Merry Christmas

Photo by Michel Lefebvre taken in Quebec City

Sedums- In December!

The mild weather continues, allowing the Sedum to keep on producing these lovely rosettes of colour.

Sedum spurium 'Tricolor'


Secdum spurium 'Dragon's Blood'

Blooms

I haven't participated in Blooms Day very much in the past, but after an illustrated talk by Dan Benarcik last week at the Toronto Botanical Garden, I'm inspired to copy an idea that is used by Chanticleer Garden to show what's currently in bloom.

So here's my effort, just as they do at Chanticleer Garden, current blooms are floated on a black bowl of water and photographed from the top. In this picture I've got Hellebrus niger 'Praecox' and some little roses. I've filled the display out with some foliage, giving me ideas for a Foliage Day display. Maybe tomorrow?

Christmas Roses by John Nash

Another Post on Wednesday (wordless).

Seed Starting

Over the course of this Summer and Fall, I have collected seed from many plants that have taken my fancy. I am particularly fond of the family Geraniaceae ( have I mentioned this before?) and since I've come across a number of interesting species Pelargoniums, these have, so far, been my main preoccupation. They are the first seed I sowed this year and they are very rewarding as they give instant gratification, germinating in a matter of days.

Clearing away the casing of this Pelargonium species resulting in...

...seven plump seeds.

A few days later, species Pelargonium breaking the surface of the growing medium.

Pelargonium seedling showing the start of secondary leaves.

Geranium sanguineum seedling germinating in about the same amount of time.

End of the Season for Salvia leucantha

The unusually mild weather has continued in this part of the world and this has meant plants like Salvia leucantha have continued to bloom and grow into November. However it has finally wilted under the weight of last weeks brief snowstorm, and it's leaves blackened by by several nights of light frost.
Now that it is going into decline, I plan to pot it up and over winter it in my greenhouse.

This unidentified Salvia I saw growing in a garden in my neighbourhood, I was impressed by its intense blue and the contrast with the faded red of the fence. This was taken hours before the snowstorm, so I will be interested to see how it survived.

My interest in Salvias started after seeing this incredible Salvia border at Kew in October 2009. Although they are not hardy here, they are well worth the trouble of wintering over to add interest to the garden in late Summer and Fall.

Frank Cabot, Gardener.

Shortly after my post on Aberglasney on November 16, Frank Cabot died at his home in Malbaie, Quebec. He was 86. Link to the tribute on the Aberglasney web page.