Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - December 15, 2011

Persicaria inverleith  1117
Persicaria 'Inverleith'
I'll be honest...I didn't really expect to have anything to show for this GBBD post...I kind of assumed I'd be opting out of this one! Our weather here in PDX has been pretty mild for the most part. We've gotten frost for the past week or so, but apparently not enough of one to really put the nail in the gardens coffin. The above Persicaria looks pretty ratty for the most part, but is still blooming and hasn't crumpled from frost yet.

Geranium Rozanne December  1114
Geranium 'Rozanne'
'Rozanne' seems almost indestructible this year...it still has quite a few blooms on it, in spite of our recent frosts and shows no sign of giving up.

knautia macedonica december  1115
Knautia macedonica
Another plant that doesn't seem to have gotten the memo that winter is just around the corner. Granted, the ones in the more-protected back yard are much fuller and have far more blooms than the ones in the exposed parking strip.

agastache purple haze  1118
Agastache 'Purple Haze'
Another plant in the back yard that continues to bloom, even after getting partially flattened by our recent shed construction antics!

So, there it is...the last GBBD post of 2012! I can't imagine I'll have anything to show in January, but February is pretty much the start of spring here in PDX, so you never know. How about all you out there...do you have any blooms this month?!?

33 comments:

  1. Wonderful raindrops on the blooms!
    Happy GBBD!

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  2. You have a nice group of diehards there, Scott! I loved your phrase about not having bad enough frost to "put the nail in the garden's coffin"! We really have been lucky with the past few weeks, of dryness at least.

    I actually was thinking when I commented on your last post, that you should be spearheading a "Seedy Saturday" (or Sunday) monthly post to focus on seed heads, berries and other similar end notes to flowering. How about it? That would be in all your spare time, of course!

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  3. I think the Persicaria looks beautiful still. They just keep on giving don't they! Lovely blooms and a lot more than I am seeing, which is none. :)
    Cher Sunray Gardens

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  4. I really like the Knautia macedonica - it looks like a great foliage plant too!
    Happy GBBD :)

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  5. As always, pretty blooms. Also, I could look at your seed photos all day long!

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  6. A lingering fall on both coasts... But Rozanne isn't still at it here. What a hummer of a picture!

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  7. I love the MulchMaid's idea! And I am surprised at what's hanging on in gardens around town, especially considering that it has been so cold, relatively speaking. Wouldn't it be wonderful if this cold snap was the worst we got hit with this year! I dream...

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  8. Very pretty images as always. I like the two geraniums, they look like they are ready to kiss each other. Happy GBBD.

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  9. Hi Scott,

    Beautiful photos :)

    I noticed my knautia also has a couple of small blooms on it :D and it's actually looking quite healthy compared to during the summer when it looked a bit sickly. However we've had snow last night so I suspect it will have been the nail in the coffin for my garden (it's all melted now, but still)

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  10. Winter weather is late here also...not that I am complaining. Your Rozanne is so pretty...I must try to find a happier place for mine.

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  11. Nice assortment of December blooms! Besides the flowers, your garden still looks nice and green too.

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  12. Perhaps you have just a few blooms, but you made the most of them by transforming all into beautiful photos. 'Rozanne' continues to amaze, yes?

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  13. It's nice to see you have some blooms still hanging on. Very nice color in your gardens and your Roseanne Geraniums and Agastache look good! Keep enjoying and a Happy GBBD!

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  14. You have a nice collection of blooms there for mid-December. It seems your garden is flourishing.

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  15. So many beautiful reds, purples, and pinks. A beautiful December in your garden!

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  16. I echo Hoover Boo, your blooms might not anymore catch attention but your photos do. I always come here not mainly for the blooms, but for the excellent shots, which i don't know how to do!

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  17. A beautiful time for you and beautiful photography, as usual. Here in upstate NY, not only don't we have snow cover but I still have some pansies, and three alyssum plants left. My final petunia (just a couple of struggling shoots) succumbed about a week ago. Our weather has been unbelievable.

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  18. Gorgeous blooms! I couldn't figure out what all the fuss was about with Geranium 'Rozanne' earlier this past spring, but it's an amazing rock start that can't seem to stop blooming.

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  19. I agree--Rozanne is a winner and so are your photos. Your camera skills + great lighting + Rozanne = magical image. The rest of the shots are great, too!

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  20. The 'Rozanne' geranium is a favorite of mine. I really like the color on your 'Rozanne' which seems to be a deeper blue than mine. But I do love that plant. What a performer! And I'm glad you posted about your Knautia macedonica. I have one that I planted in late summer so I have not seen it bloom yet. But I read so many favorable reviews of that plant that I had to have one!

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  21. Because of the Persicaria pics you have shown in past posts, I jumped at the chance to take some a friend was offering. They are just this side of wild. Happy GBBD!

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  22. Few blooms mayhap, but beauties and beautifully photographed. I love the geranium in particular - I like that there is a dying one beside the young one - very zen, a very pretty "still life" feel to that photo. it's fun flying around the world on GBBD! I enjoyed visiting your Oregon garden.

