Hidden delights of DECEMBER

still lots of colour there Terra, love the clem,, so pretty, great pics to, cold and windy here, neighbour at the back lost the whole bedroom window lastnight with the high winds, bet that gave them a jump, all fixed now :o)

Isn't it nice to see all those things doing so well in December :o)
Your garden's looking immacutale as always TT

Some lovely shrubs there, TT. I've never seen a variegated Hydrangea before. Love the jasmine and the clematis - one I've never seen before, either. Thank you.

Thanks Sandra ...
Goodness, seems like you've had wild and windy weather up in Blackpool !

Thankyou Hywel ...
When I went around with my camera, I was surprised to find so much colour :o)

Hi Ojibway .. Thanks for looking at my blog ...

The "hydrangea" was discarded by a neighbour, and has no label. It certainly flowers like a hydrangea, so I hope I've identified it correctly...Lol.

some lovely plants, nice to have so many in flower

lovely Terratoonie ;) - we have the pinkie ones in our front garden - really nice :))) I love the pyracantha berries this time of year and I also really like the conifer next to it - !

Skimmias are great for evergreens - the one in garden centre was flowering - crazy - hope ours do not yet - want all that for the spring :)))))))))))

I must get some clematis next year - such nice plants :))))))))

Beautiful pot of sempervivums you have done - nice one!!! Look superb

Roses growing and ceanothus flowering - amazing - our ceanothus is flowering too and I love hedgehog holly - all your plants are lovely :)))))))))))))))))))

Thank you Sticki ...
Even those without flowers are doing their best to be bright with their variegated leaves ! :o)

It's still looking great TT....love the hydrangea foliage too!

Thanks Scottish and Paul ..

Yes, I love the hedgehog hollies ... and in fact I'm getting to like all hollies more and more ...
I'm attempting to grow some cuttings indoors over the winter, from the variegated hydrangea ... not sure if it will work... I'm not expert at cuttings, seedlings etc. !

So many healthy plants - nice blog Terra :-)

yeah sorry I meant Terratoonie - lol

Hi Paul ... thought you would edit it ... Lol. x

My goodness, TT...I don't remember ever seeing that much going on in December in France - let alone the UK...Scotland - perish the thought!!........or am I just being nostalgic?? lol! :)

going to now :D

Ah yes... Lol. :o)

Hi Karen ... Thanks.

No you're not being nostalgic ... some years ago, gardens in the UK would be somewhat devoid of flowers in the winter... but not any more ! Lol.. :o)

Having said that, I have made efforts to put winter interest into my gardens with evergreens, variegated foliage and winter flowering plants, such as the Clematis cirrhosa Wisley Cream.

You have such a lovely garden Terratoonie all that nice colour in December ,at least it is not covered in that nasty white stuff like last year ;-)

Hi Mavis...
Thank you ... Some of my shrubs and trees are looking far better than they did earlier this year... maybe a result of the freeze last winter ...
It was sunny today, but VERY cold and windy ! ;o)

Really enjoyed this Terra..lovely plants and colour..The variegated Hydrangea is one of my favourites too..The Jasmine is so pretty....does it need a lot of ground space,as regards roots,or spreading ,please ?

Hi Bloomer ..
Glad you like this. I don't find any problems with the Winter Jasmine .... easy to trim, and can be grown from cuttings. :o)

lovely plants and photos too. lots still in flower for you , lucky devil.

Hi Seaburngirl ..
Thanks.
I hope your Yorks winter isn't too severe !

Thank you,Terra..that is helpful..my garden is almost devoid of colour now,except for Pyracantha's and different shades of green,which are all nice..but it's lovely to see some 'proper' colour,if you know what I mean..:o)

Wow! Your garden still has so much going on TT! Every time I see Magic Merlot I want to have another go at growing it, it is so pretty! Sadly I've already lost two here so I don't think I'll get another. Just have to enjoy seeing yours and Spritz's too! The winter Clematis are beautiful aren't they. I am trying one in my garden..Its growing but very small so far and no flowers yet. Perhaps next year...we'll see.

Hi Karen ... Thanks :o)

I reckon if you try Magic Marlot in a pot and put it somewhere out of the wind, maybe near a warm house wall ... in semi-shade .. that might work... They are worth the effort ..

My Wisley Cream took a while to get started, but once they get going they put out shoots all over the place ! :o)

Thanks TT. I haven't tried keeping it in a pot.....eeek, maybe I'll go for it! My clematis was tiny when I planted it, so I'm expecting it to be a while getting established. Its not helped by the fact that some bug is eating it as fast as it is growing! grrrr....probably those nasty earwigs again. I hate those b*****s!

Oh TT its amazing how the garden keeps going, unlike us in this weather, creak creak....... Lol. Dont think I have anything left, too cold to go and investigate now!! Lovely pics.

You have some lovely ones there Terra, my clematis has lots of flowers coming out now but the rest of the garden has really gone over this week, its happened very quickly now and is looking very drab to my eyes..

Same here too Lincs. here one day gone the next. aaahh....

Good luck on the earwig hunt, Karen :o)

Sounds like you need oiling Grandmage ...
maybe a few liqueur chocs would work wonders ? ;o)

Thanks Lincs ...
Good to know your clematis is doing well ...
I was surprised at the great number of plants I found in flower today ...

How wonderful to have so much going on in your garden, must cheer you up when you go out, lovely TT.

