Post by rgsp on Dec 25, 2013 15:01:33 GMT
I'll count again when I've got them all posted, but I think this year's count is 17.
Edit: actually 20.
The prunus subhirtella isn't ever a mass of showy flowers, but it has quite a number right through from November until about February.
This thing isn't showy either, but has quite a lot of flower spikes like this one.
Winter flowering honeysuckle isn't much to look at, but has a very intense scent.
Chaemonanthus Praecox is another one for the scent really, but the waxy translucent flowers are rather fine if you look closely at them.
Female Hazel flowers are quite tricky to photograph, but these are definitely "out", and they weren't out yesterday.
This Viburnum Bodnantense isn't in the garden at all: just in with some other trees and shrubs in a little triangle fenced off in the corner of one field - it thrives on neglect!
This Achillea Pendulina doesn't look much from a distance, but is rather fine from a distance. It's a selected form of wild Yarrow.
I thought this was a seed head from a distance, but no - Scabiosa Chile Black in full flower.
I think this must be the showiest thing in the garden today: Schizostylis coccinea.
This Nerine has got confused about the time of year...
... as has this Alstromeria.
Whereas this Mahonia x Media "Winter sun" should be doing its stuff, and surprisingly enough given the weather, is a lot less battered looking than normal.
But the primulas, while flowering valiantly, are looking badly knocked about by the rain.
Just to be awkward, Ozmanthus Burkwoodii carries its flowers inside the leaf axils, and in the middle of the bush too.
Lamium (Dead nettle = unauthorised weeds) flowers are quite furry when you look at them closely.
Leycesteria formosa bushes are scruffy things unless you're ruthless with them, but they do flower on and off all winter.
Berberis Darwinii shouldn't be in flower at all at this time of year, but here we are -
So that is 17, and I'm pretty sure there is another Viburnum somewhere, other than Bodnantense, that I've missed.
Yup! missed Viburnum Laurustinus:
and Winter Jasmine
and there's always one of these hiding somewhere: wild violet
So that's 20 now in total: not a bad haul at all.
Edit: actually 20.
The prunus subhirtella isn't ever a mass of showy flowers, but it has quite a number right through from November until about February.
This thing isn't showy either, but has quite a lot of flower spikes like this one.
Winter flowering honeysuckle isn't much to look at, but has a very intense scent.
Chaemonanthus Praecox is another one for the scent really, but the waxy translucent flowers are rather fine if you look closely at them.
Female Hazel flowers are quite tricky to photograph, but these are definitely "out", and they weren't out yesterday.
This Viburnum Bodnantense isn't in the garden at all: just in with some other trees and shrubs in a little triangle fenced off in the corner of one field - it thrives on neglect!
This Achillea Pendulina doesn't look much from a distance, but is rather fine from a distance. It's a selected form of wild Yarrow.
I thought this was a seed head from a distance, but no - Scabiosa Chile Black in full flower.
I think this must be the showiest thing in the garden today: Schizostylis coccinea.
This Nerine has got confused about the time of year...
... as has this Alstromeria.
Whereas this Mahonia x Media "Winter sun" should be doing its stuff, and surprisingly enough given the weather, is a lot less battered looking than normal.
But the primulas, while flowering valiantly, are looking badly knocked about by the rain.
Just to be awkward, Ozmanthus Burkwoodii carries its flowers inside the leaf axils, and in the middle of the bush too.
Lamium (Dead nettle = unauthorised weeds) flowers are quite furry when you look at them closely.
Leycesteria formosa bushes are scruffy things unless you're ruthless with them, but they do flower on and off all winter.
Berberis Darwinii shouldn't be in flower at all at this time of year, but here we are -
So that is 17, and I'm pretty sure there is another Viburnum somewhere, other than Bodnantense, that I've missed.
Yup! missed Viburnum Laurustinus:
and Winter Jasmine
and there's always one of these hiding somewhere: wild violet
So that's 20 now in total: not a bad haul at all.