Now as the year ends, the garden is wet, wet, wet. Wet as in waterlogged, sodden, soggy and all round slithery. But yesterday we had sun. It seemed like a heavenly blessing after days of gloom and serial downpours. And suddenly, instead of finding the garden depressing, I started to notice the plants that were not only doing their best, but in their own way, putting on a show.
1) Top of the list is Nandina domestica, otherwise known as Heavenly Bamboo. It’s not a bamboo and so does not have bamboo’s bad infesting habit. The variety here is Fire Power. It’s compact, dome-like in habit, evergreen, and will grow around 18 inches tall with a two feet spread. It likes full sun, but otherwise is undemanding. It also seems unfazed by hard frost (we had several weeks of freezing weather last year). But what colours! It turns more red with the cold weather.
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Number 2) is a plant that has made a good recovery after a very unpromising start. It’s a Japanese Shield Fern I bought on-line back in the spring. After ten days being lost and tossed about by the delivery company, it arrived in very sorry state, much mangled and desiccated. Now it seems very happy in its pot, making new fronds even..
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3) The prize for steadfast out-of-season flowering goes to the Phlox paniculata Adessa in the front garden. This is a young plant, bought in the summer. I was not expecting it to flower until next year, but come November, spires of small white flowers appeared, and they’re still going, subtly scented too.
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4) Also in the front garden is a tiny self-grown viola. It’s seeded from the pot of violas my sister gave me over a year ago. Such stalwart, exquisite little plants.
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5) Another surprise is the number of foxglove plants in the garden, all self-sown. They have been growing huge during the recent wet and mostly mild weather, having recovered from a spell of heavy frosting in November. Happy thoughts of summer then.
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6) Finally, and spot on for a December debut is hellebore Christmas Carol. It was a gift last year, since divided and planted out both in a pot and in the new back steps bed. It’s been so cheering on dull days, though, annoyingly, some beastie is biting holes in its petals. Last year it flowered from months and months.
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Happy gardening everyone –
whether planning or planting, depending on your hemisphere
Six on Saturday And thanks and Happy Christmas to host Jim. He has shown us so many fascinating plants, to say nothing of guiding us around his stunning planting schemes.
Beautiful winter blossoms Tish!
Many thanks, Anne.
wonderful
Thank you, Becky.
Glad to hear you have some sun at last 🙂 We’ve had a couple of good days after torrential rain on Thursday. Your garden still has so much to enjoy, including that surprising phlox. Here in London I gather daffodils are in bloom in Green Park!
Goodness, daffodils already. A cheering sight I’m sure, if a bit confusing.
There are some very early flowering daffodils. I often see them in December near to where my daughter lives in Surrey.
Now you mention it, I recall daffodils out one Christmas when we were in Cornwall.
I have a million (slight exaggeration) foxglove seedlings all over the garden at the moment. I didn’t grow that many this year so I guess they must have been in the compost. Very fiddly to remove although I have potted up some of the larger ones to plant where I actually want them and not, for example, in the strawberry bed
They don’t mind where they put themselves, do they. I’m not sure where our foxgloves came from. There weren’t any in the garden when we bought the house.
It is a gloomy month but you have found some treasures to light up your day. I love nandinas, they make fabulous foliage plants.
Yes, nandinas – I’m thinking I need to have a look at some other taller varieties.
Gorgeous hellebores, Tish! For a moment I thought you said your fern had friends. Well, we all need those! Wishing you and Graham all the joys of the season xx
Cheers, Jo. All the best to you both, and hope the travels go to plan.
A delightful post. I have been considering a nandiba, but probably a slightly taller one. They turn such lovely colours.
*Nandina
Thanks, Jude, and yes, nandina, I’m thinking about a taller one (or two).
I love self-seeded violas. They’re such a great surprise. The phlox is also very pretty.
I’m hoping the phlox isn’t wearing itself out before it develops into a proper plant 🙂
Well despite all the soaking, your garden is determined to do its best
It is, Sue. Thanks.