December 2021 in the Northern Hemisphere

[Gabriela]

Thank you Akke. You are right, that there are so many wonderful woodland plants and bulbs which do well here, and which I have "found" only in the past 10 years. I'm a fan of Ian's Bulb Log, and try to grow many plants from seeds so that they would better acclimatize here .
I envy the natural snowdrops in European countries, it is so nice that you can see them in the nature over there.
Also growing in pots is easier over there, and you can have so many in a small space. Here if I have something in pots, I have to move them to root cellar for the winter because left outside (even in the ground in pots), I have lost many plants.  Maybe I haven't just found the right way to overwinter them outside, because plants which grow in woodland beds come through winters mostly fine. The problem with root cellar (besides having to cart pots in and out) is that even if the temperature is there close to zero celsius, some plants tend to start to grow too early.

Gabriela, I hope winter will be mild this year over there while ours seem to colder than usual.
It seems that weather is almost always opposite than ours. If you have mild winter, we have colder one, or the opposite:).

Same situations with the pots here Leena, and everywhere else in cold temperate zones. I used to cart some in the garage, but then of course they start to grow too early and they have no light. I've planted as much as possible in the ground last summer and only few pots with 2 years old seedlings remained in the cold frame. In the garage just few Dahlia tubers this time.

The forecast for January shows cold weather and unfortunately with no serious snow in sight. We will have rain for New Year's day, just like on Christmas before everything starts freezing.

[Gabriela]

Cold weather (for us) has set in and is forecasted to persist into the first part of the New Year. We grow a few frost tender species, and they are well protected from the cold weather. Our remaining garden plants are cold hardy. This winter our garden has entered a true sleepy dormancy with few plants blooming at this time.

Beautiful picture Robert, your winter garden looks so much different than ours.
I've heard that parts of Sierra Nevada have been blessed with large amounts of snow recently. A bit of good news I guess.

[Leena]

Leena,
Thank you for taking the time to elaborate on your gardening situation and endeavors. I [we] now have a much better understanding of your garden. For you, spring and new growth must be months away; however I find beauty in the snow-covered garden and the frosted plants. Hopefully no harm will come to them.

Robert, I agree that snow covered garden is very beautiful:).  Here my gardening season is mostly from April until end of October, or sometimes until late November so only about 7 months or eight at the best. It is a month or more  longer than 30 years ago when snow melted mostly in the end of April, so that is something good:). Snowdrops are the first to push through snow and most of them  can take freezing temperatures well, so that is why I love the little white flowers . If winter is mild there may be already flowering snowdrops in late February or early March even here. There is also so much variation in them, and it is so interesting to observe them when there is nothing else growing yet.
Until then, I enjoy seeing pictures from gardens in milder climate.

[Robert]

Today, 29 December, is overcast, dark, with a steady rain falling. Yesterday, I was able to get out into the garden briefly to work before the overcast and rain set in again.



Personally, it works for me to consider the winter solstice as the beginning of the next gardening season. Right now there is not much action in our semi-shaded garden beds. Many bulbs are emerging from the ground, and even a few Galanthus are now blooming. Here and there are a few stray, out-of-season flowers, such as the red azalea flower seen to the right and up in the photo.

To the left is the regrowth of a Magnolia kobus. We liked its flowers—the scent was divine; however it was getting far too tall and casting too dense a shade, impacting the other plants. We cut the tree down to ground level and are now attempting to prune the Magnolia to keep it 2 meters tall or less. This requires summer and winter pruning, as well as a little bit of luck.



This is another semi-shaded garden bed. The tree in the center is a Magnolia stellata. This magnolia is easy to keep small and it blooms consistently. Its flowers also have a lovely scent. It also serves to support taller lilies, such as Lilium regale, and Lilium pardalinum, which are planted nearby.



More or less on schedule, the first of the Hoop-Petticoat Narcissus are beginning to open.



The first Viola of the season has opened. Yes I know, they are grown by the billions and sold almost everywhere (at least in California), never the less, I have always liked them and will continue to grow them from seed.

To make things interesting, I breed and maintain my own distinct varieties. There are many valuable plant characteristics that a non-professional can pursue. In addition, they are easy to work with and provide general ideas on how the breeding system and genome of the Genus functions. I find it is a valuable springboard toward more challenging projects such as breeding our local California native Viola species.

Gabriela,

All the rain and snow in California is a huge blessing! This current weather was once our normal, average weather!

Another year of severe drought would have created an enormous economic and environmental catastrophe the likes of which nobody has seen. The human portion of the catastrophe will arrive sooner or later unless a miracle happens, but for now it has been delayed.

BTW – Details of our current weather and climatic conditions can be accessed in the Plants, Ecosystems, and Climate – Northern California section of the SRGC Forum.

Leena,

I like the Snowdrops too. We have only two types in our garden. I do grow some from seed to see if anything new comes. [Jasmin’s comments] So long as there are just a few around, well dispersed in the garden with other bulbs and ornamentals, Jasmin does not mind. She is not a fan: she gives them the Evil Eye. She has said as much that they tempt her to put on a burnie and grab her broadsword to thwack. She knows her attitude would earn her the wrath of many on the Forum. She just added that she thinks that they all look the same. [Robert’s comment] I have many challenges as a gardener!      

Our part of California is a horticultural desert. The same boring, commodified plants that were sold 50 years ago are still sold at the few local so-called nurseries that are still in business. All the quality nurseries in our area went out of business years ago. I find growing and developing our local California native species is very rewarding, immensely fascinating and full of untapped possibilities.

