Despite the cold there are a few winter flowers out with us now, especially the Hellebores and the Snowdrops. But there may be something which you may not have noticed before. Which is that a lot of winter and early spring flowers like these, take the form of hanging bells. This is thought to be an adaption to winter, since the vital inner parts of the flowers are thereby protected against the worst of the weather, snow lodges on the backs of the petals, and the flowers nod in the wind keeping the blast out of their centres. Also posted in Natural History.
I can only imagine what these flowers mean after a real winter. Here is a plant I’m liking right now, Sonchus palmensis from the Canary Islands. The flowers will be along in spring which starts as soon as February some years. But the foliage is what I like most.
It is like saplings with dandelion foliage growing to 8 feet and more. My neighbor and friend who is a garden designer doesn’t use it because the foliage gets ratty after it blooms and the blooms are basically dandelion flowers so ho hum. But for today it is like a medium sized tree fern.
Flowers from past years.
I shoulda node better: hellebores, snowdrops
To say nothing of the winter crops
And the few, that are due, that will do
Posted by FrostyJim...I have enough room for a few good people.
Posted by glennlabMy heavenly Blue Morning Glories have finally gotten their color.
Posted by glennlabMy heavenly Blue Morning Glories have finally gotten their color.
Posted by FernappleIts that season again, blue sky and golden leaves, nature is the greatest designer, a Ginkgo in my garden. Also posted in photography.
Posted by Diaco Black Sapote - The chocolate pudding tropical fruit! (2 videos) [youtube.com] [youtube.com]
Posted by Diaco Black Sapote - The chocolate pudding tropical fruit! (2 videos) [youtube.com] [youtube.com]
Posted by Diaco Black Sapote - The chocolate pudding tropical fruit! (2 videos) [youtube.com] [youtube.com]
Posted by Diaco Black Sapote - The chocolate pudding tropical fruit! (2 videos) [youtube.com] [youtube.com]
Posted by FrostyJimMaking my last batch of 2024 oven roasted tomato sauce on Oct. 10 ready to start filling jars.
Posted by FrostyJimMaking my last batch of 2024 oven roasted tomato sauce on Oct. 10 ready to start filling jars.
Posted by FrostyJimMaking my last batch of 2024 oven roasted tomato sauce on Oct. 10 ready to start filling jars.
Posted by FrostyJimI needed to preserve my bell peppers so I made Indian chutney last night.
Posted by FrostyJimI needed to preserve my bell peppers so I made Indian chutney last night.
Posted by FrostyJimMoose family munchin' on my Raspberries right now at about 8:30 on Tuesday night!
Posted by FrostyJim3 giants total over 3 lbs! Bush Early Girl hybrid grown in my Wasilla Alaska zone 4b greenhouse...
Posted by FrostyJim.