A green December

The storms that swept through the Midwest on Wednesday night did little serious damage near us. We lost power during the night and the winds sounded scary; in the morning everything looked the same as it had the day before and for a number of days before that. It has been fascinating to walk around the garden and see what plants still have not given up despite frosts and lack of rain. 

Polystichum makinoi with Adiantum venustum

The fronds are turning purplish-bronze but they are still mainly upright. I am not sure if it's the result of the fern's own hardiness or its protected location. 

Both my newest and oldest clumps of Dryopteris erythrosora 'Brilliance' are all standing tall and looking perfectly happy. I wish they had their autumn coloration now as well as in the spring. 

I put in two plants of Asarum splendens in 2019. Last summer I divided them and spread them around a bit. So far it has not been as aggressive as the native variety; nor has it gone dormant the moment it got cold. It is lovely to have that foliage instead of a big bare spot. 

I put a piece of Arum italicum 'Ghost' from the large mother plant in with this variegated ivy. The ivy makes the Arum foliage have a much more yellow cast than I ever noticed in the location. 

Epimedium 'Domino' has never slowed down. It's been a drama queen all season. 

I'm enjoying the sight of all this greenery in the garden; but I'm definitely ready for the moisture and insulation of some snow.

Comments

[danger garden]

Green is good, right?

[Kris P]

I'm glad the storm caused no serious harm! Green is a Christmas color just like white ;)

[Frank]

Things do look quite fresh considering it's nearly the New Year! If these mild autumns become the new normal I might step up my global warming plantings and look for more winter bloomers as well to go with these evergreens :)

[Linda Brazill]

FRANK — It's nice weather for shopping and driving, but the garden needs some snowy protection. ​It may be the first year that I have been cutting Helleborus niger blooms for more than a month. Maybe I will have to try some early blooming snowdrops.