I have been away three weeks from My Hesperides Garden – more about my trip to the US in future posts as I was very inspired by the native vegetation and the way some National Park sites used native planting.
An apology to my blogging friends that I haven’t had time to leave comments on my favourite blogs while I’ve been away, I did manage to read and enjoy some but internet access wasn’t always available to me. A very Happy New Year to you all and I’m looking forward to seeing all your gardens in 2012
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I arrived home; I’d heard there had been cold weather and lots of snow in the north of Italy and thought it likely that even in mid-Italy the weather would have been much colder than we I left. But although there had been a couple of colder days and certainly much colder nights the garden still has flowers and even the fennel in the vegetable garden is still edible, just, which is a sure sign there wasn’t a heavy ground frost where it is planted.

I was welcomed home by the perfume of Lonicera fragrantissima, which definitely lives up to its name.
Most of the flowers on winter flowering shrubs are relatively small but often with an intense perfume to attract the few pollinating insects that are flying.

This is another groundcover plant I should be dividing to have many more of. I think they flower every month of the year.
More surprising are the confused Achillea ‘Summerwine’,
and Abutilon, especially remembering that the Abutilon was knocked back to the ground by the cold temperatures of last winter.
The buds I showed last month on the Nandino haven’t opened yet but do look very attractive with the berries from last spring’s flowers and the winter red foliage.
It is not so unusual to have roses flowering in December but by January they are normally ready to be pruned; I was very pleasantly surprised to find several roses putting on a show for me today.
R, ‘Stanwell Perpetual’ has also flowered almost continuously since October
To visit gardens where it really is summer visit Carol at Maydreams Garden to find Bloomday posts from around the world.
Thank you Carol for hosting this meme that we all enjoy so much, have a very happy gardening year in 2012, I look forward to reading about your garden and your ideas this coming year.
Christina these are beautiful…I have snow finally so no blooms….just memories for GBBD…can’t wait to see your travels in the States…
The flowers of winter are so special we enjoy them more than the exuberance of summer. Hope you snow goes away soon, Christina
What wonderful flowers to have in your garden. Great photos. 🙂
The flowers are beautiful! So glad you’re back safely and the garden did well in your absence.
What a lot of beautiful flowers you have come back to, so precious in the winter. Your Achillea, Abutilon and Roses are amazing. Looking forward to reading about your trip to America, I’m sure it was wonderful.
As soon as I’m functioning properly, I’ll post about my impressions of plants in the US, Christina
Oh how exciting a trip to the US! I do like the Lonicera, I shall make a note of the name as I was looking for some winter flowering climbers.
Hi Helen, the Lonicera is actually a shrub not a climber. Christina
Happy New Year Christina,
You haven’t missed much here in Italy – a good time to go abroad. Whilst we missed the worst of the floods etc we have had near hurricane strength winds and nearly no rain so the plants are not getting refreshment in prep for the summer to come. But you are right – the fennel and salad are still extant so we are not getting prolonged frosts – yet. Amazing your Abutilon. Meanwhile the cauliflower has made a surge in growth and we now have a glut. My garden continues to be a couple of weeks behind yours but I think it is behind with respect to previous years.
Looking forward to reading about your American travels
Y
Very nice showing for GBBD, especially the roses. We finally got some winter weather and the garden is finally taking its long needed nap.
I don’t think the garden ever really takes a nap here or if it does it is in August when many plants are summer dormant. Christina
Loved seeing your rose blooms! I miss mine, and hopefully they will be budding again soon. I wish I had a groundcover plant that bloomed every month of the year! I bet your garden missed you as much as you missed it. Happy GBBD!
You do indeed have a lot to share this January bloom day… I hope you enjoyed your trip to the US… it has a lot to offer garden wise… Larry
I was only able to visit the Botanic garden in Phoenix but it was the native plants in the landscape that blew me away! Christina
I can’t believe how much you have in flower. We are experiencing a cold spell here after a very mild winter. Some of the plants were being lulled into thinking it was Spring so maybe it is good to have some frost. looking forward to hearing about your trip to America.
Hi Christine, I also love the scent of lonicera fragrantissima and eleagnus. You have a lot of flowers, How is that possible? I’m having a warmer winter than usual here as well, but not as much as in the rest of World apparently… I am amazed
I’m not sure why there are quite so many flowers Alberto; I am as amazed as you. Christina
How amazing to have so many blooms in January!
Very beautiful Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day post!
Hope you had a great time in the US.
Happy Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day to you!
Lea
Mississippi, USA
Hi Lea, I had an amazing time in the US, simply amazing. Christina
Wow, truly confused Achillea. And such an array of roses flowering their socks off. Your garden is truly defying the seasons.
I think the Achillia is flowering because it was only planted last year so was relatively new, if I cut all of them back mid or end of summer they would probably all be flowering. It has been very good value though flowering for months. Christina
So many pretties! Queen of Sweden is exquisite. I love the low winter light in your photos.
I am anxious to hear what area of the US you visited! Pennsylvania is not so hospitable at present, though for January it is nothing. Very odd weather this year.
Happy GBBD… um, Week!
I promise I’ll be writing about my visit to the US soon. We visited San Francisco, the North California coast, the Grand Canyon, Zion, and Phoenix.