Brave Souls

I took a walk though the garden and snapped some pictures. It will be near freezing again tonight but these brave souls are still sharing their beauty. 

Calendula peeking through the iron Welcome sign.

Tree Mallow, Lavatera maritima

Perfume Delight Rose, 4 weeks after I pruned it.

I have a few Iris that have bloomed, but it is still early.

Hollyhock doing well even after the bugs attacked it. The new growth looks good so far.

I have no idea why these Cosmos came up this early!

Dill is thriving in the cold temperatures.

Rose campion lychnis coronaria, I am so happy that this has reseeded in many areas around the back patio.

Abutilon

Violets in the Fairy Garden

A few Bromiliads are in bloom

Clivia

A fairy fushia protected under the large leaves of a Maderense Geranium.

Fan Aloe just beginning to bloom.

Everything is blooming most recklessly; if it were voices instead of colors, there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night. 

~Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters of Rainer Maria Rilke



"Earth fills her lap with pleasures of her own." William Wordsworth

This line came to mind when I walked around the garden yesterday.  It was cold and wet to me, but so many of my plants looked happy.  The raised bed winter veggie gardens are thriving. I did need to cover them with plastic one night last week as the forecast was for 32 degrees; so very cold for us.  I am happy to report that it only went down to 34! Our area rarely has a temperature below 40 in the winter months and most nights range 42 and higher.

Mother nature on a rainy day....

Portulacaria afra (small leaf jade) bent by the wind and heavy rainfall.

Euryops chrysanthemoides

Our rose arbor blew down one day last week.  This is the second rose arbor I have lost to wind in this location. I think it is time for a new location.

Huddling together to keep warm on the Mexican patio.

Hiding out under the eaves. An Aloe plicatilis (Fan Aloe) and Aloe Vera, the medicinal plant we all use when injured in the garden.   Also a  Cleistocactus winteri forma cristata (the funny looking cacti in the back, left) and a Senecio rowleyanus (String of Pearls).

More huddling for warmth. Some of my geraniums and a few more succulents; a Plumeria, too.  I have two Christmas cacti that have been blooming since early November, that's one on the table with the pink buds.

Borage plant looking very happy. But..

the succulents are having a tough time.

Leaves have all fallen from the Liquid Amber Trees.

Mushrooms growing on an old Silver Dollar Eucalyptus stump.

One of four raised veggie beds.  This one includes green onions, red onions, yellow onions, sorrel, mesclun mix.

This bed has onions again, watercress, spinach, leaf lettuce, radicchio, oak leaf lettuce and endive.

Beets, Swiss Chard red and green and also Bright Lights chard

This bed of onions really got pounded with the rain.

That's it for me, my feet are getting wet, I am going inside!  Note to self...do not wear your leather Nike shoes on a rainy day in the garden.