Each month when we feature the blooms in our gardens for Garden Bloggers Blooms Day we wonder what will be available the next month, even more so at this time of year. Carol of May Dreams Gardens kindly hosts this opportunity, so please do follow the link to see what is blooming in her garden and other gardens across the globe. Little did I know in November that I would once again be featuring this amazing campanula – Campanula poscharskyana ‘Lisduggan’. It was planted in the revamped rockery in February and was certainly flowering before July, so that means at least six months of continuous flowering – wow! The rockery is directly in view of some of the kitchen windows, so it is a pleasure to watch this new stalwart. I have recently planted some of an unnamed blue variety of this campanula at the edge of the blue & white border, bought from a Cheap and Cheerful catalogue, so will be thrilled if they do as well.
Also visible from these windows are pots with these pinkish red pansies, reminding me that if I grew them from seed I could choose the pink I really wanted. At the other end of the paved area with pots with fuschias which should really be taken inside, but also what I have been calling brachyscome but realise now are felicia – these survived last winter where they were, despite the snow and cold, so they can stay put. Continuing the pinky theme are the remaining flowers on the continuous flowering rambler ‘Rural England’, a rose that is definitely earning its place in the garden.
In the hot border there is some late colour from these lately acquired polyanthus, almost red in colour, but which took on a weather beaten appearance almost as soon as they were planted; given time perhaps they will settle down. Astonishingly, there are still flowers on Crocosmia ‘Emily McKenzie’, shown here with some very dependable bidens, grown from RHS seed and which I will definitely seek out for next year. Strange how I like the yellow of bidens, but do not find the M****** appealing partly due to its colour…
Welcomed in the garden for their structure and form and subtle colouring are the following: fatsia and ivy flowers (likely contenders for In a Vase on Monday), Astrantia ‘Shaggy’ and a lost label astrantia.
At this time of the year in many northern hemisphere gardens many of us are looking out for the first sign of our early spring favourites, ‘murmurings’ as I called them recently, so I offer no apologies for showing the progress of Hamamelis ‘Harry’, Galanthus ‘Maidwell L’, Helleborus niger, Camellia japonica nobilissima and Lonicera fragrantissima. Perhaps they will be fully in flower next month?
Rambling in the Garden 
I love that rose, ‘Rural England’ and the idea of murmurings. My garden is silent under the snow but if I stopped and really listened, I am sure I’d hear some murmurings. Thanks for joining in for bloom day!
Thanks for rambling with me, Carol – I am sure there will be murmurings in your garden too. With Rural England being a continuous flowering rambler I wasn’t sure about pruning, so checked with the breeders – they would only prune out dead and damaged stems, so that makes looking after it easy. Definitely a good rose to have!
You have such a lot Cathy still in flower and such a lot of pink, looking almost summery! Couldn’t help but laugh when I saw the M!! featured again, nice flowers!!
What lovely splashes of colour you’ve still got! Funny that many people don’t like yellow whether it’s on a M*** or not! A friend of mine wouldn’t let yellow chrysanths past her front door! (But I quite like them.) I must seek out some astrantia for the gardens here, I really do like them.
Definitely recommend astrantias – very dependable, long lasting and good for cutting too. I hope I am tolerant of other people’s flower and plant choices – yellow seems to the main issue (and yet some yellows seem more acceptable…) but I have read of people who don’t like pinks. The world would be a bleaker place if we all liked the same things….
You’ve still lots of flower Cathy and please don’t apologise for sharing your murmurings with us. I’m sure every gardener peers through hopeful eyes for signs of the next season no matter what time of year it is.
Yes, I am sure you are right Angie – but you must tell me if I get too repetitive…! 😉
Am amazed that your astrantia is still flowering! Shaggy is one of my favourite plants, but mine all stopped flowering around a month ago. I do love the way that the stalwarts that are still going and the buds of promise demonstrate that the garden is never actually “dead” as such, just a bit quieter than normal.
‘Shaggy’ has a brand new stem of flowers, but the other has just lasted well – unbelievably so, really. And yes – the spirit of the garden is not dead, it did not die, as the poem says (sort of)
You hae lots to enjoy this month, what a great display.
Still just spicks and specks though Christina 😉
Love that you have all these lovely blooms.
Thanks Donna – every tiny bloom is a joy 😉
How beautiful it is your Mahonia!!! 😀 No, honestly, looking at all these flowers it’s hard to believe you’ve had some frosty days too, Cathy. The Campanula is gorgeous and the Fatsia makes me want to have another go. Splendid plant for year round interest. Wonder why Harry refuses to loose his leaves – isn’t that unusual?
I am definitely on the lookout for Spring flowers. Love that campanula though, it’s a real beauty.
It’s flowering period has been amazing, but as it’s new to me I am yet to find out if it is the norm
I am seriously impressed.
Are your fingers naturally green or do you practice the dark arts? Just curious!
But they really are only odd specks of colour, honest!!