Late December Blooms

No snow yet, but the only thing blooming around here is inside.  My Christmas Cactus has been blooming since Thanksgiving, and is looking very pretty now.

December blooms

I was filling the bird feeders yesterday, and came across my flowering quince, which apparently thinks it's spring.

The heather is heading into summer, I think --blooming more than before! 

We woke up this morning to a light dusting of snow, and temps in the low 20's. Maybe that will send these two plants into dormancy!

November 15th GBBD

Emma officially turned 11 years old today. I think it was a bit anti-climatic, since her party was Saturday and she got her gift from us on Sunday (an iPod Touch). So, about nine more years, and I'm free, huh?  :-)

I did get the final bulbs in today. We've actually had awfully nice weather for mid-November, but I expect winter will kick in any day.

The only blossoms I have in my garden right now are this heather plant. I have four heather plants, and three of them bloomed this spring. I'm pretty sure this was one that bloomed already, so I guess it's just enjoying the rather warm fall weather.

The annuals have all succumbed to the frost, and the garden is ready for winter and the seeds of the perennials are just waiting for the black-eyed juncos and chickadees.

Bulbs

Well, I've been planting bulbs. In addition to the heirloom bulbs, I've planted most of these:

The only ones I haven't gotten in the ground are the large allium christophii. The weather is getting colder and wetter, and my next two weekends are booked and busy. I sure hope I can find a decent day to dig a hole and throw them in it. Honestly, I'm not even sure where I want to put them. Life is too busy this year.

October Blooms

There isn't a lot still blooming in my gardens, but here are a few October photos. We were really dry for awhile, but then we got a wonderful soaking rain, and even the plants that are yellowing with the changing light appear to be renewed.

This is a Chihuly Rose that Emma chose earlier this summer, and this is its first new bloom. It's named after the artist Chihuly, who works with blown glass. His work is amazing, and I really recommend googling his name. Emma and I had never heard of him, but we looked him up to figure out why the rose had such a difficult-to-pronounce name and spent a good half hour looking at his work.

The flash went on this photo, but the little spider is so cute.

We also have asters and goldenrod blooming. I'd like to get some dwarf asters, but so far the ones I've purchased have all been tall and gangly.

I have a few garden decorations, mostly "fairies", although of many different types. This one was given to me over five years ago, as a Christmas present, and it's been hanging in this birch tree ever since.  I like it's "wild woman" style.

Rob bought this one, and it stays nestled in the shade garden during the summer, but we put her in the garden shed over the winter. With cold nights and frost coming, she'll soon be finding a place inside.

I am always happy to have the garden season wind down in fall. I really love gardening, and I've been planting bulbs for next spring, but I also get a bit tired, and I'm ready to have time to work on other things over the winter.  I love the cycle of the seasons --as soon as I get tired of one, another one comes along and feels new again.

Self-seeding

I found this impatiens flower in the lawn. I'm not sure where it came from, but it's kind of cute. Of course, it didn't start blooming until late September. It is surrounded by walnut leaves, and that's a walnut up in the top left of the photo.

Fall planting

Well, I got my two new iris, and got them into the ground, both on the west side of the house. I have a few other plants I'd like to divide and spread around, and we're having perfect weather for it. The only difficulty is that you have to dodge falling walnuts, and be careful not to twist your ankle on the ones already on the ground. It's a banner year for walnuts!

Here are the two iris I planted: