 'Grand Soleil d'Or' 
Narcissus 'Grand Soleil d'Or'

Narcissus 'Ice Follies'
 Narcissus 'Ice Follies'

Hedera colchica 'Sulphur Heart' 
Hedera colchica 'Sulphur Heart'

The chilled weather seems to have added some red to Eucalyptus gunnii
Eucalyptus gunnii

Lastly, I am so glad I added Iris unguicularis (Algerian Iris) to my garden.  It doesn't bloom all winter, all the time, but sporadically from late November into March you get blooms here and there, like an unexpected, but pleasant surprise.
Iris unguicularis

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day is a world-wide event that takes place on the 15th of each month, and is brought to you by the good grace of Carol over at May Dreams Gardens.  You should go say hi.

BTW, stay tuned to my own blog, Winter Walk-Off 2013 is just around the corner.

36 comments:

  1. Beautiful! I've yet to have an iris bloom this winter...possibly not enough summer sun in this shady garden. Hopefully next winter, maybe they just need more time to adjust to the new garden.

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  2. Les, Lovely photos the camelias are stunning. Got babies of either of these hellebores I'd love to trade?

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  4. Great photos, Les! You have diversity there, which allows for a lot of chances of flowering this time of year. I have camelias and hellebores blooming now, Fatsia too, but I am probably behind average blooms by a couple of weeks now. We've had plenty of cold this winter and more on the way, which is great, so I am just not seeing any advanced growth stages in my yard or in others (cept yours) in my travels.

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  5. Hi Les, thanks for sharing these beauties with us. It is interesting to compare the bloom days from previous years, especially in late winter. I am interested in the iris, something that has been on the wish list for some time. It was scratched off the list when I read that it needed alkaline soil. With your Camellias, yours must be acid, like mine, and the iris looks fabulous! There may be hope for it to grow here.
    Frances

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  6. ho là là !!!! i'm jealous... :-(

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  7. Lovely Hellebores, Beautiful Camellias and Spectacular Daffodils. There are hardly enough superlatives to describe the joys of winter blossoms.

    My cousin posted on Facebook that her 8 year old granddaughter in Virginia asked for 'a garden' for her birthday. We think it's in her genes.

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  8. I never get tired of seeing your camellias especially the coral-colored cultivars. Every year I make a promise to plant Algerian iris, and then regret not doing it---so beautiful. You are so far ahead of us. My edgeworthia is tightly in bud with no sign of opening. I am surprised that you are about the same as last year. Winter here was much colder and we are later but not as late as 2011.

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  9. Beautiful photos Les...I must investigate that gorgeous iris!

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  10. Wonderful, beautiful blooms!
    Your Spirea is way ahead of mine. Last February it had blooms, but not yet this year. Love those hellebores!
    Happy Bloom Day!
    Lea
    Lea's Menagerie

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  11. Wow, you have many beautiful blooms in your garden already!

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  12. Our hellebores are bloomig but our Camellia japonicas and narcissus won't be blooming for another few weeks. It's interesting to compare the differences in your zone 8 gardens and the ones in our zone 8!

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  13. I do the same thing, look back at previous years, it's the best part of Bloomday! This year everything is way behind in my garden. The Edgeworthia flowers are just tight little bundles of fluffy white. Nice to see a garden on time this February!

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  14. Les, I'm particularly impressed with that hellebore shot because I was just out trying to get one of mine but had far less success. So many of our plants are the same, but I don't have that iris and love it every time I see it. Looking forward to a winter walk-off...winter gets to be a real drag this time of year.

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  15. Your pictures are so very beautiful!

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  16. Les-your garden is certainly showing signs of spring and your hellobores and camellias are beautiful! We started having signs of spring here a week ago then a blizzard arrived so we are a blanket of white right now...it's been somewhat of a crazy winter!

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  17. That's some wonderful looking iris. I like it's bloom time-can't beat a winter blooming iris!

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  18. Marian,
    This particular iris did take a while to bloom. I feel for your shade problem as I have so much of it too.

    Randy,
    I do have babies.

