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| Welcome to my December Garden! |
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| Winter Welcoming Committee |
Welcome to my December Long Island garden. December came in like a lamb with mild temperatures in the 50's and suddenly turned overnight to daytime highs in the upper 30's to low 40's with a chill in the air. Sweatshirt hoodies became winter coats and gardening outdoors became gardening indoors. A feeling of spring became thoughts of winter and the holiday season began. Then came a return of spring with 59 degrees with snow now in the forecast! I still venture outside to walk in the garden and will bravely continue to do so even as the temperatures fall, since being a gardener is what brings me joy. Come along on a virtual tour to see what I love most, no matter what the season!
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| Hellebore 'Shooting Star' |
Over the past several years, I have added different varieties of Hellebore to the garden border whenever I see them available. 'Shooting Star' is the first to form buds, which you can see here. They provide so much joy and bloom for months during the winter season. |
| Front Island Bed |
In the front island beds, the perennials have died back for the season, but the structure remains. Here is Osmanthus (False Holly) in front of Weeping Norway Spruce. In the backdrop is Weeping Japanese Maple 'Viridis' and Blue Atlas Cedar.
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| Winter Structure: Weeping Japanese Maple |
Underneath the leaves, there is structure, and it is even more beautiful this time of year.
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| Driveway Border |
Here is Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar in front of Skyland's Golden Oriental Spruce in the driveway border. You can see the red stems of Coral Bark Maple 'Sango Kaku' to the far left. There is a little remaining bird's nest up there too if you look closely!
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| Back Island Bed |
In the back island bed is Crape Myrtle (far left) with Hinoki Cypress and Mugo Pine. Coral Bells and Weigela are asleep for the season!
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| Blue Atlas Cedar Seed Cones |
I always love seeing the seed cones on evergreens. Here they are forming on the Blue Atlas Cedar.
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| Dwarf Maiden Grass 'Yaku Jima' |
Dwarf Maiden Grass 'Yaku Jima' plumes add interest to the garden this time of year.
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| Nellie Steven's Holly Berries |
Birds love berries and I enjoy them too. Nellie Steven's Holly never disappoints!
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| Pieris 'Cavatine' |
Pieris 'Cavatine' has something to offer in all seasons. Even its seed heads are attractive in December.
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| Crape Myrtle and Juniper 'Gold Lace' |
Bark becomes more interesting once the foliage disappears. The bark of Crape Myrtle will become even more pronounced as winter progresses.
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| Winter Sparrow |
The sparrows are claiming the Weeping Pussy Willow for winter...
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| Minding the Garden |
while this statue watches over the garden...
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| Rosemary |
and the Rosemary pushes out one last bloom!
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| Welcome! |
A welcome pick up truck with tree greets visitors.
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| Live Life in Full Bloom! |
When the outdoor gardening season wanes, the indoor gardening season picks up momentum. After growing Amaryllis in pots for years and seeing these bulbs encased in wax, I figured I would give it a try. It requires no soil, no watering...no anything! Just put it on a windowsill and enjoy. This is going to be a new tradition!
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Thanksgiving Cactus
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On the back windowsill, the Thanksgiving Cactus continues to bloom... |
| Gardener's Ornament! |
and the gardening (of course gardening) ornaments are on the tree! Snow is in the forecast for tomorrow...will have to wait and see!😊
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| Thank you for Visiting! |
Thank you for visiting my December garden. As always, I enjoy hearing from you and seeing what's growing in your garden. Special thanks go out to our hostess Carol at May Dreams Gardens, who makes it possible to see blooms on the 15th of every month with her meme Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. Also, special thanks to Pam Penick at Digging who has hosted Foliage Follow-Up for all these years, a meme I will still continue to honor. I am also linking with some other wonderful hosts and hostesses at Floral Friday Fotos, Macro Monday 2, Mosaic Monday at Letting Go of the Bay Leaf, Nature Notes at Rambling Woods, Image-in-ing weekly photo share every Tuesday with NC Sue and Gardens Galore Link Up Party every other Monday with Everyday Living. I am also happy to join the Weekly Photo Link-Up at My Corner of the World on Wednesdays and Garden Affair at Jaipur Garden.
