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Brave Winter Flowers Greet A Brave New Millenium

© Jane Hollis

One favourite job this time of year is to go out into the garden to record what is flowering at Christmas and New Year. This year we have had an early bout of cold weather, including snow, so I didn't expect as many blooms. However, I still found 16 different species in bloom, quite reasonable compared to eighteen last year, when the weather was very mild.

I started my survey in the rock garden, which is often a source of joy during cold weather. Sure enough I was rewarded with blooms from the dwarf Penstemon 'Blue Gem', the alpine Geraniums 'Ballerina' and 'Bertrand Russell', Primula vulgaris (primrose), Campanula poscharkyana and lots of Lobularia maritima (sweet alyssum). Pulsatilla rubra had been blooming until last week, but the snowfall has now killed off those flowers. I don't think I can include Helleborus niger (Christmas rose) either, as its white buds are just not open enough.

A glance around the patio pots bring a surprise too - there are some Surfinia petunias still in bloom, despite the recent snow and frosts. It must be because they are in a sheltered spot close to the house. There are also flowers from containers designed with winter in mind, like the blooms of Helleborus argutifolius, Calluna vulgaris (heather) and Hamamelis 'Diane' (witch hazel).

Shrubs are a good source of winter flowers and I found two Hebes - 'Great Orme' and 'Autumn Glory' - still putting on a brave show. Skimmia japonica is always reliable for winter flowers, as is Jasminum nudiflorum (winter jasmine), but I was surprised to find Escallonia 'Crimson Spire' in flower.

Penstemon 'King George V' was still flowering, although looking a little sorry for itself after the cold weather. Roses are renowned for their long flowering period and the climber 'Parkdirektor Riggers' had clung onto a single flower until last week, when the snow finished it off. Rosa 'The Fairy'(top left), however, seemed none the worse and was sporting a brave profusion of pink blooms ready to greet the new Millenium.

Why not join in and let me know which flowers were blooming to welcome in the year 2000 in your garden?

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