Frozen
It is nearly Sunday, and it is also December, about 12 weeks since my last post. Last weekend I marvelled at needing to mow the lawn in December. Now, a spell of cold has landed, even here in our normally sheltered corner of SE London. Happily, it was a "work from home" day when, mid-week, I realised that some serious cold, the like of which we've not seen here for a few years, was headed in our direction. Picture the frantic dawn dash to rescue, trim, and shelter canna, cala lilies, begonias, geraniums, outside-planted spider plants, the lemon tree, and anything tender in pots that I could lay my hands on. I'd already taken salvia cuttings so will cross my fingers that one way or another I'll have plants next year.
Roll on and we have had lots of frost which, today, didn't lift at all. All the pics in this week's post were taken this afternoon.
1) Pretty Freezing
2) Salvia Hotlips
In the spring, Hotlips invariably starts off almost completely white and sans lips. Now we are all lips! No sign of frost damage at the moment.
3) Food: winter flowering jasmine
4) Food: viburnum
This prolific evergreen, sometimes unruly shrub, seems to be able to produce both fantastically scented flowers and berries at the same time. I've managed to tame this plant to a standard with a mop head of leaves which at this time of year is bearing lots of fragrant flowers which polinators love. There are also some dark dark berries which help feed the birds. It also works well in table decorations.
5) Bidens - a surprising summer survivor
I have Bidens dotted around in pots, some near the house. This one is still giving a jolly yellow show.
6) Euphorbia
Bad photo of a sliver-leaved euphorbia which I planted this year. It not only survived the insane heat of the summer but looks like it may survive this cold spell too. It and the now growing number of euphorbias that I have around the garden provide nice solid year round interest.
This is my latest in the #SixOnSaturday series inspired by The Propagator and currently being championed over at Garden Ruminations. Check out the participant guide here. I aspire to be as disciplined, creative and inspiring as them but for now, I'll be pleased if I can just limp on with a post every now and again.
I'm seeing absolutely no shortage of discipline, creativity and inspiration in your post. Your dawn rescue dash includes things I'm taking a chance with (canna) and things I've abandoned to their fate (spider plants). It'd be great if you would add a link to your post in my comments; a lot of the regulars are twitterphobic and you'd be warmly recieved I'm sure.
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