GBBD: Dreary December

Today is December 15, and you know what that means--well, yes, you do have only 10 more shopping days until Christmas. But in the gardening world it also means this is Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, the day each month when garden bloggers all over the world show off what's blooming in their gardens. For Northern gardeners, it's also a time when we have to flex our creative muscles. Unless you have a collection of houseplants, there's not much to show in the garden after the temperatures have plummeted to below freezing and winter winds have ripped off any remaining blooms.



Unlike many other Midwesterners, I don't even have the benefit of snow to make dried blooms and wilted foliage look appealing. Instead, my garden is simply brown and muddy. Going outside in hopes of finding the one bloom remaining, I found that even the purple primrose that appeared last week had given up and gone South for the winter. At least its leaves are still a lively green, and, of course, the heucheras nearby add a little more foliage interest.




Apparently, though, there is a little more green in the garden than I thought. As I walked quickly back to the house and out of the cold, Sasha pointed out that the Nepeta "Walker's Low" still has some fresh growth--just enough for a little bit of cat heaven.





I am not a houseplant person anymore, so there's not much to see indoors. However, when Youngest Daughter moved out and I turned her room into a guest room, I had an epiphany. This room has lots of natural light and was perfect for overwintering plants! After my Thanksgiving guest, Arizona Daughter, left, I set up a table and moved in the geraniums and my rosemary plant from the garage. Arizona Daughter had politely asked about my little "tree," and when I suggested she sniff it, she recognized it immediately. She may not be a gardener, but she is a cook and was excited when I cut off a few sprigs to send home with her to use in her kitchen.







Also now residing in the guest room is the begonia I showed off several times this summer. This one was just too pretty to let die over the winter. It seems to prefer its new cooler home to the overheated office and has set a few new buds to show its appreciation. I have a feeling you're going to be seeing a lot of it as well as the rosemary and geraniums over the next few months of winter Bloom Days!





And, of course, it wouldn't be Christmas without at least one red poinsettia to make the house a little more festive. In the midst of this busy time, I hope you all have time to stop and smell the proverbial "roses" and enjoy the beauty and peace of this season.




Today is also the eve of ABC Wednesday, and GBBD has inspired me to write a silly little poem about the garden, which I will post later today. In the meantime, take a few moments to visit our Bloom Day hostess, Carol at May Dreams Gardens, and see what is blooming all over the world.