Not much time for prose right now, but a few pics of what was in bloom before the first real freeze, which occurred on November 19 this year.
Anemone 'Honorine Jobert'
Arbutus unedo 'compacta' in berry and bloom at the same time, and worth every bit of extra care it requires re. winter protection and careful siting.
A big clump of Arum italicum, like a winter caladium in the landscape.
An unlabeled Camellia sasanqua, probably pretty close to the original type.
Camellia sasanqua 'Jean May'
Camellia sasanqua 'Yuletide'. Everyone posts this, and with good reason. I "accidentally" planted one in the front and another in the back, and can't bring myself to remove either, despite a desperate need for space.
A beautiful bug (as yet unidentified - any thoughts?) on my only Chrysanthemum, which I think is just called "Single Korean Apricot", also pictured below.
The last coleus standing - interesting that the different cultivars seem to have varying degrees of cold tolerance. I think this one is called 'Alabama Sunset'.
Probably the most photographed and posted plant in the garden this year, Crinum 'Emma Jones', still putting up scapes in mid-November. The one below, and another like it, have no hope of opening outside, so have been cut and brought into the house to see what happens.
Below, another Crinum, 'Walter Flory', also still in flower.
Crocus ochroleucus, grown in a pot for drainage reasons and so that it doesn't get lost.
Galanthus reginae-olgae, one of the fall blooming snowdrops. I just got one bulb of the other, G. peshmenii, which was my one bulb purchase of the year (this may change as Brent and Becky's Bulbs in Gloucester begins marking down their inventory this weekend.)
The first Hellebore of the season, a great plant of H. x nigercors. This hybrid between the Christmas Rose and the Corsican Hellebore has been a great producer of pale green blooms over the years, but this is the earliest it's ever been in flower.
Musa velutina, carrying fruit that's ornamental, but seedy. I was hoping the seed would have time to ripen, but that's not going to happen, at least not outside. I've cut the stems and put them in water - at least they'll be interesting to look at.
Nandina domestica, the yellow berried form. It's not as vigorous as the red variety, and the berries become discolored after hard freezes, but it's attractive for a while, at least.
Another group of plants I've shown too much, but they really do provide three seasons of interest. Sarracenia leucantha comes into its own in fall, producing its best pitchers before our temperatures plunge.
Sarracenia minor 'Okeefenokee Giant' among the doomed salvias and cannas in mid-November.
Schizostylis coccinea blooming amid the wreckage; I cheat with this one, bringing it into the coldframe during the coldest part of the winter. It's not extremely productive here, but it blooms at an unusual time.
In winter, gardening has to move indoors. This terrarium started life as the jar out of which my great grandparents sold ginger snaps (they recommending topping them with a slice of sharp cheddar cheese) in their little store in Southampton County. Now it houses a rotating display of miniature and dwarf Sinningias; the ones that aren't currently blooming live under banks of fluorescent tubes on shelves in the garage.
Anemone 'Honorine Jobert'
Arbutus unedo 'compacta' in berry and bloom at the same time, and worth every bit of extra care it requires re. winter protection and careful siting.
A big clump of Arum italicum, like a winter caladium in the landscape.
An unlabeled Camellia sasanqua, probably pretty close to the original type.
Camellia sasanqua 'Jean May'
Camellia sasanqua 'Yuletide'. Everyone posts this, and with good reason. I "accidentally" planted one in the front and another in the back, and can't bring myself to remove either, despite a desperate need for space.
A beautiful bug (as yet unidentified - any thoughts?) on my only Chrysanthemum, which I think is just called "Single Korean Apricot", also pictured below.
The last coleus standing - interesting that the different cultivars seem to have varying degrees of cold tolerance. I think this one is called 'Alabama Sunset'.
Probably the most photographed and posted plant in the garden this year, Crinum 'Emma Jones', still putting up scapes in mid-November. The one below, and another like it, have no hope of opening outside, so have been cut and brought into the house to see what happens.
Below, another Crinum, 'Walter Flory', also still in flower.
Crocus ochroleucus, grown in a pot for drainage reasons and so that it doesn't get lost.
Galanthus reginae-olgae, one of the fall blooming snowdrops. I just got one bulb of the other, G. peshmenii, which was my one bulb purchase of the year (this may change as Brent and Becky's Bulbs in Gloucester begins marking down their inventory this weekend.)
The first Hellebore of the season, a great plant of H. x nigercors. This hybrid between the Christmas Rose and the Corsican Hellebore has been a great producer of pale green blooms over the years, but this is the earliest it's ever been in flower.
Musa velutina, carrying fruit that's ornamental, but seedy. I was hoping the seed would have time to ripen, but that's not going to happen, at least not outside. I've cut the stems and put them in water - at least they'll be interesting to look at.
Nandina domestica, the yellow berried form. It's not as vigorous as the red variety, and the berries become discolored after hard freezes, but it's attractive for a while, at least.
Another group of plants I've shown too much, but they really do provide three seasons of interest. Sarracenia leucantha comes into its own in fall, producing its best pitchers before our temperatures plunge.
Sarracenia minor 'Okeefenokee Giant' among the doomed salvias and cannas in mid-November.
Schizostylis coccinea blooming amid the wreckage; I cheat with this one, bringing it into the coldframe during the coldest part of the winter. It's not extremely productive here, but it blooms at an unusual time.
In winter, gardening has to move indoors. This terrarium started life as the jar out of which my great grandparents sold ginger snaps (they recommending topping them with a slice of sharp cheddar cheese) in their little store in Southampton County. Now it houses a rotating display of miniature and dwarf Sinningias; the ones that aren't currently blooming live under banks of fluorescent tubes on shelves in the garage.
