Thursday 15 November 2012

Pink November garden

It was 15 degrees Celsius and a nice and warm day in my garden yesterday, I was out doing a bit of gardening and took the photos for this month’s Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day. Being middle of November and less than 6 weeks till Christmas, I can’t help thinking of those freezing cold and wet days we had in May and June – 15 degrees and a bit of sunshine would have been welcome back then! When I started looking at the photos I had taken yesterday evening I realised that all of them were pink – pink flowers on all the photos! I had not really noticed that when I walked around photographing, but getting them all up on my computer screen, I had my theme for today’s post :-)

My garden gets more and more empty as the herbaceous plants are dying down. At this time of year one would think that not much is in flower in a garden in London – but come for a walk with me and be surprised :-) And the spring bulbs are already on their way up, it won’t be long before the beds are filled with an explosion of colours. The newly planted irises have actually made a very early start, they are already 12-15 cm up above ground – I do hope they will be safe through the cold period we will get before spring actually starts.

Here is the first entry on my pink theme; a chrysanthemum. It is one of those potted only meant to last the winter.


And my Clematis ‘Niobe’ decided to produce some more flowers, after a 2 month break, I had hoped this flower would open fully by today, but it didn’t. You can however just about see the amazing dark pink colour it will be when fully opened.


My fuchsias are at their best right now, they like the cold nights and relatively warm days and are still producing new buds. This is Fuchsia 'Annabel'.


And here is the last flower of Fuchsia 'Bella Rosella', I doubt there will be any more flowers from this particular fuchsia this year, but she has been a star in the garden!


This is Fuchsia 'Sir Matt Busby', I have 4 of them in large pots and use them as in-fillers in empty spaces when other bulbs or plants have died down.


Fuchsia 'Sir Matt Busby'


And here is from left: Fuchsia 'Mrs Popple' and in the middle Fuchsia, ‘red and white’. The hydrangea to the right is still producing new flowers, pink of course! And if you look very closely at the bottom left corner, you can see a pink cyclamen that has just started to flower.


Here is the same cyclamen, up-close.


Here is another cyclamen, a bit more bold pink!


And look at this cyclamen, with white painted edges on the petals :-)


My Lamium maculatum 'Beacon Silver'  is still producing lots of flowers, pink or purplish in colour depending if the stalks are in sun or shade.


My pink hydrangea has still got most of its leaves on and the flowers are taking on more and more that porcelain look I really like.


Most of my roses are still producing new buds, even if it’s far from a prolific flowering. Here is one of the pink miniature roses.


Pink miniature rose.


Even my wellies are fitting in with this month’s somewhat unexpected pink theme!



Thanks for taking a walk with me in my tiny garden, I do wonder what’s flowering in your garden right now, the same as me or something completely different? Do you have autumn, almost winter where you are, or do you have spring, almost summer perhaps? If you visit Carol’s blog at May Dreams Gardens you can see what other gardeners around the world have in their garden right now.  Until next time, take care.

44 comments:

  1. Your fuchsia is gorgeous...beautiful color. I will miss all of the blooms as well, but the cold weather has moved in. Happy GBBD!

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    1. Happy GBBD to you too, Michelle!
      We are expecting another cold spell the next few days, but hopefully it won't last too long.

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  2. Hi Helene, yours are certainly in the pink of health. Those mums can grow with us although a bit difficult too because they are photoperiodic. How lovely it is in your garden at 15C, I can't imagine what you will feel at ours where the lowest we get in Dec or January is 25C! That's why when i am in a temperate country at 8C I am almost freezing!

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    1. I would absolutely love to live in a country where it never got below 25C!

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  3. Happy GBBB! I love your pink garden, mine is as pink as yours :)

    Elis Fischer

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    1. Thank you Elis, and welcome to my blog :-)

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  4. Love love love the pink Wellies! In my climate it's never wet enough for boots. All the pinks are beautiful. Your garden looks fabulous even in November. Happy GBBD!

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    1. Thank you, my garden isn't really wet, I use wellies mostly because they are so nicely insulated, keeps my feet warm in the cold weather! And if I need to step into one of the flower beds I don't have to worry about the dirt, I just give my wellies a splash of water before going inside. Happy GBBD to you too :-)

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  5. Spectacular fuchsia--what lovely varieties you have! The rose blooms are gorgeous as well--you still have quite a lot of blooms in your garden for November! (And I really like your Wellies--too cute!) Happy GBBD to you!

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    1. I have flowers all year round, in every month of the year, just come back and have a look in January :-) I can never get too many fucsias, they suit my tiny garden so well and I have a few more on my wish list for next year! Happy GBBD to you too.

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  6. Lovely...I really love when Hydrangea blooms start to fade...the colors become so muted and rich!

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    1. Yes, they do, I don't cut the flower heads off until the new shoots are well on their way in February, so that way the hydrangea flowers last for about 8-9 months - not many flowers do the same!

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  7. I just love fuchsias, I really should try to grow one. Such beautiful and exotic looking little blooms. I am so impressed with your hydrangeas - mine quit blooming some time ago. Loved seeing all the pinks. I am always surprised when my garden has a color 'theme' that I didn't intend!

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    1. Thanks Holly, sometimes I go out in the garden looking for photos for a specific theme or topic, other times it just pops up by itself!

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  8. Pretty in pink and even matching boots! I love the deep pink color on your cyclamen. I had tried some a while back and am tempted now to maybe add some more. Happy GBBD!

