December 2009

December started off in remarkable contrast to November: dry, sunny and colder. By the 5th we actually saw some pretty nice frost, as a result of a 93% relative humidity. Needless to say it spelled the end for a good many tender plants still hanging in, including this rose bud, but it did result in some nice photo opportunities, like this one here. It almost looks as if the bud has been dipped in sugar.

The frost spelled a quick end to this Zantedeschia growing in a pot. It didn't flower this year, but then again, that's not surprising seeing as it got potted up rather late. We were under the impression that what we had been given were CANNA lilies, not CALLA (Zantedeschia). I'll keep them potted up this winter and won't bother digging them up and storing them in peatmoss in the shed. In an effort to get it going earlier than this year, the pot may very well find it's way into the greenhouse once that gets erected in February.

I've been going on for a while about our Helleborus X Hybrid. Here it is in bloom on December 21st, about 2 weeks ahead of where I would typically expect to see it come in bloom.

In addition to the early flowering of the Helleborus we also have the Snowdrops -Galanthus elwesii- poking their heads up all over the place, in this case in the frontyard.