Early Spring in my garden today - roses and other flowers

4 years ago

I just took all of these pictures a half hour ago. January is "early Spring" where I live - it has been raining for 2 months, after our (normal) 6-7 month drought, and our climate is so mild that the garden has woken up, even though our temps have not gone over the 50s F yet. In addition to the below, the narcissus are blooming all over, and many other roses are putting out scattered bloom, but they are mostly the ones which never stop blooming in the first place.

Here is what we think is the china hybrid rose Cramoisi Superior, which was planted in the 1970s, and is just beginning to start its first Spring flush:

Here is Safrano, which was also planted in the 1970s, and is one of those roses which never stops blooming:

Here is iris Crimson King (1890s) - this iris is blooming all over our garden right now - it does that every January, and continues to bloom through about March: I love its color, and also that it is so short that it does NOT fall over when it rains (which it is doing a LOT!):

Hellebores - of course, they are supposed to bloom in January, and all of ours are:

More hellebores:

Cerinth:

Lastly, Japanese quince - I had no idea this was blooming until I took a walk (in the rain) to the post box. This is what made me look around to see what else is blooming at the end of Jan!

Jackie

Featured Answer

jerijen

4 years ago

In fact, my Teas and Chinas not only don't go dormant -- The winter is their best season.
This year, our part of SoCal got the blessing of a little early rain -- which now seems to be done, likely for the year -- followed by warming temperatures . . . We are in full bloom here.
I've been posting them on my Facebook page (which is FAR easier than posting here -- I don't have to re-size each photo, there.
'G. Nabonnand' has been going nuts. "Grandmother's Hat" is hitting her stride. "The China From Adina" has never looked better, and today's "star" is 'Gloire des Rosomanes' . . .

"The China From Adina"

"Ragged Robin" ('Gloire des Rosomanes') with "Grandmother's Hat"

Comments (6)

jacqueline9CA
Original Author
4 years ago
I am so excited! My post worked, and it contained 7 photos! I have not been able to post any photos for so long, I did not think this would work, and have been holding my breath (I discovered after I finally pushed POST.

Oh, I forgot to mention - both of the roses, the iris, and the Japanese quince, were all planted by my DH's ancestors - the 2 roses by his father, and the quince and the iris by his grandparents (when I asked my FIL 25 years ago what kind of iris they were, he just said "Oh, those are my mother's flags".). I planted the hellebores and the cerinth.

Jackie
K S 7b Little Rock (formerly of Seattle)
4 years ago
Wounderful photos Jackie! I'm amazed by the roses blooming alongside hellebores!
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jacqueline9CA
Original Author
4 years ago
Yes, in our climate the old tea roses and the china hybrids start blooming more (more than when they are "resting" in late Summer & Fall) when our "rainy season" gets underway. As do many other plants - all of the fruit trees, the acacia trees, etc. I think the dry/wet cycle impacts them more because we are always at moderate temperatures in the winter, so they do not really go dormant.

Jackie
Rosylady (PNW zone 8)
4 years ago
Jackie...your spring flowers are so wonderful! I particularly love the iris....I am a big fan of antique iris varieties.

Jeri....Your winter roses are so pretty
jacqueline9CA
Original Author
4 years ago
Thanks, Rosylady - I like the old iris too. We have 2 varieties in our garden which have been here since the family moved in 115 years ago. The Crimson King above, and iris foeditissima (species native to the UK), which has the most amazing berries in the Fall - they come in a large cluster, and sick on the plants for months. That iris has definitely naturalized all over our neighborhood - there was sort of a meadow at it in my parents-in-law's garden (which is about 4 blocks away). Its Spring flowers are small and pale lavender, but they are interesting.

Jackie

Early Spring in my garden today - roses and other flowers

jerijen

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Early Spring in my garden today - roses and other flowers

jerijen

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jacqueline9CAOriginal Author

K S 7b Little Rock (formerly of Seattle)

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