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Award winner author of gardening humor books

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May Dreams Gardens

Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day – December 2009

December 15, 2009 By Carol Michel 60 Comments

Welcome to Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day for December 2009!

Like many areas of the United States, we were hit with a blast of frigid air last week which brought low temperatures in the teens to my garden. Those temperatures caught these roses by surprise, judging by the state of these rosebuds.

These are the last of the bloom on the three Sunny Knock Out® roses (Rosa ‘Radsunny’) that I planted this past spring.

Around the corner from the roses, I found a lone blue flower on a stem of Vinca minor growing up close to the foundation of the house. Yes, that is chickweed growing with it!

Here the radiant heat comes off the brick to warm that spot up and fool that poor plant into blooming in December. But it isn’t truly a plant that is supposed to flower in December in Zone 5. Is there such a plant? One that blooms on purpose in December, because that’s its season of bloom?

If there is such a plant, I’d love to plant it in my garden, because I think that would be more true to the Elizabeth Lawrence quote, “We can have flowers nearly every month of the year”.

Elsewhere in the garden I was pleasantly surprised to finally see some berries on the variegated coralberry, Symphricarpos orbiculatus ‘Taff’s Silver Edge’.
This is the coralberry that I almost dug out last summer because it is mostly just variegated foliage with tiny flowers that no one would notice. Admittedly, not many people will notice these berries unless they get right up next to the plant, but that’s okay if the birds like them.

I also have purple berries on some hardy beauty berry shrubs, Callicarpa dichotoma ‘Issai’.
Eventually the birds should eat these berries, too, right after they dine on all the Viburnums.

And that’s pretty much all there is to show in my garden on this cold, dreary December day. I’ll save the few blooming indoor plants for January’s bloom day when presumably there will be even less outside in my garden.

What’s blooming in your garden on this fine December day? We’d love to see and hope you’ll join in for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day by posting about what’s blooming in your garden on the 15th of the month.

It’s easy to participate! Just post about what’s blooming in your garden, then leave a link to your post in the Mr. Linky widget below so we can find you. As a back up to Mr. Linky, you can also leave a comment to tell us a little about what we’ll find in your December garden.

All are welcome to participate!

“We can have flowers nearly every month of the year.” ~ Elizabeth Lawrence

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: garden bloggers bloom day

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Helen says

    December 15, 2009 at 5:24 am

    Gosh — I'm first, yet I feel a bit of a fraud for being here. I'll just whistle for a few minutes over here while others put up some *real* Blooms Day posts. Carol, I have those same frost-frizzled rosebuds (though mine are 'New Dawn'), but I wish I had your beauty berries. What a display!

    Reply
  2. Nell Jean says

    December 15, 2009 at 5:27 am

    What can I say? Move to the South, where Roses bloom in December and it never snows. We'll have a hard freeze later that will take out the Roses so the Camellias can shine.

    Thank you for hosting Bloom Day once again.

    Reply
  3. LINDA from Each Little World says

    December 15, 2009 at 5:39 am

    Our recent snows and extreme cold have buried all the plants in the garden and lots of trees and shrubs. These killer Decembers seem to be the new normal here in Wisconsin. I would love to see even one Vinca flower right about now! Thanks, as always, for hosting this wonderful event.

    Reply
  4. lostlandscape (James) says

    December 15, 2009 at 5:56 am

    Thanks for sharing the last of the outdoor flowers of the season with us. With your plants like callicarpa, it definitely makes you appreciate that gorgeous things in the garden aren't all flowers. Of course there's nothing wrong with great flowers… Enjoy your indoor blooms!

    Reply
  5. Carrie says

    December 15, 2009 at 6:03 am

    See, didn't I say yesterday – flowers, colour = happy Carrie on the plots xxx

    Reply
  6. Laura Livengood says

    December 15, 2009 at 6:59 am

    Oh, Carol, Honey…it's amazing how often I see pictures of a lone blue vinca when nothing else is blooming. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, it's a reviled invasive around here! Please enjoy some of my blooms, and I'll enjoy your callicarpa!

    Reply
  7. Sue Swift says

    December 15, 2009 at 7:37 am

    I've had to cheat a bit too this month, as the balcony is currently looking very bare and wintery. So the post is really just what's survived from summer and what's coming on for spring. But as it's Christmas, I've added a competition to cheer things up 🙂

    Reply
  8. Helen/patientgardener says

    December 15, 2009 at 9:18 am

    Carol you have far more in flower than I have at the moment I could only find one plant – really need to address that.