    John,
    I have made a conscious effort to add off-season flowers.

    Frances,
    My soil is many things, but alkaline it is not. I would give the iris a try, just make sure it has good drainage.

    Delphine,
    Il n'est pas nécessaire d'être jaloux, juste profiter.

    Nell Jean,
    There is indeed hope for the future!

    Carolyn,
    Our winter started off more like fall. We really did not get any cold weather until late January.

    Gail,
    It is worth investigating.

    Lea,
    The spirea has been blooming for over a month now.

    Jennifer,
    Thanks for stopping by.

    Outlaw,
    We were have a zone 8 conversation at work today in discussing some gingers. The question is always is it north Florida zone 8 or southeastern Va. zone 8.

    Loree,
    We really are not on time, but early, just like last year.

    Daricia,
    I agree with you about winter. The hellebores are on a slight slope, so I was able to get down at bloom level.

    Joan,
    Thank you!

    Lee,
    They are forecasting snow for us tomorrow night.

    Tina,
    I have been very pleased with it, mainly like you said due to its bloom time.

    Les

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  19. I would name that hellebore in the first photo "Lieutenant Dish." Wow. And love that magnolia-esque camellia too. Happy BD, Les.

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    1. I've not always been happy with Magnoliaeflora. The color kills me, but the form makes up for it.

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  20. So much beauty, Les, but the first hellebore is my favourite. The edgeworthia is very lovely too. Not familiar with it at all, but I guess that's not surprising given our different climates.

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    1. I am not sure where you live, but the Edgeworthia is listed as a zone 7 plant, but in the right spot might could take a zone 6 winter.

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  21. That Iris is really lovely, also the Camelias. I didn't know spireas could have flowers like that, I thought there flowers were always something like Bridalwreath.

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    1. Spiraea thunbergii always has this sort of flower. They bloom very early on somewhat cascading branches.

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  22. Beautiful and seductive as ever, you tend to cost me money! I am going to have to invest in Iris unguicularis, so beautiful, and once I have cleared away an unwanted wall, I have the very place. More to the point, between you and Janet (Queen of Seaford) I have been seduced by Edgeworthia chrysantha. And I have the perfect spot for it, or will do once I get rid of a spotted laurel. And it is on offer at the moment... Oh drat... Happy GBBD!

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    1. The iris is nice, but you must get an Edgeworthia chrysantha. Once you do you will wonder why you waited so long.

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  23. You're expecting snow ? Oh Les, it'll be March before I see the snow drops and May before the hostas and lillies peek their little heads out of the ground. Waaaaaaaaaa

    BTW, did you know you could set it up in Blogger so you could reply to each individual comment ? I just learned how.

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    1. You made me go poking around Blogger, and I found out how to reply to comments individually. Thank you!

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  24. Go ahead, repeat yourself Les. I could look at those camellias all day. I bought a camellia last winter and placed it in a container. In spring, I stored it in some leaves and forgot about it. That silly plant is still alive. I'm going to plant it out in the garden somewhere soon. My hellebores are just starting, and we had snow again last night. Happy Bloom Day!~~Dee

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    1. We had a dusting of flurries this past weekend, plus another dip into the mid-20s. Good luck with your camellia.

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  25. Les,
    You may feel that you have posted "Les Marbury" many times but now I am taking note and putting it on my want list. It's always nice to look at your blog and see some of the flowers that are still on the way here in Maryland...

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    1. Les Marbury is supposed to be variegated, but is apparently unstable. The form is constant though.

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  26. Camellias are one flower I can only enjoy vicariously. Thank you for the opportunity.

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    1. They were first brought to this country as a conservatory plant. Do you have a sun room in you new house?

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  27. Les, Superb pictures! A delight to behold such beautiful treasures in the garden. We're lucky to enjoy camellias here in Central Florida too, but I've not seen many as stunning as the one shown.

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  28. So do you think that C. Les Marbury's star over star petals is akin to the Golden Ratio? I do.
    Think we have added to the interest of Edgeworthias? I love having mine, got another that sits by the front door right now. I know how large they will get so for now it is in a pot.

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