Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - December 2017
For the first seven days of December, my garden was still full of blooms and butterflies.
Blooms like these brugmansias.
And the Cape honeysuckle.
The bright marigolds.
And butterflies like this Tropical Checkered Skipper.
Then, last Friday morning, we woke up to this:
The snow was just a memory by mid-day, but the next night temperatures dropped below freezing. That put paid to about 99% of the flowers in my garden and I've hardly seen a butterfly since.
Here is what is left:
A few late chrysanthemums.
Some orphan marigold blossoms that were in a somewhat protected spot.
More orphans.
Of course, my antique rose bush, 'Old Blush,' can always be counted on to have a few blossoms.
As can the 'Darcy Bussell' rose.
The blossoms of the shrimp plant got a bit bitten but survived the freeze.
As did a few stray wedelia blossoms. This one was growing next to one of my rain barrels and got some protection from that.
And in the wildflower bed, this plant never missed a beat. It has been in bloom for several weeks and I've tried repeatedly to identify it, but I've been unsuccessful. It grew from a packet of mixed wildflower seeds that I planted. It's a low-growing, sprawling plant. The leaves and the flowers look as though it might be a member of the milkweed family, but that's just a guess.
Here's a closer look. What do you think?
The loquat had just started to bloom and was unaffected by the freeze.
But, truthfully, much of my garden looks like this black and shriveled Hamelia shrub now.
But there is hope. The Carolina jessamine is full of buds and they'll be opening over the next several weeks to brighten my winter.
I hope your winter and your holidays are bright. Thank you for visiting my garden today and thank you, Carol of May Dreams Gardens, for hosting this monthly meme.
Happy holidays and happy gardening.
Blooms like these brugmansias.
And the Cape honeysuckle.
The bright marigolds.
And butterflies like this Tropical Checkered Skipper.
Then, last Friday morning, we woke up to this:
The snow was just a memory by mid-day, but the next night temperatures dropped below freezing. That put paid to about 99% of the flowers in my garden and I've hardly seen a butterfly since.
Here is what is left:
A few late chrysanthemums.
Some orphan marigold blossoms that were in a somewhat protected spot.
More orphans.
Of course, my antique rose bush, 'Old Blush,' can always be counted on to have a few blossoms.
As can the 'Darcy Bussell' rose.
The blossoms of the shrimp plant got a bit bitten but survived the freeze.
As did a few stray wedelia blossoms. This one was growing next to one of my rain barrels and got some protection from that.
And in the wildflower bed, this plant never missed a beat. It has been in bloom for several weeks and I've tried repeatedly to identify it, but I've been unsuccessful. It grew from a packet of mixed wildflower seeds that I planted. It's a low-growing, sprawling plant. The leaves and the flowers look as though it might be a member of the milkweed family, but that's just a guess.
Here's a closer look. What do you think?
The loquat had just started to bloom and was unaffected by the freeze.
But, truthfully, much of my garden looks like this black and shriveled Hamelia shrub now.
But there is hope. The Carolina jessamine is full of buds and they'll be opening over the next several weeks to brighten my winter.
I hope your winter and your holidays are bright. Thank you for visiting my garden today and thank you, Carol of May Dreams Gardens, for hosting this monthly meme.
Happy holidays and happy gardening.
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