    Reply
  9. Joseph says

    December 15, 2009 at 11:30 am

    Second ever bloom day, and I was worried I'd have nothing… I've got nothing flowering outside, but I came up with a clever way to cheat, so I've got some sultry flowers to share!

    Reply
  10. Vetsy says

    December 15, 2009 at 11:51 am

    Hello! Carol and Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all.

    Carol you always have something interesting to show, no matter what."

    Here in the Northeast no flowers are Blooming in my garden, but my Barberry is showing off it's beautiful Red winter berries. I took a few pictures of it for Garden Bloom Day.

    Reply
  11. Kathy says

    December 15, 2009 at 12:33 pm

    I found two plants of the same genus blooming, but only one made a dramatic picture, so that's the one I used. Both looked kind of battered, seeing as they've endured temperatures into the teens(F) at night, and a bit of snow. http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2009/12/15/garden-bloggers-bloom-day-december-2009/

    Reply
  12. Rock rose says

    December 15, 2009 at 12:41 pm

    Even the south suffered during the freeze you talk about. My plants generally look not much better than those in Zone 5. Happy bloom day and thanks for hosting.

    Reply
  13. Sweet Home and Garden Carolina says

    December 15, 2009 at 12:41 pm

    The only thing blooming here at Sweet Garden Chicago is my May Dream garden 🙂

    Reply
  14. donna says

    December 15, 2009 at 12:41 pm

    My GBBD post isn't up yet, but I couldn't wait to see what was going on in your garden this December day.

    I enlarged your photo of the purple berries on your beauty berry shrub and, oh my goodness, that was pretty.

    Instead of referring of our winter weather as cold, I call it invigorating.

    donna

    Reply
  15. Les says

    December 15, 2009 at 12:55 pm

    Thank you for hosting GBBD once again. We somehow missed out on all the cold weather that most of the country has experienced, but the future forecast looks chilly, but appropriate for this time of year. I hope you have safe and happy holidays. My post is here:

    The Well Watered Garden

    Reply
  16. Mr. McGregor's Daughter says

    December 15, 2009 at 1:00 pm

    I can think of one plant that might fit your criterion, it's a variety of Snowdrop that blooms in the autumn. I've also had Galanthus elwesii bloom in December, if it has remained mild. Mine have sprouted already and, depending on the weather, might manage to bloom before the end of the month.

    Reply
  17. garden girl says

    December 15, 2009 at 1:22 pm

    Happy Bloom Day Carol! Amazing your vinca is blooming in December. There's actually a rose still blooming here, showing no sign of giving up to the frigid temperatures we've had. I don't remember ever having a bloom in the garden in December here.

    I love beautyberries. . . they've been on my list for too long, must add one to the garden soon!

    Reply
  18. kris at Blithewold says

    December 15, 2009 at 1:24 pm

    Carol, I noticed the vinca blooming here too – but I forgot to take its picture for bloom day! I kind of like that we're forced to look beyond blooms in December, though I suppose I'd plant that winter bloomer too just to have it all. – The snowdrop MMD mentioned sounds perfect…

    Reply
  19. Gail says

    December 15, 2009 at 1:28 pm

    Carol, Have you a witchhazel? They bloom in the winter and some are nicely fragrant….Happy Bloom Day gail

    Reply
  20. Ginger says

    December 15, 2009 at 1:47 pm

    Love your beautyberry! The birds have eaten all the berries off of mine now.

    Reply
  21. Rose says

    December 15, 2009 at 1:52 pm

    I'm amazed to see that blue vinca bloom, even if it does get some extra heat. And your berries are beautiful! I'm afraid I wasn't as creative as you–my garden is a soggy, brown mess right now with nary a bloom in sight. Thank goodness I moved a few things indoors to have something to show today.

    Reply
  22. Katie says

    December 15, 2009 at 2:07 pm

    Happy Bloom Day! I always love this day each month.

    And, you will hate me if you look at my post, so, save yourself.

    🙂 Katie

    Reply
  23. WashingtonGardener says

    December 15, 2009 at 2:08 pm

    Just read your post after writing mine and looks like roses are the theme for December!

    Reply
  24. Jennifer Tidwell says

    December 15, 2009 at 2:23 pm

    This is my first time participating. It's so nice to see what everyone else's yard looks like this time of year. I wasn't able to find much that was actually in bloom, but there are textures and colors all over the place.

    Jennifer

    Reply
  25. Unknown says

    December 15, 2009 at 2:52 pm

    Nothing in bloom outside here, Carol, and it's way too wet for me to go out and look for something even slightly not-ugly. But I AM going to do a Blooms Day post this month, just for the fun of it all. Will be back soon…

    Reply
  26. Dig, Grow, Compost, Blog says

    December 15, 2009 at 3:20 pm

    Carol, I can't believe how many berries you still have on your beautyberry! It's lovely. How has your Sunny Knock Out performed? I'm considering one myself.

