Thursday, December 15, 2011

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day ~ December 2011

Cherry Corner garden at the front of our house
I am surprised, but I do have one bloom to share today. The garden is finally frozen solid this week after evening temperatures down to 12 degrees F (-11 C).  I thought I would throw in a few overview shots for contrast. See if you can find the flower...
Ground frozen for December 15th
 Not by the front steps...

There is this iced fairy rose on the Hill, but that was not what I wanted to share...

Nothing in Cherry Corner, except the Saccharum vittigera major, also known as large striped candy canes...

Not along this side either... but you should really appreciate these nice straight edges around the gardens. Those were a bit of work from last month.

Ok, here by the gate to the Shade Path you are much closer. Can you spy it? In the middle to the right a little?
Galanthus elwesii
There it is. Pretty, huh? Perhaps not quite the climax I would like, but there is it nonetheless. It reminds me of one of my favorite Christmas songs.

I was confused as to why I had an autumn-blooming snowdrop when I know that I have only planted two spring-blooming varieties so far, Galanthus elwesii and Galanthus nivalis flore pleno. Then yesterday, I learned from Carolyn's Shade Gardens that the former often sends up a few autumn blooms in her garden every year. That solves my mystery. (You might also enjoy Carolyn's wonderful post on autumn snowdrops proper; I am investigating some new autumn possibilities.)
My single, cherished Galanthus elwesii

I do have one flower in the house that is keeping my spirits up...
The florists' cyclamen, Cyclamen persicum
Thanks to my dear friend Bev for this pretty cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum) on my desk! These like to be kept cool, less than 68 F, during the day and at least 15 degrees cooler at night to keep them flowering.
lovely winged creatures
Thanks to Carol at May Dreams for hosting yet another GBBD. Be sure to visit her and scout out the color that is blooming all over the globe.

17 comments:

  1. Lovely little bloom!
    And your candy canes seem to be doing well, too!
    Years ago I had cyclamen; I must get another one. Beautiful plants!
    Happy GBBD!
    Lea

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  2. This was just like in my garden, 'see if you can find the flower' with all the snow and ice. Cute way to see and post on GBBD. Have a happy one, Julie.

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  3. Awww:) I always thought snow drops are really cute:)
    I like the picture of the frosted rose

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  4. OMG...love the bit about the Candy Canes! Those Cyclamen are just lovely.

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  5. I love the candy canes and lights in the first photo!!
    Happy GBBD :)

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  6. I love the snowdrop...mine have never bloomed in fall...cute candy canes!!

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  7. I have a few blooms out right now that are off season. It is a bit of a find me if you can this time of year but it is a fun surprise when you do find one. Love the candy canes and the cyclamen!

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  8. Your candycane crop is doing well. (reminds me of FarmVille). Hasn't our weather (I live in upstate NY, near Binghamton) been unusual? I love your frosted flower pictures.

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  9. What's your secret with the red- and white-striped hooked plants? ;-) A special type of mulch? How cool that you have Snowdrops blooming! I'm going to have to check out my garden to see if any of my new ones from Carolyn are blooming. It seems too early! But very exciting!

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  10. So worth the wait. Snow drops are a treasure. You can never have too many.

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  11. its lovely to find a surprise flower at this time of year

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  12. Great pics and perfect capture of this time of year!

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  13. Oh, I enjoyed my visit on your blog, seeing your pretty blooms. Thanks!

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  14. The lone snow drop is a thing of beauty :-) I imagine you will have more than your share of snow dropping this winter??

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  15. How quickly your garden has changed from wet and windy to an icy sparkle. The lone snowdrop is lovely, I miss seeing them planted or more likely self spread in churchyards in England in January, the first flower of the year.

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  16. Great, this is what i want to see from temperate gardens these days, the wide angle view of what had been. And the emphasis on the lone survivor or rather growth of the snowdrop is beautiful. This is not because i am biased with my favorite snowdrop, lol, i just love your approach!

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  17. Love your lonely snowdrop, we too have just one flowering by our front door, a large one called Farringdon's double. Won't be long now before all the others join it, their "noses" are all showing above the soil.

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