[ruweiss]

Today in our garden; unbelieveable +16°.
 Happy New Year to all of you.

[Gabriela]

Today in our garden; unbelieveable +16°.
 Happy New Year to all of you.

The Cyclamen seem to enjoy the weather.
Also the temp. in SW Ontario tomorrow = 5C. I'm sure the winter will return with a revenge, it always does in our region.
Happy New Year to you and all forumists.

Gabriela,

All the rain and snow in California is a huge blessing! This current weather was once our normal, average weather!

Another year of severe drought would have created an enormous economic and environmental catastrophe the likes of which nobody has seen. The human portion of the catastrophe will arrive sooner or later unless a miracle happens, but for now it has been delayed.
BTW – Details of our current weather and climatic conditions can be accessed in the Plants, Ecosystems, and Climate – Northern California section of the SRGC Forum.

Thanks Robert, I noticed your new posting; I still have some catching up to do with various threads. Didn't spend too much time here during the fall.

[Leena]

Rudi, how nice to be able to see flowering cyclamen this time of year!

Our part of California is a horticultural desert. The same boring, commodified plants that were sold 50 years ago are still sold at the few local so-called nurseries that are still in business. All the quality nurseries in our area went out of business years ago.

Robert, it is the same here, and new restrictions to importing plants from outside EU is making even more difficult to get a variety of plants.

I envy that you are able to start your gardening year already, your soil looks so fresh and moist now after you have gotten rains.
I know how most people see snowdrops just one small white flower, but to me they are much more:).
Here is a 13 min video (sorry, I speak only Finnish in it) I took last mid April from my favourite woodland area, where snowdrops were at the peak of flowering, the same with crocuses, and Hepaticas were just starting to flower.
What is more lovely than snowdrops swaying gently in spring sun!
About the video, crocuses are not very naturalistic looking, unfortunately. They have increased well from only a few corms, and I should have divided them, but I don't know where the time goes in the spring.. and then it is too late, and I can't find them anymore. Next spring they need to be divided!

Happy New Year!

[Herman Mylemans]

Rudi, how nice to be able to see flowering cyclamen this time of year!

Robert, it is the same here, and new restrictions to importing plants from outside EU is making even more difficult to get a variety of plants.

I envy that you are able to start your gardening year already, your soil looks so fresh and moist now after you have gotten rains.
I know how most people see snowdrops just one small white flower, but to me they are much more:).
Here is a 13 min video (sorry, I speak only Finnish in it) I took last mid April from my favourite woodland area, where snowdrops were at the peak of flowering, the same with crocuses, and Hepaticas were just starting to flower.
What is more lovely than snowdrops swaying gently in spring sun!
About the video, crocuses are not very naturalistic looking, unfortunately. They have increased well from only a few corms, and I should have divided them, but I don't know where the time goes in the spring.. and then it is too late, and I can't find them anymore. Next spring they need to be divided!
Happy New Year!

Leena, beautiful video! Thanks for showing. Your Hepatica's are growing very well even the japonica forms. The mix with Hepatica's, Galanthus and Crocus is beautiful. Now it's looking forward to next spring, it will take a while for you.
Today here it was 15°C it feels like spring but that is also too early.
Happy New Year!

[Maggi Young]

Leena, what a lovely way to enjoy plants at the end of the  year - with your beautiful video of those Spring flowers- it gives us great hopes for 2022 to see them again!
 Happy New  Year!

[Leena]

Thank you Herman and Maggi:). I took videos just so that I can watch them in winter and dream and plan for spring.
Herman, 15C seems really like spring, I hope your plants don't grow too much during this warm spell, so that they won't be damaged later if it turns colder.
But I guess your plants are used to temperatures going up and down.
Maggi, this time of year everything is possible in a gardeners mind. All plants will be coming through winter well, and spring is full of promise, and nothing has died over winter yet:).
And then when the real spring comes, even if some plants haven't made it, there are so many others which have, that I forget soon any losses.

[ashley]

... Here is a 13 min video (sorry, I speak only Finnish in it) I took last mid April from my favourite woodland area, where snowdrops were at the peak of flowering, the same with crocuses, and Hepaticas were just starting to flower...

That's a lovely video Leena.  The honeybees are busy & plants are all beautiful including your Helleborus niger (?) clone which looks very happy.
Happy New Year to you too.

[Robert]

Hi Leena,

Great Video!

It is full of ideas and inspiration.

Rudi – Herman,

16 C and 15 C !

Yesterday, 30 December, it was 10 C at our garden in Sacramento, California. Most of last week it was between 5.6 C and 7.0 C for daytime high temperatures with overcast skies and rain. I guess this would be considered mild weather in Northern Europe, but for us it is finally winter after many winters with drought and much warmer wintertime temperatures.

[Akke]

Beautiful garden Leena, I imagine you’re looking forward to spring. And for me the Finnish gives a bit of extra.
News about extreme weather made the dutch news, Robert but it doesn’t sound to bad at your place. Like Rudi and Herman, temperatures here are (record) high. Ornithogalum sigmoideum sort of exploded. It looks like there’ s also some unexpected seedlings.

Happy new year
(Enjoying a loud but quiet evening at home because of my firework-disliking dog)

[Gabriela]

Great video Leena! The long dream of spring has begun

I tried to add a video with New Year 'flowers-fireworks' but unfortunately it wasn't possible; I never try to add a video before.

[Diane Whitehead]

Thank you, Leena.  Such a treat to see your flowers, and hear all the bird songs.

Diane