New Year's Flowers

 With the warm temperatures, many of the plants are confused about what they are supposed to be doing.  Here is one solo German Iris, which usually does bloom in the Spring and often re-blooms in November.  But this is its first time to make an appearance in January!  It was a delight to arrive yesterday afternoon, after being away for five days, to see the yellow shining in the garden.

The daffodils have put up leaves, some as much as 12 inches high in their confusion about what to do.  However, we have not had enough time with freezing temperatures for them to set any buds.  I wonder what they will do if the thermometer doesn't go low enough.

Several of the shrubs have patches of flowers that have awaken early.  Here is one cluster on the Viburnum x burkwoodii 'Conoy' that couldn't wait, even through the rest of the bush is waiting for later.  I will be watching to see what happens next.

Here you can see another side of the same Viburnum, with the view out to the Chesapeake Bay.  This is the time of the year when all of the evergreens provide most of the visual interest for the entire garden.  Having different colors of foliage, with varying leaf sizes and textures creates a more subtle display.

Around the back of the house, in the lavender bed, the Rosa 'Meiggili' ‘Peach Drift’is bravely showing its color in front of the tall grass. 

Finally, the winter jasmine, which has a few blooms throughout the winter whenever the temperatures get above 40 degrees.  Here it is the best I have ever seen it, because every bud has opened.

Happy New Year is what they all seem to be saying!