January 2021 in the Northern Hemisphere

[Diane Whitehead]

I've been growing this plant of Fuchsia regia ssp reitzii since 2007, and don't remember it continuing to bloom into January before.

It is appreciated by our Anna's hummingbirds, but I didn't manage to get a picture of one feeding on it.

[Lesley Cox]

Many Fuchsia species are surprisingly hardy, a valuable trait in late blooming plants. I think we (in NZ at any rate) don't appreciate them as we should. Though quite often seen in gardens, especially older gardens, they are rarely seen for sale although the bigger, blousier modern hybrids are seen frequently in garden centres.

[Catwheazle]

Helleborus foetidus in the snow 

greetings
Bernd

[Leena]

Winter has come here, temperatures are below freezing all the time (around -3- -5C), and there is about 2cm snow right now. More is coming next week and that is good, because the temperatures are expected to drop more then. At least all January is the same, and probably also February and March.
This Helleborus Early Purple is again the earliest. This picture was taken after Christmas just before the cold came, and I covered the buds with dry oak leaves and spruce branches. Hope they will continue in the spring:).

[Tristan_He]

We've had a bit of snow too, though not much by Canadian / Finnish standards. But it's been very pretty....



Hamamelis x intermedia 'Diane'. This is the same plant that got a bit confused and threw a few yellow flowers in autumn, but it is still flowering properly now as it is supposed to.



Japonica quince, still with the odd flower.



Betula ermanii, for once looking darker than the background.

[Tristan_He]

...and of course snow is fun too!

[ashley]

Great photos Tristan  
No snow here except on the hills but the river is frozen right over for the first time in maybe 10 years.

Witch hazels have started here too:
Hamamelis mollis
H. x intermedia 'Diane'
H. x intermedia 'Jelena' (earliest here, with  first flowers usually before Xmas)
Qiongzhuea tumidissinoda (syn. Chimonobambusa tumidissinoda)

Some plants in my unheated greenhouse are looking stressed with the prolonged freeze, so fingers crossed that losses are minimal.

[Gabriela]

Everything looks so wonderful with snow added on top, or even with ice crystals!

Your Hamamelis are beautiful Ashley. Hopefully the weather returns to what's considered 'normal' for your region!
I've seen pictures with snow from Madrid recently!!! Luckily it wasn't too cold so the native plants should probably be OK.

[ashley]

Thanks Gabriela
For me witch hazels, and the wonderful scent of H. mollis especially, mark arrival of a new year in the garden.

[Tristan_He]

Me too Ashley! Can't beat a good witch hazel, preferably with a good carpet of snowdrops and maybe some Cyclamen coum underneath.

[shelagh]

Ashley I do envy you, our H. mollis pallida succcumbed to a drought (yes I know have a good laugh since we live in Greater Manchester) in gosh it must have been 2019. Doesn't time fly when we are enjoying ourselves so much. It was always just in flower on New Years Day and a grand start to the year.

[Menai]

My "Jelena" has produced out of season yellow flowers on a number of occasions. Maybe its a Welsh thing?

Erle in Anglesey (no snow here just a couple of days of frost)

[Leena]

The last two days it has been snowing here, and in my garden there is now 50-60cm snow, most of it from these past days. They say that it snows here this much at a time only maybe couple of times in a century. Temperatures are dropping and for Friday it is predicted -23C, so for the plants it is good to have snow, and more is coming next week.  When there is this much snow, the ground doesn't freeze very deep, and also that sounds good for my Hepatica japonicas, and other not so hardy plants.
Having this weather now it was so nice to have a letter from a forumist today, and new seeds to sow.

This picture is from this morning.

[Jeffnz]

Hi Leena
Will developing hellebore buds be affected by the snowfall?

[ashley]

Lovely photo Leena, and a snug blanket for your plants.
It puts my paltry ice crystals into perspective