December 2021 in the Northern Hemisphere

[Leena]

Yes, it has been quite cold.  I thought Norway would be colder but the sea helps you a lot.
This morning it was only -6C and next week it will be above freezing until Christmas when it drops below again.
Those warm periods before or in between cold can be very bad, if plants start to grow again. Though ground is now so deep frozen that I hope plants still think it is winter even when it gets warmer.
Hepatica japonica are protected with dry leaves, and we'll see in the spring how they survived.
Couple of pictures from yesterday.

[Herman Mylemans]

Nice with the snow. Leena it seems to me that you also have a lot of space for forest plants!

[Hoy]

Yes, it has been quite cold.  I thought Norway would be colder but the sea helps you a lot.
This morning it was only -6C and next week it will be above freezing until Christmas when it drops below again.
Those warm periods before or in between cold can be very bad, if plants start to grow again. Though ground is now so deep frozen that I hope plants still think it is winter even when it gets warmer.
Hepatica japonica are protected with dry leaves, and we'll see in the spring how they survived.
Couple of pictures from yesterday.

We still have more snow than you, Leena!

Most of Norway is colder than here where I live at the west coast. In the eastern and northern parts it is much colder. In the north they have had down to almost -40C. East and south of me they have gotten tremendous amounts of snow and the railway has been blocked for a day already. The roads have also been blocked several times the last days.

[Yann]

Red wind warning here for tomorrow but only orange on Wednesday.

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Just saw several reports on TV, you had very strong guts!

[Gabriela]

Beautiful pictures Trond, so nice to see the sun even if for a few hours/day.

Leena: it got quite cold fast in your region!
In this part of Ontario, late November was mild, and December started the same, and we had a lot of rain (which of course is not good).
Then the temp. dropped and it snowed a bit.
This morning it was -9C but by Saturday we'll have 13C!!!! and probably more rain. Considering the way the winter started I don't even want to think how's going to be later on.

I didn't took many pictures lately but it went like this: Hepatica 'Winterfreude', and many others looking green and happy (Geum reptans, Erysimum witmannii....), Helleborus under rain, then some snow.

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[Leena]

Herman, you are right:). I have lot of space where I could still make new woodland beds under trees, though soil needs a lot of amending (it is so clay).
And someone needs to look after those new beds, too...

Trond, I envy your mild climate, but of course here it is milder than in north or east of Finland, so I should be happy:).

Gabriela, those big fluctuations in temperature are so tough on plants. I hope yours are all well in the spring.
Also here it should be warmer next week, but +5C at the most. And then again colder before Christmas.
Mostly long term forecast predicts warmer than usual winter, but it can still change suddenly.

[wooden shoe]

Clematis cirrhosa var. balearica is defying the weather

[Leena]

I just read that this year beginning of December was coldest in 84 years in Helsinki.
https://twitter.com/mikarantane/status/1468545825706020870/photo/1

[Hoy]

Gabriela,

My plants are still mostly covered by snow! But the temperature will increase 10C during the weekend. But that's nothing compared to what you experience!

Leena,

Mild winter climate (mostly) also means the summer temperatures are low!

[Gabriela]

Gabriela, those big fluctuations in temperature are so tough on plants. I hope yours are all well in the spring.
Also here it should be warmer next week, but +5C at the most. And then again colder before Christmas.
Mostly long term forecast predicts warmer than usual winter, but it can still change suddenly.

Yes, I imagine the plants are very confused and the rains are surely damaging, especially for the alpine type plants.
It has been a trend in the last few years, to have rains in December instead of snow and high fluctuations in temperature.

Nothing we can do but worry and hope for the best. Some species will adapt and some not...

[Leena]

Leena,Mild winter climate (mostly) also means the summer temperatures are low!

That sounds perfect! Here summers have lately been too hot and dry.

[Robert]

I enjoy all the winter garden scenes: All the gardens are very beautiful with their snow-decked look. I especially enjoy reading about the gardening challenges that each gardener faces. I am eager to learn from the specifics of each outcome. In the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, a few species are very sensitive to a lack winter snow cover. Although sensitivity is also governed by other environmental variables, the duration of incredible heat and drought combining with a complete lack of snow cover, is having a major impact on our ecology. I will continue to report my preliminary observations. My findings will be of value to gardener.

[Gabriela]

I enjoy all the winter garden scenes: All the gardens are very beautiful with their snow-decked look. I especially enjoy reading about the gardening challenges that each gardener faces. I am eager to learn from the specifics of each outcome. In the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, a few species are very sensitive to a lack winter snow cover. Although sensitivity is also governed by other environmental variables, the duration of incredible heat and drought combining with a complete lack of snow cover, is having a major impact on our ecology. I will continue to report my preliminary observations. My findings will be of value to gardener.

No 'snow-decked' garden in S. Ontario Robert. I pictures yesterday to mark the day: 15C at noon on Dec. 11. I don't know if it is a record. The winter seems to begin later from year to year and then unfortunately it lasts longer into 'spring', which will probably disappear at some point.
I also watch to see how various species resist to snowless cold, periods. I like to have as much 'green' as possible in the garden. Just a few: Tiarella, Primula polyantha with Waldsteinia and Polystichim setiferum.

[ruweiss]

Yesterday in a garden center - two interesting Citrus fruits:
Sorry, no alpine plants.

[Robert]

Gabriela,

My wife, Jasmin, frequently looks at the forum with me and often adds her comments. Trond’s snowy sunset scene was quite spectacular. I enjoyed Leena’s posting with her garden dusted with snow. Our garden has no snow and is not likely to get any snow in the next 100 to 1,000 years – most likely a longer than this. I appreciate and enjoy your garden, the interesting plants you post, as well as your insightful comments.

30-40 years ago would your garden normally be covered with some degree of snow cover at this time of the year? I very much appreciate the observations made by everyone concerning the interrelationships of snow cover, or the lack of snow cover, the water content of the soil, soil textures, temperatures fluctuations, and how specific species respond to the many variables as well as the overall performance of the garden ecosystem.