I am now back from a few days away over Christmas visiting my daughter and her family, having had a wonderful time and being thoroughly spoilt with fantastic food each day. Driving there and back in torrential rain, mist and spray was rather worrying at the time but when I got back, found the garden flooded once more, everywhere is absolutely sodden. In spite of this I managed to get out yesterday to take some photos and found a few surprises waiting for me.
No 1 Camellia Donation
While away, my camellia decided to open up quite a few of its flower buds.
This was the first plant that I planted in the garden here when we moved over 30 yrs ago. It usually starts flowering in November, but not this year, I’m glad it managed it in December though!
No 2 Galanthus Faringdon double
These are the bulbs that were split to be moved by the hosta in the back garden, not all of them went, these were planted on the slope at the end of the woodland and seem to have settled in nicely.
No 3 Euonymous europaeus.
The seedpods on the Euonymous are still shining brightly in the woodland, making a nice splash of colour.
no 4 Galanthus Little John.
G. Little John is another early flowerer and tall with it. There were no signs of flowers before I went away, but now it is opening up nicely.
No 5 Iris unguicularis
I. unguicularis is still putting up more flowers, lots more to come hopefully as they don’t last very long.
No 6 Clematis Winter Beauty
I’ve been waiting for some time for my clematis to open its flower buds, they were tight shut on Christmas Eve.
But over the weekend they opened up and the flowers were there to greet me when I returned. To me they look just like a swag of jingle bells!
I hope you agree, they were well worth the wait!
The weather here in the SW of England has been very mild, we haven’t had our first frost yet. I know some plants flower depending on the length of daylight and some on temperature but do any need a spell of frost to trigger forming flower buds? We usually have a frost in November and I’m wondering if that is why some of my flowers are so behind, my Narcissus Rijnvelds Early Sensation are way behind , no sign of any flower buds yet, never mind flowers and normally they are flowering by Christmas, can any of you help?
Thanks to Jon The Propagator for hosting once more and Best Wishes to you all for a Happy and Healthy 2022.
The clematis is just beautiful Pauline. I’m afraid I don’t know the answer to your question about temperature influence on bud formation. I am glad to hear you had such a lovely Christmas and take this opportunity to wish you a very Happy New Year!
Happy 2022 to you Denise, thank you for all your comments in the past, it is lovely to hear from you each time! I’m very happy with the clematis, I think it is rather gorgeous!
Your clematis is pretty, but my favorite is the camillia! Such a lovely color to light up the dreariness. We have nothing flowering, and are at -8F (ABout -22C) here in snowy Minnesota.
Hi Susan, lovely to hear from you in snowy Minnesota! We don’t often get snow here but then get so excited when we do, usually in February when it is colder. The flowers do brighten up a dreary day, it is worth a walk each day in the garden just to see what is flowering.At the moment it is very mild for January about 16C but we have been told that it will be colder next week.Happy New Year to you and yours!
Yes your ‘gingle’ bells are just perfect and they look perfect in the winter sun. Happy New Year
A Happy New Year to you Noelle and I hope it will be a healthy one too.I was so pleased to find that the clematis had opened up while I was away, I hope to enjoy the flowers for some time to come.
I’m quite surprised that you get flowers on ‘Donation’ so early. It’s not one that I associate with pre new year flowering. Even ‘November Pink’ was only just open in November at Mt Edgcumbe this year, so it’s perhaps a slightly later season than average for Camellias.
I don’t think I have anything flowering early Jim, in spite of the long warm spell, if anything things are rather late which is why I’m wondering if some plants need a cold spell to kick start them flowering.
Good to know you had a safe journey to and from your daughter’s, despite the driving conditions, and enjoyed your Christmas with them. What a shame about the floods in your garden again, but I am pleased you have still found some blooms to enjoy
Lots of blooms now Cathy, especially on the Camellia, I think all the buds have opened at once, it is now making up for lost time!
Glad to hear that you had a good Christmas Pauline. Sorry to read that it’s so wet – it’s the same here. I think that everything may be a couple of weeks behind last year in coming to bloom here although we have have had some snow and frosts too. A beautiful clematis and of course it’s always good to see the snowdrops emerging 😄 Wishing you all the best for 2022!
The rain has hardly stopped since I got back Anna, poor garden is so soggy! Bulbs are all popping up, soon there will be flowers everywhere, in the meantime I’m enjoying the clematis and the camellia. Wishing you a very healthy 2022!
Camellia Donation set a high bar for your garden those years ago and your other plants have been up to the challenge. Everything is lovelier each year. Happy days of gardening in 2022. Peace and good health.
The camellia is looking lovely at the moment Susie, all the buds seem to have opened at once, it is looking very pretty.Wishing yo good health for 2022!
Lovely that you were able to spend Christmas with your family. I was surprised to hear about the floods, it has been unseasonally warm and dry here. Everything in the winter garden is a month early. I love the clematis, what adorable little bells. And isn’t it exciting when the snowdrops start to appear?
We have had the same warmth Liz, but with so much rain at the same time, warm rain! It was torrential driving up to Bristol for Christmas and the same coming back a few days later, I knew the garden would be under water in places. We are now into our first cold spell and the flowers have responded, everywhere I look, there are flowers in spite of the freezing wind from your direction!
Lovely clematis
Thanks, I agree!
I’m sure plants that are used to frost come to depend on it. How lovely that you got to enjoy a break with family this year, especially after missing out last year. Delightful blooms as always, my faves are Little John and your delightful swag of jingle bells.xxx
It was lovely being able to get away to be with the family after last year Dina! The jingle bells are still enchanting me, I think it is a superb plant.x