Monday, January 2, 2012

And The Cycle Starts Anew

The forecast is for Atlanta to get a couple of days of crazy cold weather, so I was at the Big House this morning making sure containers are wet and things that are borderline hardy were pulled into the glass house for the next couple of days.  While I was there, some of the very early blooming plants caught my eye.  These are some of the colorful things that make January in the south so much more bearable that winter in the north.  (Fortunately I am one of the few who delight in the summer heat, as well!)

Prunus mume "Peggy Clark" (flowering apricot) is one of the first trees to bloom in winter, and the blossoms are just incredible!  This particular cultivar has a dark rose flower before it leafs out in the early spring.
A closer shot of the blooms, which look like miniature roses against the winter sky.

Rhodea japonica (Nippon Lily) is really nothing special in summer, but the color just pops in the winter! 
A perfect white camellia blossom was wedged up against the base of  a tree in the shadows. 
Hellebores are rather promiscuous plants, so one never knows what the blooms will look like.  This shade is just beautiful peeking out from under the now-bare hydrangeas! 
Even the naturalized daffodils at the creek are braving the cold, seeming to say, "Bring it on, Mother Nature!  We're ready!" 
As always, click on the photos to make them larger, if you'd like.  I hope you're somewhere warm for these next couple of days.

5 comments:

  1. Nice winter blooms....that Hellebore is a winner...love the color!

    ReplyDelete
  2. So here we are, you watching flower buds on winter blooming shrubs, while I watch the snow bury my flowerbeds until next April. Some people have all the luck......

    ReplyDelete
  3. The camellia blossom is just absolutely stunning. There are quite a few camellia varieties that will do well in NY as long as they are somewhat protected from the winds. The New York Botanical Garden has a wonderful camellia path. I think a camellia or two will be one of my top 2012 additions. Happy New Year!

    Michael

    ReplyDelete
  4. Now this is why I complain about the weather here in the NE all the time. I need to move south already! Great pics and happy to have just stumbled upon your blog. Look forward to reading along!

    ReplyDelete
  5. what is the name of that camellia? Looks like something i need to search out for the White Garden!

    ReplyDelete