A year of blooms - and other things

This year, as every year does, held challenges for the gardener. And yet, in spite of uncooperative weather, a plague of weeds and occasionally insects - not to mention garden "helpers" who didn't always follow instructions - it turned out to be not an entirely bad year in the garden. Here are some of my favorite pictures from each month.

In January, the Christmas poinsettias were still in full bloom.

I do love the sweet little leucojum blossoms that brighten dull February.

By March, the redbud was in full bloom, a cafeteria for bees.

April is amaryllis month. This frilly one held hidden treasure between petals of its blossom - a little green treefrog. Love those eyes!

In May, the water lilies began blooming.

And by June the crocosmias were finishing up their blooming. 

What would July be without sunflowers and bumblebees enjoying them?

By August, the blossoms of the beautyberry had begun ripening into its eponymous berries.

Bright coral vine blossoms covered this section of garden fence in September.

Justicia 'Orange Flame' was a star of the garden in October.

Shrimp plant blooms were part of my November Bloom Day post.

And December saw my 'Graham Thomas' rose bush with its best flowers of the year.

When a gardener looks at her garden, the tendency is to see everything that is wrong with it - every plant that is in the wrong spot, every plant that isn't living up to its promise, every weed and every insect-chewed leaf. But it is nice once in a while to stop and remind ourselves that there are a few things right with the garden as well. It gives us hope that things might get even better in the new year. 

Comments

  1. Great pics. Looking back it doesn't look like you had any gardening problems at all.

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    Replies
    1. Well, I just didn't blog about my problems. Accentuate the positive - that's me!

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  2. When I read this, I said to myself "Why didn't I think of doing this?" Perhaps I will, in early January. I would so love to have things growing outdoors each month of the year - and maybe even a little treefrog in an amaryllis.

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    Replies
    1. It's really nice - and encouraging to the gardener - to be able to look back at the end of the year and see that, in fact, there was beauty in the garden in every month. I'm sure that would be true even of gardens in your more northerly zone.

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  3. I do love the coral vine. I bet it is far too tender for me. You're right, we are critical of our own gardens, I certainly envy you the climate for enjoying such lush blooms in every month of the year.

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    1. It is one of our rewards for tolerating all the heat and humidity.

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  4. Such beauty in the middle of winter! It is quite cold in SoCal again this week. About all that is blooming in my yard is Bird of Paradise and some red salvia. Thanks!

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    Replies
    1. We're finally getting some cooler weather here, too. Temperatures in the 40s. Feels good!

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