Since we moved into our house earlier this year every month has been a small voyage of discovery to see what is growing in our garden here in West Sussex. Now that December has arrived I’ve noticed it’s all about decay and bloom. Since the first frost arrived many of the flowers – like my evening primrose – have stopped in their tracks. But I’ve been pleasantly surprised to find that a few roses have managed to withstand the cold and wind. The most wonderful surprise was to discover that a large shrub is actually winter- flowering honeysuckle and is now covered in delicate and fragrant flowers. Meanwhile we’ve been busy this week providing nourishing winter treats for the little wild birds. We already need to replace the toilet roll feeder!
So here’s what I found as I wandered around this morning in our December garden…
Winter-flowering honeysuckle
Winter flowering honeysuckle
Evening primrose
Hellebores
Decaying Hydrangea
Silver lace Helleborus
Mahonia media x charity
Colour!! Erysimum Bowles’s Mauve
Japanese quince
Seeding Japanese anemones
Garrya elliptica
Tree buds flowering
A December rose!
And as you can see not all the rose buds are surviving in my winter garden.
I cannot believe how much colour there is still to be found and wonder what winter has in store for us in the New Year. I even saw a butterfly yesterday although in fairness night time temperatures over the last 2 nights have given us a slight frost, enough to finally finish off my tomato and pepper plants. Popping by VERY late from #HDYGG
Even after being in our house for 13 years I still find things in the garden which I never planted! It’s a ever constant journey of discovery.
what lovely shots and what lovely treasures you have found in your new garden
The tree buds flowering looks exciting and the whole garden is looking beautiful even if it is full of decay.
It’s a strange mixture of decay and flowers!
That winter honeysuckle is just beautiful, so delicate but hardy at the same time. Does it smell as the more usual summer honeysuckle does?
I thought at first it was some sort of jasmine because of the sweet delicate fragrance.
my toilet roll bird holders are ready to go tomorrow, we’ve got a few birds in the garden at the moment, I’m looking forward to seeing more of them
We have to make more toilet roll feeders as the wild birds in our garden have already eaten them clean!
There’s something about flowers that are dying (I can’t bring myself to say ‘past their best’ but you know what I mean). Especially when you see colour nearby. My neighbour has a fully blooming hydrangea with flower heads bigger than my actual head still pink and white and looking great – I must get a photo of it for you!
Thank you for joining in and sharing Kriss, looking forward to heading back over later on this evening for a proper catch up x
Ah one thing I wish is pink and blue hydrangea especially as they are so gorgeous when they’re ‘fading.’