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  23. Some of my favourites still shining in your garden. Hopefully our tiny Rozanne plant-ling survives the winter to give flowers next year, and the bare root agastaches come up! Your pictures are luminous.
    Sara

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  24. I recently planted a Persicaria in my garden and it was THE star bloomer all season long ... great blooms!

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  25. Looking at this post and the former, I was almost sure your garden was in England, as the plants you show could be seen there (and over here, in Belgium) too.
    Seems Portland is in the same hardiness zone...

    But while reading the first line of your other post (quote from Piet Oudolf), I guess you're at least a little bit influenced by 'the Dutch wave, which explains how 'at home' your pictures feel.

    (I didn't know this Agastache... but I really like it, must give it a try...)

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  26. I wish I had more space in the sun to make Persicaria and geraniums happy. Lovely photos~gail

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  27. Your Rozanne is lovely... I finally bought one in late summer and it was blooming nicely, when I came out one day to find just little pieces of it left, nipped off and strewn about. What a heart breaker. I hadn't had any problems with rabbits or deer eating my many geraniums before.:-(

    I will have to look into Persicaria and Knautia next year, your photos are so inspirational.

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  28. So good to see some real blooms--the cold has definitely put the "nail in the coffin" in my garden:) Your 'Rozanne' is such a beauty!

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  29. Great post! Happy GBBD!

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  30. Hey Scott,

    I haven't been able to blog for over two months because my nursing home server has been down. One of the consequences has not being able to see your blog and enjoying your mastery of garden photography. It truly inspires me especially your combination examples.

    I really like the Rozanne image. It appears one blossom is staring into a mirror at its reflection. Nice work.

    It feels great to be back in the real world again, Scott.

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  31. I'm new to your blog via Rhone Street Gardens. It's nice to see signs of spring when the dread of winter is upon us here in Kansas.

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  32. I had Rozanne in flower right up until last week - I forgot to check when I was doing my belated GBBD today if she was still in flower. That Persicaria has such a Scottish name - I wonder if that one is hardy here as they struggle for me from one winter to the next.

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  33. Lea's Menagerie: Don't the raindrops add a little something extra :-)

    MulchMaid: I know…it's a nice change (although I admit, I'm starting to miss the rain). That's a nice idea…the spare time is definitely the only snag. Then again, I'm always looking for a way to avoid doing the laundry ;-)

    Sunray Gardens: I'm amazed how much I've come to rely on Persicaria in my garden over the past year…great plants!

    Christine: It's a great plant…do try some if you can…they are quite easy to start from seed :-)

    Liz: Thanks…me too…and honestly, at this time of year, I do!

    kris at Blitheworld: Thanks…she's a beauty :-)

    Loree/danger garden: I know, it's a fun idea…if only I could get more organized…and oh yes, this winter is QUITE agreeable so far :-)

    gardenwalkgardentalk.com: Hahahah…you're so right!

    gwirrel: I agree…I think the Knautia really seem to like cooler weather…I've noticed they are very green and full still.

    Leslie: I hope you can find a good place for 'Rozanne'…she'll reward you amply!

    garden girl: Thanks…it's a little deceiving in photos…there's quite a bit of mud out there at the moment ;-)

    Hoover Boo: OMG…yes…'Rozanne' is Belle of the Ball, so to speak!

    Landscape Design by Lee: Thanks…you too!

    Dorothy/Gardening with Nature: It's been a very nice year here in PDX…I sort of fell I can't quite take credit for it all :-)

    Tina: Indeed…I can't quite believe it's December!

    Andrea:Ahhh…thanks so much…it's years of practice :-)

    bookworm: OMG…yeah, it's been a CRAZY year for the weather, hasn't it?

    Megan: totally a rock star!

    PlantPostings: Hahahaha…totally…the perfect storm of flowers photography!

    dorothy: Seriously, 'Rozanne' is such a winner…and the Knautia is great too. I started a few from seed this spring, and they didn't manage to bloom this year…so I'm crossing my fingers for next year too :-)

    Les: Hahahaha…totally…that's what I love about them…they impart such a natural look to the garden.

    Country Mouse: Totally…it's a very season tableaux, for certain :-)

    hillwards: I'll cross my fingers for your 'Rozanne', she's a tough girl, I'm sure she'll be back next year! Yay for the Agastaches!!!

    The Violet Fern: Aren't Persicaria great…so undemanding!

    AnneTanne: Ahh…yes! I guess their influence is showing more and more in my garden :-)

    Gail: I know that feeling…we have so little sun…I cram as much as I can in to take advantage of it!

    Hanna PNW: Oh no! They must have been very hungry :-( I hope it comes back next year…I'll cross my fingers for you :-)

    Rose: Oh yeah…I'm pretty sure the end for us in the PNW is just around the corner too :-)

    redneckrosarian: Thanks, you too!

    Patricks' Garden: OMG…that's so awful! Glad you are back…and just in time for the holidays :-) I was without Internet (and phone) service for the better part of a week when I went to Nebraska this fall…I can't imagine how I'd go without for for two months! You are stronger than I, my friend! Welcome back!

    Paticks's Garden II: THanks for stopping by!

    Rosie@leavesnbloom: Hmmmmm…it very well might be…it's a tough one :-)

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