December in the Northern Hemisphere

[Maggi Young]

The last of the fall foliage for this season.

Our first big storm in three or more years is expected, starting Wednesday. If the 60mph winds materialize, there will not be a leaf left on the deciduous trees
Populus fremontii
A wind blown seedling that I let grow in place.
Populus fremontii is our local native Cottonwood. A good tree for our farm. It is growing in an out-of-the-way location where the roots will not be a problem.

I fixed  your attachment glitsch, Robert.  It was simply the wrong code -  url instead of img   

[Robert]

I fixed  your attachment glitsch, Robert.  It was simply the wrong code -  url instead of img   

Thank you Maggi. I kind'a figured I pressed the wrong button.

[Brian Ellis]

Iris unguicularis J&FK1024 "Peloponnese Snow".  (flower is washed away today ...)

That is a very attractive Iris Kris, G. 'Peter Gatehouse' is over here.

[krisderaeymaeker]

That is a very attractive Iris Kris, G. 'Peter Gatehouse' is over here.

Thanks Brian ! Some people told me that it is not G. 'Peter Gatehouse'  but probably a reginae olgae form ?   

[gmoen]

Stange weather these days. Getting into flower in the inland of Norway in middle of December is really not a good idea - it's still a loooong time until spring. It might become some harsh months even for the really hardy Eranthis sibirica.

[Hoy]

Haven't looked for the Eranthis yet but my plants are often damaged by slugs even now.

The only interesting plants here now are Helleborus, like this Helleborus foetidus that has planted itself in the steps.

[Brian Ellis]

Thanks Brian ! Some people told me that it is not G. 'Peter Gatehouse'  but probably a reginae olgae form ?   

Highly likely Kris as G. 'Peter Gatehouse' has more of a cross than an upturned heart.

[Roma]

Not much in flower here now but it is a very good year for holly berries.  Lots of the gardens nearby have or had holly trees and there are many holly trees in the local woods spread by birds.  The one shown is in my ponies' field.  There are lots of blackbirds around but so far they have not eaten the berries.

[Hoy]

It's a lot of hollies around here too (same reason) also in my garden but the birds have taken all the berries. I always have big flocks of birds in the garden especially during autumn so usually not a single berry is left for Xmas.

[Corrado & Rina]

Taken this morning: the Clematis cirrhosa balearica is covered in buds and flowers .... never happened before.


Bud


Flower


Regards

Corrado

[vivienne Condon]

Where would one obtain Parasitic Mites?

Ironic how the greenhouse and the house are free of RSM (parasitic mites are the ultimate cure).

Leon I do not know if you want to deal with a Australian company, but we use this now instead of any chemical sprays for all of our pests in the Nursery that I work for. Ecogrow Environment Pty Ltd, Producers of Beneficial Nematodes. Patented CSIRO Technology.  www.ecogrow.com.au not sure if they send to your country but we get all of our supplies through the post or delivered by courier.
Not sure if this is what you are after but it works wonderfully in the Nursery, and it won't hurt to spread the word of a good company for a safe and a better environment.

[vivienne Condon]

Ooh are we allowed to recommend a company on the forum? I just realised it may be too commercial. I'm sorry if I have put my foot into my mouth.

[Maggi Young]

Ooh are we allowed to recommend a company on the forum? I just realised it may be too commercial. I'm sorry if I have put my foot into my mouth.

No worries, Viv - this could be very useful to members.

[François Lambert]

With a little help of ... the greenhouse, I have Dahlia Imperialis in flower.  To be honest, It's the bonsai-sized Dahlia Imperialis that is flowering in the (unheated) greenhouse, a cutting made last year in fall when a storm blew down my Dahlia Imperialis ouside.  The large one outside made a lot of buds this fall, one flower even started to open, and then we had 1 (one !) night with some radiational frost and the entire foliage has been toasted.  Anyway, early December i managed to take a pic of the opening bud of the plant outside (3 meter up in the air), and yesterday at dawn I took a pic of the flower in the greenhouse (50 cm high).  Just wonder if anything could happen if I self-polinate the flower.  I'll try it anyway 

[ian mcenery]

Not much happening here really but there are some signs that a new season is just around the corner

The crocus has been flowering on and off for weeks

    galanthus 'Mrs Macnamara' 
    crocus laevigatus fontanayi
    Narcissus romieuxii JCA 805
    galanthus cilicius