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    1. It seems my soil is ideal for cyclamens, some of mine are self-seeded ones, and I have even offspring off the self-seeded ones! They do take a long time to flower though, in my garden usually 5 years, but nothing wrong with the shop bought ones, I got some of them too :-)

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  9. You are pretty in pink in this post. Weeks ago the pinks were the focus in my garden, but they have since left for a long rest. I like the pinks at this time a year because they are not quite as common. The hydrangea always delights in pink.

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    1. There is no rest in my garden, when the fucsias finally give up, there are plenty of other flowering plants to take over. I have plants in flower every month of the year here in London.

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  10. Your garden is the PINK of perfection. It's so nice to visit a post where there's still warmth. At least it feels warm. :) We're freezing in my gardens.

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    1. It's cold at night, down to 2-3 Celcius, but day temperature can vary between 8-15. It is the cold winds that makes London so bitterly cold during the winter. When there is no wind and a bit of bleak sunshine, it can be very pleasant in my sheltered garden :-)

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  11. You are so lucky to have so much going on! I had no idea your plants can continue on so well through the colder months. Your cyclamen are stunning, and wonderful pictures of all your other pink delights (including the wellies.)

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    1. We don't really use the Hardiness Zones here in UK, but I know London is equivalent to zone 9. I have made sure I have something flowering all year round so I can have an excuse for going out in the garden all year round :-)

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  12. Now I understand why gardening in London is so popular--you have just the right climate to keep blooms cool but not too cold. Fuchsias, Camellias, Roses, and Cyclamens in November! Gorgeous!

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    1. It is thanks to the Gulf stream, it goes quite close to the coast of Britain and gives us pleasant winter temperatures. A nice treat all the way from Florida!

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  13. Pink, very pink and good pinks too. I liked the first image with the arch, very inviting to walk around your garden. Christina

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    1. I am quite proud of my arch, you can read about the plants on it by looking through the categories on the left panel, the plant is called Dregea sinensis. They will start putting on leaves in just a couple of months and will flower again in May.

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  14. I really love your Fuchsias - how pretty, especially 'Annabel' - how beautiful is that! I think the iodea of having them in pots to move around is an excellent one, I might do that!

    Lovely Helene!!

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    1. Thank you Christine, and the idea is yours to try out :-) I also have pots I put ontop of the large tubs I have tulips, lilies and daffodils in - once they are gone, the tubs are not very interesting and a pot of fuchsia or begonia will nicely decorate the tub until next spring.

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  15. What a lovely garden you have! I stumbled across your blog today and I'm glad I did!

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  16. All beautiful, Helene. The clematis looks like it will be a beauty, and I have a soft soft for fuchsias. They were a favourite of my father's when I was growing up south of Melbourne, a much cooler climate than my home in Brisbane.

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    1. I think most people adore fuchsias, whether they can grow them or not :-)

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  17. LOVELY FLOWERS..!
    THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMENT!
    Isabel

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  18. Me encanta el Otoño!!!!

    He descubierto tu blog y me ha encantado su contenido, desde hoy lo sigo. Si lo deseas te invito a visitar mi blog By Nela y si es de tu agrado me gustaria tenerte como seguidora y asi seguir en contacto.
    Un saludo muy cariñoso.
    Manoli

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    1. Hello, and thanks for visiting my blog, my Spanish isn't that good so I have to reply in English. Thanks for signing up as a follower, I visited your blog and signed up to yours too, will have to come back and read some more but what I saw was very interesting – think we have things in common!
      Take care, Helene.

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  19. I have tons of pink flowers. :o) They make me happy. I love the faded look of your hydrangea. Beautiful!

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  20. Thank you for sharing your beautiful pink November garden with us, Helene. I live in Alabama (U.S.) and it's Autumn here right now. However, our highs in Alabam are still in the 70s. Currently, I still have a bougainvillea blooming as well as pineapple sage, black-eyed Susans, purple coneflower, knockout roses, pansies and violas. The first frost is right around the corner though, and then all will be gone but the pansies and violas. All the best from Alabama! :-)

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    1. Hi Beth, technically it is still autumn here too, most of the leaves are still on the trees and the day temperature is quite nice. But a couple of windy, rainy nights and all the leaves will be off – it doesn’t take much at this time of year! As for frost –hmm... anybody’s guess, could be next week, could be February or March, this is London! Take care :-)

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  21. happy GBBD Helene, (even though it's nearly halfway to the next one). I love pinks - all the many different shades, especially the very pale delicate hue of your roses, that are almost heart-stoppingly lovely. That does sound potentially deadly! But you know what I mean ...

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    1. Yeah, I know what you mean - and I love the fact that I have roses flowering all winter, even if there is onely a few here and there. We have had a terrible weather the last few days, high winds and a month's worth of rain - many parts of the country have been flooded, but not London. Today I had one yellow rose flowering in my garden, it's called 'Peace' :-)

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  22. Well you may well think all is turning blue with cold up here, but no, not really, however pink or not I wouldn't mind seeing all these blooms in our garden which are in your London plot. Also Spring bulbs showing already its usually January before we see them poking through the ground. Sure I have seen Fay of Orkney Flowers with those wellies. Keep up the good work Helene, always makes me feel like I am back to the days when I visited London regularly.

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    1. Hi Alistair
      Hope you have dodged the floods, we have had a terrible weather but no flood in London. Funny how quickly the weather can turn, tonight it is soooo cold, think we might get frost before the morning. Not sure how much pink I will have left in my garden by the end of this week!

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