    Reply
  27. Town Mouse says

    December 15, 2009 at 3:24 pm

    Great berries! Wonder whether the Christmas Cottontail will snack on some of those as well…

    Happy Bloom Day

    Reply
  28. Catherine@AGardenerinProgress says

    December 15, 2009 at 3:31 pm

    I'd love to know what blooms on purpose this month too! We've had freezing temperatures too, but I managed to find a couple of flowers here as well. Next month looks pretty good though.
    I can't wait for my Beauty berry bush to be as loaded as yours one day.

    Reply
  29. Commonweeder says

    December 15, 2009 at 4:05 pm

    Not even a frozen rosebud here on the hill, but there are all kinds of blooms in the neighborhood.

    Reply
  30. Claire, Plantpassion says

    December 15, 2009 at 4:09 pm

    Thanks Carol for an opportunity to look really closely at my Garden in December, – i'm now going to go through all the other posts to work out what else to plant for colour next year.

    Reply
  31. Dan says

    December 15, 2009 at 4:16 pm

    I was quite surprised to see all the folks participating in bloom day today. I will have to check out what they all have to share. I found some nice colour in my garden which was nice. You just need to look a little closer this time of year.

    Reply
  32. Iris says

    December 15, 2009 at 4:22 pm

    What a sweet vinca. I'm happy the chickweed's keeping it company. Happy bloom day and thanks for hosting!

    Reply
  33. VP says

    December 15, 2009 at 4:30 pm

    It's taken me all day to get an internet connection, but at last I'm here!

    I was so tempted to post some pictures of various weeks in flower, but held myself in check. If I'd known you were going to show off some chickweed, I wouldn't have been so circumspect 😉

    We're about to join you in the wintry icy blasts, so I suspect today's harvest of blooms won't be greeting you next month.

    Stay warm and have a grand Christmas and a peaceful New Year.

    Reply
  34. VP says

    December 15, 2009 at 4:32 pm

    Oops, for weeks, please read weeds.

    Happy Blooms Day everyone 🙂

    Reply
  35. Stevie says

    December 15, 2009 at 6:02 pm

    I thought I'd be under snow today with no blooms but it rained instead. It's always a success to have a Bloom Day in December! Congrats everyone.

    Reply
  36. Susan says

    December 15, 2009 at 6:14 pm

    No cold weather here yet, so we've still got plenty of blooms. Happy Holiday to all.

    Reply
  37. leavesnbloom says

    December 15, 2009 at 7:37 pm

    This is the first time I have participated in the Bloom day. Its great to see what others have in their gardens at this time of year – I have very little in flower just now but what I have is so valuable at this time of year.

    Reply
  38. Pam/Digging says

    December 15, 2009 at 8:24 pm

    Gorgeous Callicarpa! You don't need flowers when you have berries in that shade of purple and in such profusion.

    Reply
  39. Juliet says

    December 15, 2009 at 8:29 pm

    Thanks for hosting this – it's my first time joining in, but I often look at other people's posts and enjoy seeing all the flowers – they're useful for ideas too, for what to plant another time for colour for a particular month.

    Those Callicarpa berries are amazing!

    Reply
  40. Corner Gardener Sue says

    December 15, 2009 at 8:37 pm

    Hi Carol,
    Our warm spring fooled some of our plants into thinking they may have time to bloom some more. I had quite a few buds here and there when the cold came.

    I had some blooms that kept some color in the snow, so I included them in my post this time.

    I hope the 2 beauty berry shrubs I planted this spring grow and look like yours in a couple years. They sure live up to their name!

    Reply
  41. Anna says

    December 15, 2009 at 9:16 pm

    My post is up now and I have really enjoyed my first year participating in Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. Many thanks for making it possible Carol. There are some autumn flowering snowdrops that are meant to be in flower now e.g. galanthus 'Three Ships' but I do not know whether they would preform the same in zone 5.

    Reply
  42. Connie in Hartwood says

    December 15, 2009 at 10:36 pm

    This is my first Bloom Day (December was a challenging month to begin, I'm telling you). This gave me a good reason to bundle up and commune with the winter garden. We have camellias, dandelions, a Climbing Aster, and a freeze-dried flower on Awakening. 800 roses here, and only one lonely, dried out flower. Is is May yet?

    Connie

    Reply
  43. Cindy, MCOK says

    December 15, 2009 at 11:02 pm

    Gee, that rose looks like a lot of mine. So cold weather does that … I'll be dingdong-ed. I have a lot more in common with you this December Bloom Day than I did last!

