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Monday, February 22, 2016

Enamored with Evergreens, February 22, 2016

Winter here is too cold for most plants to bloom, so it is nice that evergreen shrubs and perennials with their persistant leaves do so well here.  I'm also using them for a belated Foliage Follow-up post.

Today I am linking with-

Foliage Follow-up hosted by Pam of Digging

Today's Flowers hosted by Denise

In a Vase on Monday hosted by Cathy

Macro Monday 2 hosted by Gemma and Magical Mystical Teacher

Down my ramp, the Rosemary plants are probably the most useful of the evergreens, behind it is the variegated Elaeagnus ebbingei 'Gilt Edge'-

On the east side of the house is Osmanthus delavayi, which has tiny glossy dark leaves, looking like tiny ivy leaves, and has fragrant white flowers in spring.  It grows densely enough I can even keep it looking fairly good with my so-so pruning skills, behind it are the irrepressible Rhododendrons-

The small but sprightly holly-like variegated Osmanthus heterophyllus 'Goshiki'-

The evergreen Carex oshimensis 'Evergold'-

My newest experiment with evergreens are 4 Manzanitas, wonderful plants from the mountains that don't need, in fact dislike, summer water, making them excellent for places far from my hoses.  They are also winter to early spring bloomers, great for those resident hummingbirds, and have edible berries, and gorgeous reddish smooth bark in some cases.   Here Arctostaphylos sonomensis-

A. viscida 'Sweet Medina'-

A. columbiana 'Wolf Creek'-

Flower buds on A. columbiana 'Parkdale East'-

I saw a large Manzanita at Georgie's Clay absolutely loaded with similar bunches of flowers running pink to white, absolutely fantastic.  I meant to get a photo but it was raining when I came out.

Camellia japonica 'Taiyo' has grown to 4' from a tiny few inches, despite getting no care at all and practically no summer water;  the variegated leaves are lovely-

Cathy of IaVoM asked about my Vinca 'Wojo's Gem', it is a puzzle since it tends to be called Vinca major in spite of being the size of Vinca minor, though Proven Winners calls it V. maculata, it spread very well in this seldom-watered bed around a tree, better than in a long bed with lots of competing plants-

It has flower buds about to unfurl, and regular Vinca minor is starting to bloom very early as well-

And now for this week's In a Vase on Monday challenge, I found one little Crocus bloom- most of the original crocuses have long ago disappeared because of voles or squirrels, and one tiny Snow Drop with some pink winter heather, Erica x darleyensis-


I rather prefer the crocus with the fuller silvery Lamium, which has a echo of some purple in the pattern, the vase of unknown origin with roses reminding me of sugar ones for decorating cakes-


I like the little snowdrop casting its shadow on the turquoise vase-

What signs of spring are brightening your garden now?   -Hannah

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34 comments:

  1. When I think of evergreens, I think of pine trees. I forget about the smaller plants. Thanks for the reminder!
    As for signs of Spring, my Daffodils are beginning to bloom.
    Have a wonderful week!
    Lea

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    1. Thanks, Lea, I don't know if other parts of the country have as many evergreens or not.

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  2. Hannah, your crocus is lovely and such a welcoming sight. The camellia 'Taiyo' has gorgeous foliage. What color will it bloom?

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    1. Thanks, Susie, I was surprised to see it. Taiyo blooms red but has not bloomed yet. I should try to remember to water and fertilize it this spring, I hope it doesn't have to get much bigger and older to bloom.

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  3. A lovely post Hannah, thanks so much for sharing with Today's Flowers again, so very much appreciated.

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    1. I liked all your tropical flowers, Denise, I wish I could grow them.

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  4. Your vase is so pretty and shouts SPRING is here!

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    1. Thanks, Christina, spring is definitely rolling on here!

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  5. Hello Hannah, your plants are all lovely. I like the crocus in the vase, very pretty. No signs of spring here yet, we still have snow on the ground. Happy Monday, enjoy your new week!

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    1. Thanks, Eileen, I wasn't expecting a crocus. I hope winter loses its grip on you soon. Though warmer weather means I have to start gettting out there to work, weeding and picking up fallen branches.

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  6. Every tiny bloom is precious, isn't it? I love how you noticed the shadow of the snowdrop on the vase - such a little detail. Have you thought of joining Christina's foliage meme at My Hesperides Garden (22nd of the month - today, or thereabouts!)Thanks for sharing your vase

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    1. Thanks, Cathy, I looked at Christina's evergreens but didn't see how to join. I was thinking I wouldn't see any snowdrops or crocuses so both were a surprise. I'm thinking of trying some in pots next year.

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  7. What a wonderful grouping of foliage and oh a crocus...it is spring there. I love the vases!

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    1. Thanks, Donna, I even saw a couple of daffodils but didn't cut them. I hope spring happens soon for you too!

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  8. In Texas we have the Live Oak trees that stay green all winter, as well as the rosemary and those awful cedar trees.

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    1. I remember the large Live Oak trees well, and often Spanish moss dangling, Linda.

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  9. Its so important to have evergreens, and I love your variegated camellia..this is a first for me. Your little vase is sweet, and I love the mixture of special early season flowers.

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    1. Thanks, Noelle, I hope I don't have to wait too long for the Taiyo Camellia to bloom. I have a big pink one to look forward to, though.

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  10. We are still really in summer, but in the wooden planters, bulbs have shot up in the last week.Maybe tiny daffs, or crocus.

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    1. It's strange to think of bulbs coming up in what would be your late summer, Jean, that sounds like fun.

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  11. Beautiful little vase and flowers as well. Love the heather and lamium with the crocus.

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    1. Thanks, Amelia, the Lamium leaves are elegant for an invasive plant with a bad reputation. I loved your elegant hibiscus!

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  12. I've never seen a variegated Camellia before! Investing in another Camellia in my climate isn't in the cards but I like it. And I love that beautiful crocus with the Lamium too. I had a few yellow crocus bloom unexpectedly this year despite being MIA for years but, sadly, no purple ones.

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    1. The leaves are pretty. I looked it up in my files, I bought it from Collector's nursery as a very small plant in 2002, so 14 years old now. I hope it doesn't take another 14 years to bloom. I actually had the first bloom on my 15 year old 'Yuletide' camellia last week, but it is a bigger shrub.

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  13. That little crocus looks most cosy indeed Hannah wrapped in its very own lamium collar. There are signs of spring here although the temperatures this week are going to very much winter driven.

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    1. I hope winter breaks for you soon, Anna. The Lamium beckoned to me, so silvery and with the purple accent.

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  14. Lovely little vase that even contributes flowers of its own.

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    1. Thanks, Ricki, that was its maiden showing on IaVoM. It looks better in photos than in real life.

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  15. Thanks for adding the link to your foliage post to my Foliage post today. You have lots of interesting textures of foliage, I'm sure your garden must look great even in winter.

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    1. Cathy informed me about your Foliage meme. The evergreen foliage does make a lot of difference in the winter, lots of shades of green instead of just brown.

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  16. Your assortment of evergreens is wonderful and I love your early blooms in February. The winter here has been unpredictable as well, but I'll take the blooms anytime!

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    1. Thanks, Lee, we are on opposite sides of the country so there are probably lots of differences in what we grow, but some things are the same everywhere, it seems.

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  17. A lovely reminder that the Vinca will soon be in flower. Your crocus and the Lamium leaves go really nicely together - such a sweet combination!

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  18. Thanks, Cathy, my Vinca minor has just burst into bloom, ahead of most of the bulbs, though some of them are blooming already too. I'm really surprised, it's usually much later.

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