We Now Conclude Our Mild Winter

Brassica oleracea var. longata

The entire West Coast, all the way down to Southern California, is currently experiencing a healthy dose of freezing weather.  The good news is we're still within the realm of what's normal for us, making this a great opportunity to test out the hardiness of some newer plants.  Of course, the frost will take with it more than a few brugmansias, kangaroo apples, castor beans, abutilons, iochromas, and bromeliads that were pushing their luck anyway.

Mahonia x media 'Charity' is just about to open its hummingbird-friendly flowers

Even though the daytime highs are barely above freezing, no ice has formed on the fountain yet.

January 12th, 2013

Compared with the worst of the freezing weather from the previous two winters...

Winter 2011/2012 (Jan. 2012)

Winter 2010/2011 (Nov. 2010)

The subfreezing weather causes mottling effects on some plants.

Aspidistra elatior

Eucalyptus pauciflora

Others are just a bit droopy.

Drimys winteri

Some irreplaceable plants have gotten a little protection but for the most part I'm seeing how things handle this bout of freezing weather on their own.

Butia capitata

Lowest temperature so far this season: 21 degrees F/-6 C on Jan 13, 2013.

Winter Bloomers

As spring slowly approaches, many winter-blooming plants are still going strong.  Daphne bhoula has been in bloom for the past month.  Like many winter-blooming plants, it has a very intense fragrance.

This yellow Witch Hazel (Hamamelis intermedia) is currently in peak-bloom while the orange variety on the other side of the garden has dropped most of its petals.

  

After three years of seeing the buds freeze off, Camellia sasanqua 'Apple Blossom' has finally burst into bloom.  The flowers don't look anything like apple blossoms...they're much bigger!!

A few naturalized Cyclamen coum seedlings.

Mahonia x media 'Charity' is also blooming right now.  I've seen a few hummingbirds visit this one.  Unfortunately, they're always off to the next plant by the time I get my camera out.

And finally, if you're going to grow one plant in February, it should be a hellebore.  This genus keeps getting better every year thanks to the many Hellebore breeders out there.  Shown are Helleborus orientalis & Helleborus niger.