GBBD: January 2012
Garden Blogger's Bloom Day has arrived. Can you believe we are already half way through the first month of the year? My zone 7b garden has been
experiencing a fairly mild winter so far. As I drive around the countryside I am seeing signs of spring....some daffodils and cherry trees are blooming already. But the winter blooming flowers are saying "hold on, not so fast!" "We haven't had our time to shine". And Mother Nature answered by blowing in some more winter like temperatures this weekend.
My hellebore have been shooting up new growth, budding and blooming.
The heather mingled amongst the azaleas are blooming and giving some winter color to the garden.
The rosettes of the dragon's blood sedum are their signature red and pop against the dull grays and browns of the surrounding landscape.
The Oriental Paper Bush I showed last month is slowly starting to open. I am so anxious to see these blooms since they are new to my garden this season. Maybe I will have a full bloom to show next month.
The camellias are also working hard to bloom
as is the witchhazel.
Two plants, considered weeds by most, are readily blooming. Dandelions, a member of the Asteraceae family, are edible. Often used as a tea it helps kidney function and dissipates gallstones. They are remarkably nutritional being extremely high in vitamins A & C and beta carotene and potassium, iron and copper. If you do eat them be sure that they haven;t been treated with chemicals.
The pollinators that were out during our balmy 'winter' days surely appreciated the henbit that is happily spreading in our lawn and the hill garden. Henbit is considered a very invasive annual winter weed that is common throughout the southeast. It is a member of the mint family and is edible, raw, cooked or as a tea.
What is happening in your garden this month? Do you have blooms that are out of season too? Be sure to visit May Dreams Garden to see what is happening in other gardens around the world.
My hellebore have been shooting up new growth, budding and blooming.
The heather mingled amongst the azaleas are blooming and giving some winter color to the garden.
Erica x darleyensis 'Mediterranean White'
Sedum spurium 'Dragon's Blood'
Edgeworthia chrysantha 'Winter Gold'
Camellia sasanqua 'Setsugekka'
Two plants, considered weeds by most, are readily blooming. Dandelions, a member of the Asteraceae family, are edible. Often used as a tea it helps kidney function and dissipates gallstones. They are remarkably nutritional being extremely high in vitamins A & C and beta carotene and potassium, iron and copper. If you do eat them be sure that they haven;t been treated with chemicals.
dandelion flower head
What is happening in your garden this month? Do you have blooms that are out of season too? Be sure to visit May Dreams Garden to see what is happening in other gardens around the world.
Lovely Karin. I have some Heather blooming also. Your Helleboro looks really pretty.
ReplyDeleteCher Sunray Gardens
To miło patrzeć, że coś w ogrodzie zaczyna żyć. U nas wszystko zasypał śnieg. Pozdrawiam.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to see that something in the garden begins to live. We all showered snow. Yours.
No bloom day post for me this month. I'm interested to see what your paper bush bloom looks like fully opened. It's pattern is visually arresting.
ReplyDeleteOnly blooms from my dreams...will be posting my ORANGE blooms tomorrow...we had 2 ft of snow and below zero cold temps...only white here right now...lovely blooms in your garden Karin!
ReplyDeleteBrrr...stay warm and enjoy your winter weather! Can't wait to see the orange!
DeleteI have plenty of that henbit in my garden, too. In fact, I seem to spend my life pulling it out from where it is not wanted. It does have a pretty little bloom though. All your blooms are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Yes, I have pulled my fair share of henbit too. It does seem to grow everywhere!
DeleteI'd love to see your oriental paper bush blooming! I have some hardy fuchsia flowers, campanula, alyssum and primroses. Tomorrow, I should check how they liked today's snow!
ReplyDeleteI think the plants will be in for a shock since they have been enjoying a rather mild winter so far. I hope yours fared well. Which fuchsia do you have that are hardy? I love them!
DeleteI didn't realize henbit was so useful! I wonder if we could market it somehow. Marketing with a 'pull your own' would be best! :) I enjoyed seeing your blooms. I don't grow any of these (except the weeds), so I loved seeing all the different plants. Happy GBBD!
ReplyDeleteLOL...yes especially since it grows so readily!
DeleteYes, henbit in the winter, dandelions in the spring, and of course nutsedge in the summer. I wonder if you can eat nutsedge?
ReplyDeleteThat is my husbands mantra too...but actually you can eat nutsedge. It is used in alternative medicine to treat nausea, fever, inflammation and muscle relaxation.
DeleteNot even a hint of a bloom here, Karin. So I will live vicariously through your description of signs of spring and your lovely photos!
ReplyDeleteI hope you are enjoying your snow...finally you have winter!
DeleteJust awesome seeing the new life already. I'm much more accustomed to seeing things beginning to appear (not bloom) by mid to end April, back home. Great shots, Karin - lots of color.
ReplyDeleteThanks! We have been adding more and more plants the past two years to provide some winter color and have a longer blooming season.
ReplyDeleteIt has been mild here too - can't say I'm complaining after the crazy summer! I was just admiring the dandelions the other day too - this time of year, any flower will do!! Happy GBBD!
ReplyDeleteKaren,
ReplyDeleteWhat excitement in your garden for January! I hope my Hellebores are looking like yours in March, though last year they did not show til April! Then it was a free-for-all with daffodils and tulips blooming at the same time. I am looking forward to seeing your Edgeworthia too.
Happy GBBD!
Julie
I bet it is beautiful with the hellebore, daffodils and tulips together! Now you have me dreaming of spring...!
DeleteBeautiful, how exciting to see all that is blooming this time of year! Thanks for the hope your garden grows, mine is still very much hibernating!!
ReplyDeleteI hope you are enjoying your snow days!
DeleteWe have had a mild winter as well, so far. Your walk in the garden revealed so many wonderful surprises. The Dragon Blood sedum is so rich and colorful. I have noticed my hydrangeas are already beginning to bud. Although I would love to have a real good snow, I hope it does not damage some of these plants that have already begun budding.
ReplyDeleteHi Karin, I can't complain because this winter has been so mild, but I am envious that you have daffodils and hellebores already blooming in your part of the world. I am not familiar with an Oriental Paper Bush and look forward to seeing it bloom.
ReplyDeletekarin, we've been so similar with weather this winter, but apparently it's been a little colder here because your plants and weeds are ahead of mine. i did notice one beautiful daffodil open yesterday, but no hellebores or witch hazel, no henbit or dandelions. it's going to be interesting to see how the rest of the winter goes. we haven't had snow in a good while...maybe this will be the year for a big one.
ReplyDelete