We had our first frost early this morning with a brief low of 27F, it really is winter now (meteorological winter begins on December 1). I’m still trying to be better about embracing the garden in all seasons, so, to that end, here are a few photos taken at the end of November/beginning of December. We start in the front garden…
Mahonia nervosa wins for fabulous cool-weather foliage color. That’s another shot of A. x densiflora ‘Harmony’ in the background.
The Fuchsia procumbens has lost nearly all it’s leaves, but there are many colorful berries left behind, I wonder how easy this plant is from seed?
Both Trachelospermum asiaticum ‘Red Top’ in my garden have colored up as never before.
Myriopteris tomentosa / Cheilanthes tomentosa (I think? I get these dryland ferns mixed up). The texture of these fronds is like a million tiny pebbles glued in place.
The driveway plantings feel so bare to my eyes.
Looking to the left, Arachniodes simplicior ‘Variegata’.
Rhododendron ‘Ebony Pearl’
Hedera colchica ‘Sulphur Heart’, winter color.
This area along the back of the house has really benefitted from increased light after last winter took out parts of the Callistemon viridiflorus and knocked the Callistemon ‘Woodlander’s Hardy Red’ back to the ground.
Athyrium niponicum ‘Godzilla’
That color!
Another painted fern, one whose specific name I lost track of a long time ago.
Edgeworthia chrysantha ‘Akebono’. The rest of those leaves (last year’s) will soon fall but the blooms won’t open until March.
The potted pseudopanax/carnivorous plants that filled the bench in the summertime have moved to protected spots, now it’s all about the pyrrosia.
Behind the bench, Polygonatum kingianum.
Those little curly hooks send me, how cute are they?
There’s fruit too!
Hakonechloa macra
Close-up of the previously mentioned pyrrosia…
Fantastic pyrrosia variegation.
Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) blooms, another hummingbird favorite.
Looking over to the shade pavilion in it’s greenhouse form.
The leathery leaves of podophyllum in their autumn colors.
The stems that held the flowers, and then the fruit, almost look like they might start moving about, like under-sea creatures.
Mahonia eurybracteata ‘Indianola Silver’ backed by small M. eurybracteata ‘Cistus Silvers’ and M. x media ‘Marvel’.
And the golden fronds of Osmunda regalis wrap up this post.