    Reply
  44. John says

    December 16, 2009 at 1:59 am

    Hi Carol, I'm late getting around to posting this month but I enjoy the quest for flowers (or flower as the case may be) in December. In only a couple months we'll all be discovering what we did or didn't plant this Fall. As for me I've still got a box of daffodils that need to go into the ground tomorrow. 🙂

    Reply
  45. Jan says

    December 16, 2009 at 2:40 am

    My December post is finally up. Thought I'd never get it done with all the rain.

    Jan
    Always Growing

    Reply
  46. Crystal says

    December 16, 2009 at 2:58 am

    Thanks so much, I'm happy to participate for the very 1st time in Bloom Day!

    Reply
  47. mss @ Zanthan Gardens says

    December 16, 2009 at 3:21 am

    I see we're growing the same freeze-dried rosebuds.

    I love that blue vinca blooming in the face of winter. I wonder if it is really a pink flower that just turned blue by the cold? Does it feel lonely or does it feel like a daring adventurer.

    Reply
  48. Martha Eskuchen says

    December 16, 2009 at 3:47 am

    Oh I forgot to check the berries out front! Not sure what they are but they are usually out from November to spring!

    Reply
  49. Country Mouse says

    December 16, 2009 at 5:00 am

    Wonder if I'll be last! Scrambling to post while Wood Rat cooks dinner…. Thanks again for this fun monthly theme – it's great to see what's blooming!

    Reply
  50. Caroline says

    December 16, 2009 at 5:35 am

    Exactly four plants blooming in my yard! Love your beauty berry – I so want one!

    Reply
  51. Anonymous says

    December 16, 2009 at 10:52 am

    Hi Carol, there is such a plant and it is hardy in your area. Erica darleyensis, Mediterranean heather. Sometimes these are for sale at the big box stores, or more varieties can be had online. Christopher had blooms on his and I forgot to even look at mine, having pulled several of them out last year, but not all. Thanks for being such a sweet hostess. A good number of participants even for December. We are late, sorry, this is a hectic time this year for us, lots of incoming guests! Hooray! 🙂
    Frances

    Reply
  52. Diane says

    December 16, 2009 at 3:20 pm

    Better late than never! It's about 8 degrees here and I couldn't find a thing blooming in the yard (though there is still some fresh greenery under the mulch). Luckily I have my houseplants!

    Reply
  53. Linette says

    December 16, 2009 at 10:44 pm

    I'm way behind this month, and not much blooming outside with the temps in the deep freeze lately, but some cheery blooms indoors.

    Reply
  54. ryan says

    December 17, 2009 at 1:28 am

    Good work finding a few blooms. A little easier finding blooms in California, I reckon. I'm a day late, but I added my link. I think this is one of the most interesting months to see what people have.

    Reply
  55. Anonymous says

    December 17, 2009 at 6:41 pm

    Happy late bloom day. You can still see a little color left on your sunny rose, the leaves look great for 20 degrees! I love the coral berry, very different. Thanks for hosting Bloom Day, I got my post up early with a link back to you….but forgot to comment on your page. 🙁

    Reply
  56. Kylee Baumle says

    December 18, 2009 at 1:10 am

    I wasn't going to post for Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, but I went out today and there they were: all three of them. Brave souls deserved to be blogged about! Do I get extra credit for having them even later into December than the official date? 😉

    Reply
  57. Kerri says

    December 18, 2009 at 5:29 am

    I wasn't going to post for Bloom Day either, but I managed to put a post together after all, so here I am.
    Your berries are lovely. I need to plant more berry bearing shrubs. The American Bittersweet we planted several years ago has yet to produce any. Luckily, we have plenty of wild berries in the surrounding hedgerows to keep the birds happy.

    Reply
  58. Entangled says

    December 18, 2009 at 12:11 pm

    I couldn't come up with a genuine in-bloom outdoor plant, but I did find some flower buds. Only 3 months until spring!

    Reply
  59. Hank Moorlag says

    December 24, 2009 at 1:36 am

    What a wonderful idea! Thanks for engaging so many garden bloggers with this post. Merry Christmas! Hank

    Reply
  60. Kathleen Scott says

    December 27, 2009 at 6:03 pm

    I found you indirectly from Pam at Digging. I write and garden in the Texas Hill Country, zone 9a (newly changed from 8b in 2008, a sign of global warming?. Fall rains mean that wildflowers will riot here, a resurgence of hope after two parched and burning years.

    I'm looking forward to enjoying the garden bloggers' monthly bloom days.

    Reply

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