December 2015 in the Northern Hemisphere

[Gabriela]

Gabriela,and this grid protects against squirrels and birds?

Natalia - it is a plastic mesh that can be cut to size and is only for the squirrels, temporarely. Usually the ground would be frozen by now or covered in snow but it's unusual warm this year.
They wouldn't eat the buds but dig holes all day long (to look for or hide nuts) and so the roots can remain exposed to cold and drought if you don't cover them back.

I see you also don't have snow yet  Interesting to see you grow the Canada rosebay - please do show the flowers next year, I haven't found it in the wild here.

[johnralphcarpenter]

Is it really mid December? Daphne bholua 'Jacqueline Postill' is flowering, as is Rosmarinus x lavandulaceus. The seedheads of Iris foetidissima provide welcome colour.

[David Nicholson]

My 'Jacqueline Postill' is in flower too Ralph.

[meanie]

Gabriela - you have my sympathy as far as the tree rats go! Absolute vermin 

First bloom of the season on Canarina canariensis...................


They are much larger than the spring blooms were (which was the first time that it had bloomed) and I'm rather pleased as it was a little underwhelming in the spring.


Salvia confertiflora has finally (of sorts) come into flower................




It is about four months later than last year which sums up the summer of 2015 rather well!

[fleurbleue]

Amazing Canarina !

[meanie]

Amazing Canarina !

What is amazing is that it is outdoors still!

[Robert]

meanie,

I am hoping to get a batch of Canarina through the winter. They are fairly good sized. I will very pleased to get some flowers this coming spring.

Yours looks great!

[Gabriela]

Gabriela - you have my sympathy as far as the tree rats go! Absolute vermin 

You're right, that's the good name for them, tree rats. It is just absolutely by chance that one can grow bulbous species here (not
having a greenhouse or something similar). And add the chipmunks too...
But enough complaining, I particularly like your Salvia confertiflora, different than many other Salvias I know.

[meanie]

You're right, that's the good name for them, tree rats. It is just absolutely by chance that one can grow bulbous species here (not
having a greenhouse or something similar). And add the chipmunks too...

At least we are spared chipmunks!

But enough complaining, I particularly like your Salvia confertiflora, different than many other Salvias I know.

Huge genus so I think that there is something for everyone.
I never expected S.leucantha to look this good in mid December...............

[meanie]

meanie,

I am hoping to get a batch of Canarina through the winter. They are fairly good sized. I will very pleased to get some flowers this coming spring.

Yours looks great!

Yours are growing in the ground?

[Robert]

Yours are growing in the ground?

Right now I have them all growing in pots. Too many things can go wrong in the ground around here. Rodents are a big one!  Then, it can get somewhat cold during the winter and I was uncertain as to their cold hardiness. It has been down to -5.5 C so far this season, with many other nights below freezing. Maybe they can take these temperatures? As of today I have them protected with row cover. It is so easy for me. It is no different than farming vegetable crops! I have plenty of hoops, row cover and greenhouse plastic to cover plant with if I desire. Right now I am just using row cover and they seem very happy.

[meanie]

Robert - not sure as to their absolute hardiness but I can say that in growth they'll take close to freezing ok. I haven't enough mature tubers to push things yet but maybe next year.

[Robert]

Robert - not sure as to their absolute hardiness but I can say that in growth they'll take close to freezing ok. I haven't enough mature tubers to push things yet but maybe next year.

meanie,

I have a half dozen plants. I am hoping to get some seed production. If all goes well, the next generation I will try in the garden.

Thank you for the information. Keep us posted as to your results if you try to overwinter any in the garden.

[meanie]

The garden is usually a no go zone at this time of year but thanks to the mild autumn/winter so far but Brugmansia sanguinea has opened its first bloom today.............


Apart from the sharp frosts we had a few weeks ago (when I moved it to the protection of the house wall) it has been out in the open since late February.

[Robert]

The garden is usually a no go zone at this time of year but thanks to the mild autumn/winter so far but Brugmansia sanguinea has opened its first bloom today.............

Apart from the sharp frosts we had a few weeks ago (when I moved it to the protection of the house wall) it has been out in the open since late February.

meanie,

In the city of Sacramento the Brugmansias grow fairly well without much protection from frost, not that the city has much in the way of frost (it does freeze every year). The plants in the ground can get quite large and the flowers are spectacular. Occasional there are hard and prolonged periods of frost. Even with large trunks the plant die to the ground, but re-sprout from the base of the trunk.