Cannot believe how much colour you have in your garden TT lovely blog and pics:)

Great Blog Terra. Shows how hard you work on your garden. I want that Conifer and Magic Marlot or is that Merlot - Both me thinks :o))) Lovely pics...

guess you've not had many frosts Terra! your garden is quite magical--- mines a bit like a 'before' picture--we're waiting for spring.....

very nice Terra still so much colour there :-))

Thank you Dotty, Nanad, N3tyy, Pam and Surreylad ..

We have had some frosts but thankfully not yet severe enough to harm the plants.

N3 ... Magic Marlot is the usual spelling. I hope you manage to buy one. :o)

Lovely pics TT, we have been lucky with the frosts haven't we...only 2 scrape the car window mornings so far. I am going to treat myself to Magic Marlot, always admire your photos of it in that terra pot.

Thanks, Annella ... glad you like the photos.

Magic Marlot looks lovely all year round, so is a good choice. I hope you find one easily :o)

Lovely pictures. I bought a rosemary last year, but the flowering stems had been cut off before I bought it. Looks like it is worth leavung the flowering heads alone next year.

How lovely to have so many lovely shrubs and flower still in bloom, I love the colour of the Ajuga but the colour isnt as nice as yours, mine a dark green with a hint of purple, probably a different species, I also have the hedgehog Holly but no flowers as yet, does yours have berries too ?

Nice to see you still have lots in flower.. :))

Hello Holly ... Thanks ...
Yes, many flowers and shrubs still looking interesting ! :o)

You've got some pretty doilies TT ;o)

Hello Hywel..
Glad you like the newly-added snowflakes .... Lol. :o)

Lovely selection TT, Love the Ajuga Burgundy Glow absolutely stunning colour. We do have some primroses out in some places, only had one real frost yet more to come I'm sure.

Hi Bob..
Thanks .... The Ajuga seems to change colour at different times of year ..
Yes, no doubt there are more severe frosts on the way !

Amazing the flowers in your garden now, all gone here except my newly planted Pansies which look alternately sad and wilted (sharp frost) and perky and cheery (sunny and warm).

Hi Troddles ...
Thanks. I hope your pansies stay perky through the winter, surviving the frosts.
Yes... it is amazing, the amount of flowers blooming in December !

This is a lovely festive blog, Terra! ... so much colour to be had in your garden in December ... I do like the Hedgehog Holly .. not heard of that until now ... :o)))

Lovely blog Terra.You must have a really shaded garden for everything to still be flowering as much as this. Mine looks a bit dreary now. I'm pleased I saw your variagated conifer though as I had lost the label to mine (had it quite a few years) so now I know what its called.I also hadn't heard of the hedgehog holly. Thanks for sharing this with us.

Thank you Shirley and Rose ...

My gardens get quite a lot of sun, but are somewhat protected from cold winds.

I think the variegated conifer had been neglected a bit before I bought it ... but it is perking up a lot now ..

The hedgehog hollies are quite widely available...
a lovely shrub for the border ... :o)

You have lots of colour still in your gardenlooks good for December.

Hi Clarice ..
Thanks .. still quite a lot of flowers despite the recent storms ... :o)

A couple of weeks have gone by since you took those photos, TT, how are they looking now? (Just found your blog, not quite as sharp eyed as you! LOL)

You had lots of interesting colour in your garden! Hope some has survived the recent stormy weather with those terribly strong winds. I moved all my plants back further into the balcony where they have a little more protection than being out on the edge of the balcony like they most of the time. The wind tears everything to pieces & knocks over my golden Conifers.

Hi Balcony...
My eyes are far from sharp ... Good idea to have moved your plants back out of the windy areas.

Most of the plants in the photos are still doing well, except the rain has spoilt the leaves on the variegated hydrangea. But I now have lovely scented flowers on Viburnum Bodnantense Dawn and new flowers on my Iceberg Rose :o)

Not been on GoY last few months, as busy with Hospital visits of one kind or tother. You certainly have some colour there in your garden TT. Ceanothus?.....Cor blimey. I have trailing Tomke in bloom still and a Mahonia. My early camellia got clobbered by the frosty nights recently. The only furry animal in our garden is 'ginger cat' roosting on the garden seats. I havn't gone out in the garden since 2/12/11, as left leg in plaster. I am supposed to hop with a frame!! Tried it, but at 76 makes your muscles ache! I go backwards on a rollater....or is it tor? Anyways your garden is a treat to see...and the doggies are a delight.PS....... My sempervivum circles I copied from you are nearly as pretty as your picture.

Hi Dorjac..

Poor you... certainly been some difficult times for you this year ! I commented on your blog, so realised you've busy, and slowed down ...

I hope you feel better soon... maybe some WD40 is what the doctor would order...? Lol.

Glad to know you've done well with your Houseleek circles.

All the best from Terratoonie, Conker, Truffle and Crocus. xxx

Followed your link from Pansys blog, so glad I did. What an amazing winter we've had, especially you. Rosemary in December...just love your mothers rose...love all your plants:-)

Thank you, Bornagain ...
Yes, lucky to have so many plants flowering throughout the winter :o)

Hope it doesn't mean rotten summer:-)

My Houseleek circles have flourished TT. I now have Houseleek pot circle no2 overwintered, so far, and looking rather chipper. My Camellias keep blooming then get a blast of cold and hang their heads again. Apart from that there is very little colour even now.