Friday, December 10, 2010

It's Not Easy Being Green.......Especially in December



We are having a short respite today from the wind and rain that have been wreaking havoc around here for the last few days. A little touch of off-and-on sun today, temps in the mid-40s. It sounds like it is the calm before the storm, the weather folks are warning us about torrential rains on the way, with lots of flooding of local rivers and streams. So I thought I would take a turn around my squishy, fit-for-nothing-but-frogs garden, and see what is currently still green.

The herbs and a few vegetables are doing well, although that French tarragon right in front is looking rather bedraggled.


I need to figure out what to do with my leeks. I did take a few a while ago for leek and potato soup, but I wasn't really happy with the way it turned out.

I am surprised my celeriac (celery grown for its big, bulbous root)  survived the recent snow, given what usually happens in the fridge to celery that freezes. Have you ever grown this veggie before? This is my first time. They have been in the ground since June or July, but so far no sign of a bulb. Well, I don't need the space for anything else right now, so I figure I will leave them in the ground over the winter and see what happens.

Many of the natives are doing well. This is Tolmiea menziesii, aka Piggyback plant.

The native ginger, Asarum caudatum, is still healthy and green.

I love this native, Tellima grandilforum, aka Fringe cups. Some of mine have plain green leaves, but there are several that have this lovely red veining.


This is Mahonia x meadia 'Charity.' I'm a bit bummed that there is no sign of flowers yet. I think it should be showing the beginning of a tall spike of yellow flowers from the center at the top, but so far nothing.

And this Camellia is called 'Yuletide' so it really should be showing signs of flowers by now too, I should think. I've never grown a Camellia before, so I don't really know where on the shrub I should be looking for flower buds. By now, I figure, they should be obvious. Ah well, maybe next year.

My Brunnera 'Jack Frost' made it with just a bit of black on the leaves.
And the Hellebore 'Ivory Prince' looks great! I'm hoping those buds at the base will become flowers soon!

This cute little fern, Cheilanthes argentea, is new, picked up at a Fall sale a couple of months ago.  The reverse side of the fronds is silvery.



I was surprised to see the Epimedium stay so green. I grew this back in Massachusetts, where it died back to ground every winter.

My one and only Arum italicum is doing well. I just have to get more of this!

Oops! My mini greenhouses blew over in the recent storm!

I did put some pots of soil on the bottom shelf to anchor them, but it must have dried out. Maybe I should use some pots full of rocks. I better fix them up, or take them apart and put them away. Otherwise, in this next storm that's coming, I might see them flying around the neighborhood like the Wicked Witch of the West.