New Year flowers in Members’ Gardens

Following on from the New Year’s Day Flower Count in Charlton House Gardens, several members did their own Flower Count, and reported some surprising (and not-so-surprising) discoveries.

The winter-flowering shrubs were of course out in force (Camellia, Jasminum nudiflorum – winter jasmine, Skimmia japonica, Viburnum – both V. bodnantense and V. tinus, Clematis ‘Freckles’ and Daphne odora), as were the hellebores (though mine have remained resolutely in bud with not a single one opening yet!). Mandy A’s Loropetalum (Chinese witchhazel) was in flower, as were several people’s Hebes. My Chaenomeles japonica (Japanese quince) was covered in fruits, but still producing the odd confused flower too, along with a nearby Geranium macrorrhizum and Geum rivale.

Lovely Cyclamen coum featured too, along with reliable Bergenia (elephants’ ears). Erigeron, whether E. karvinskianus (Mexican fleabane) or E. glaucus (beach aster) was in flower in most gardens that have it, it seems. Several members, including Sharon C and Jane C were lucky to have slightly early but not unseasonal Galanthus (snowdrops), Primula (primroses) and even Leucojum (snowflakes) and Narcissus (daffodils) to welcome the New Year.

More unexpectedly, many Salvia, including borderline hardy cultivars, were still flowering away. The temperatures have dropped since New Year’s Day so I wonder if any are still going (I know my Salvia ‘Amistad’, full of flower on January 1st, is now a blackened shadow of its former self). Those in flower for several members included the aforementioned S. ‘Amistad’, S. ‘Phyllis Fancy’, S. elegans, S. ‘Pink Pong’ and of course the hardy Salvia rosmarinus (rosemary). Several members had at least a couple of flowers on their roses too.

Carolyn H’s garden must be a particularly sheltered microclimate, as Osteospermum, Pelargonium, Veronica ‘Georgia Blue’, Nasturtium, running rockcress, Kleinia fulgens, sweet violet, periwinkle, Campanula and Japanese anemone were all in flower! Heathers were joining in, and Fuchsia ‘Snowcap’ was in bud. Lynne L had honeysuckle and more Campanula, Tim H found a still-flowering Petunia in a hanging basket, I was astonished to see a little pot of Bidens still going strong, and Vicky F had flowers on Solanum jasminoides as well as Salvia. Another tender bloomer was Mandy H’s lovely Euryops pectinatus, and my Rudbeckia triloba was still bravely flowering. And finally, Kathy A reported flowers on Plectranthus, Lobelia, Nigella, Oenothera lindheimeri (formerly Gaura) and Abutilon, as well as Parahebe and Lamium.

I was not the only one with almost-but-not-quite flowers on a number of plants (strictly, a flower count has to actually be flowers), such as Anastasia and her lemon tree, which was covered in buds.

Sian also reported that a few days after New Year’s Day, amidst chilly snow flurries, her Mimosa began to bloom!

Ali H