As Always...Happy Gardening! 😊
Author: Lee @A Guide to Northeastern Gardening,© Copyright 2010-2020. All rights reserved.
Adorable bear! A lot of beauty in your near-winter garden. I love the bare trunks and weeping Japanese maple. It's amazing.
ReplyDeleteThank you Lisa! I enjoyed your "Sunday Funnies" post with the kitties!
DeleteI enjoyed your winter garden tour. Thank you for sharing. Happy gardening. It is truly a passion of mine.
DeleteA most beautiful December garden. Just love the structure of the Weeping Japanese Maple.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I really do enjoy looking at it during the winter. Your Amaryllis is beautiful and such a lovely variety. It's amazing how the little things make us so happy!
DeleteBeautiful indeed!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2020/12/kitty-at-zoo.html
Thank you for hosting Sue, and I do love your precious pictures of the kitties..so cute!
DeleteIt certainly sounds like you're riding a weather roller-coaster but your garden is well built to provide interest even when temperatures are frigid. Your mention of spring and a temperature of 59 degrees in the same sentence had me smile and acknowledge yet again how difference our two climates are - any temperature below 60F means winter here! I love the Pieris and have been tempted to try plants in that genus here - my neighbors across the street have some - but the plants water requirements are a little high for my garden.
ReplyDeleteWe have been Kris. Your blooms are all gorgeous and I always admire the creativity you put into your posts with the collages. I love them all, but the Osteospermum 'Zion Copper Amethyst' especially caught my eye!
DeleteStunning shots Lee! Your Garden figurines are adorable .I am happy to spot sparrow in your post. The Amaryllis growing indoors is what I want to try for this spring. It would be my pleasure if you join my link up party related to gardening here at http://jaipurgardening.blogspot.com/2020/12/chrysanthemums.html.
ReplyDeleteThank you Arun! Your Petunias are lovely and I love your assortment. I always enjoy growing them here during the summertime.
DeleteEverything is so beautiful! My hellebores don't bloom until spring.
ReplyDeleteThank you Beth. I have three cultivars and one of them blooms in April.
DeleteMy hellebore started blooming in December. I am I. Zone7b.
DeleteWhat wonderful wintry beauty!
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your link at 'My Corner of the World' this week! Thanks for joining us!
Thank you for hosting Betty. I always enjoy your posts about the old towns and their history.
DeleteLovely Back Island Bed, Lee and your Mugo pine looks pretty in December.
ReplyDeleteI am interested in growing Amarillis, your idea to put it on the windowsill and let him grow and bloom there sounds unusual.
Take care, hugs!
The Amaryllis in wax is a new concept and it works, and it fits perfectly on a windowsill! I loved your post with all your beautiful Christmas decorations. Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy holiday season.
DeleteDear Lee,
DeleteThanks for you answer.
A Merry Christmas, happy holidays with your family and loved ones.
Good health and take care!
Looking good! Your December garden is beautiful! Enjoy the holidays and the months ahead.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind words Beth. Your winter view of the prairie is beautiful!
DeleteBeautiful December so far your way..Yes the house sparrows know a good deal when they see one...
ReplyDeleteWithin a day, everything is covered here in snow too. I enjoyed your post. Your reminded me that I need to venture outside to feed the birds!
DeleteYour December garden is lovely, Lee. It's so green! Mine is blanketed in snow. I thought of trying those bulbs encased in wax. Would you get them again? This year, I'm forcing amaryllis on rocks -- no soil. Wishing you a happy Christmas. P.x
ReplyDeleteHi Pam. I would definitely get them again. After the first bloom, it is even producing another stalk ready to bloom for New Year’s! Even my husband keeps commenting on how cool it is! I saw your garden blanketed in snow...so pretty. We still have enough snow on the ground from Winter Storm Gail to enjoy for the holidays. Merry Christmas to you and your family!
DeleteThanks for joining in Garden Affair. Keep joining in Garden Affair.
ReplyDeleteYou are a landscaper, right? Well, your expertise is winter interest and texture! As beautiful as your garden is all year long, I think it comes into its glory in winter. Well done.
ReplyDelete