What's In Your Garden, Part 4

Part 3 of this topic was becoming a bit slow so we will start anew. This is the thread for orchid fanciers to share other developments in their gardens. It is open to all so please join in.

Although it is mid-December, I still have many plants in bloom and the citrus trees are loaded. It has been a cool fall but nothing of consequence. Deciduous trees like crape myrtle and tupelo have shed their leaves but the majority of trees and plants here are evergreen. I'll start off with a plant some of you may not know called iochroma.

Jim

This is a ground cover called Mule's Ear Kalanchoe. I tend to like it cascading out of a tall pot. Everywhere a leaf touches the ground, it puts out a pup.

Jim

This Euphorbia 'Diamond Frost' seems delighted with the cooler weather.

Jim

Here is a China garden rose called Old Blush. No spraying required. Roses do very well here in December.

Jim

Hibiscus also do well here in December. Here is Young Dreams.

Jim

I'm sitting here covered in ice being amazed at what a difference a few thousand miles can make! Roses in December! Keep 'em coming Jim! Where are all the other southern orchid growers???

"Roses in December"....I was thinking the same thing! Wonderful!!

I love the Kalanchoe too - very cool.

I'm not an orchid grower, but an enjoyer of all the beautiful pics.

Roses and Hibiscus now! How nice is that! The Iochroma is very pretty!
It is pouring buckets all day and the temperature is very close to the freezing mark tonight. Nasty!

Here's a picture of my backyard garden tonight. You will note the distinct absence of greenery, but check out all the white stuff. Sigh. 'Twill be a white Christmas here for sure...more coming this weekend.

Joanne

I'll post a few more of the pictures I took yesterday. This is a flowering shrub called Rondeletia. It grows to about 5 feet and flowers most of the time. It was knocked back to the ground during last winter's one-night freeze but has returned to normal.

Jim

Geeze Joanne, I don't know how you do it. I was born and raised in northern Indiana and left at my earliest opportunity. I've never been a fan of cold wind, gray skies and snow storms. I saw my first palm tree when I was about 14 and loved it.

Here is another picture of my blooming bromeliad. What a great plant they are. I hang them in trees or plant them in loose bark and keep a little water in the center.

Jim

This is the shrub rose Knockout, blush version.

Jim

Another shrub rose, Home Run.

Jim

I have two kinds of allamanda in bloom. This is the standard yellow variety.

Jim

And here is the more exotic allamanda called Cherries Jubilee.

Jim

My garden club's Christmas party is tonight so I have to hurry along. It is always a lot of fun as the group has become close. I have scalloped potatoes in the oven right now. The last post for tonight is Stromanthe. The colorful leaves provide constant interest to the shade garden.

Jim

Enjoying those beautiful colors as I look out at the gloomy gray. We had lots and lots of rain yesterday and today.
Enjoy your party!!

Mmmm scalloped potatoes. I like the look of allamanda; must go look that up as I don't know that plant - lovely blooms.

Said it before, but, wow, roses in December. Green with envy here.

Joanne

Heck, yesterday was balmy compare to right now. It's blizzarding like crazy; took me an hour and a half to get home; normally a half hour drive at the most. Blah.

Well here are today's pics. We are very very lucky to still have electricity!!

The winter orchid wall (in summer).

My roses.

Another rose.

One more.

Ornamental crabapple.

Yew.

Overview.

Cactus. This will bloom next year as always.

Sun!

Holy cow Boojum, that must have been some ice storm. The pictures of your landscape are beautiful, I especially like the last one.

Xmas wreath.

Yeah twas a biggy. I thought the rain and sleet would never stop. As beautiful as it looks, we lost a lot of heavy pine limbs in the yard and all over the local roads and it's cold again tonight.

Kathy, that looks wild!! Around here it just poured and poured buckets, but the temp never dropped to freezing.

Some areas had snow but in our hilltowns we had ice. Mostly on eastern slopes of the Berkshires-talk about micro climates!

Aside from the power outages and dangerous roads, that does look very pretty!

Kathy, that's just scary. Yes, it can be pretty from afar but I can do without driving on icy roads. It's cool here, in the low 60s and down into the 40s tonight. I think the orchids will be fine out in the lanai. We're due a warm up tomorrow. The party last night was wonderful. Gardeners are great people. Here is a group shot just for fun.

Jim

Back out in the yard, this is Jatropha paragrina. It is an evergreen shrub or small tree that produces these flowers all year long.

Jim

This is one of the thryallis shrubs that my gardening group helped me plant last month.

Jim

This is a croton along the east side of the house. Nothing seems to bother it.

Jim