Six on Saturday – 12/12/2020- December Blooms

What a difference a year makes! A year ago this weekend our little village had its annual Christmas parade, there was a foot or two of snow on the ground and we were all making holiday plans, which often included travel and revelry with friends and relatives. This year, store shelves usually filled with holiday decorations and lights are pretty bare because people started snapping things up in October, knowing there would be no traveling. Wanting to make their own homes extra festive and cheerful. This year, mother nature is in alignment with the general wonkiness of things and has seen fit to keep temperatures warmer than usual. There is no snow on the ground (although we’ve had a few snowfalls – it’s been so warm nothing has stuck around) and we actually have a few blooms. Yes, that’s right. Flowers. In December. In Canada. Here are my Six on Saturday – six things in the garden, a weekly theme started by The Propagator, including a few unexpected blossoms.

I went for a run yesterday – it was warm enough for shorts – and snapped this reflection in the mirror ball decoration adorning a small pine tree in the garden. We added a few lights.

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This groundcover Veronica – Whitley’s Speedwell – generally stays green all winter, under the snow, and starts blooming in early spring. This year, it’s never really stopped blooming.

My garlic usually sprouts a bit in the fall since I like to plant it while gardening is still pleasant, temperature-wise. I added an extra layer of leaves and compost a few weeks ago just in case we get some frigid weather without an insulating layer of snow. The soil around here is so rocky I have to plant all root veggies in a raised bed of some sort.

Snowdrops (Galanthus) usually make an appearance in January or February, during one of the frequent winter thaws we have. This year they’re up a lot earlier than that, joining the Muscari latifolium. This is the first time I’ve seen this species of Muscari send up leaves before the spring (although the more common Muscari armeniacum always shows up in early fall).

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Something else that should, by rights, be long dead and turning to compost by now is this bit of celery. It’s growing in the compost pile, but I dumped it there almost two months ago, then covered the pile with leaves. Weird.

Finally – dandelions. Taraxacum. They usually take their final bow in November before showing up again in the very early spring. This year, in mid December, they’re still dotting the lawn. The grass appears to be still growing. I’m still snipping parsley, thyme and oregano for the soup pot. Snow IS forecast for Christmas Eve; I’ll believe it when I see it! Stay safe everyone!

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