While most of the world is now focused on looking forward, I want to savor the past year in the garden one more time before I move into 2013. Here's a brief retrospective of my 2012 gardening year, with each month showing some favorite plant action.
In January we visited Pasadena, where I spotted this huge planter full of Agave parryi var. truncata.
In February, I was heartened to see Arctostaphylos x 'Austin Griffiths' beginning to bloom.
March is such a wet month here in the PNW that I have learned to embrace moss in all its forms.
The Northwest Territory shone in April as Mahonia aquifolium bloomed.
A sea of Helianthemum set off the steely blue spikes of Yucca rostrata in May.
My favorite color, orange, plays out in June as Phygelius 'Passionate' fronts Trachycarpus fortuneii.
In July, I visited the hillside McCulloch garden as part of the Hardy Plant Society's Open Gardens program.
Meliathus major 'Purple Haze' looked good enough to eat in August. Its scent, reminiscent of honey, explains its common name of Honey Bush.
September is the month for Caryopteris blooms in a saturated shade of periwinkle blue.
With perfect fall coloring, Libertia peregrinans 'Broad Sword' and Ensete ventricosum 'Maurelii' warmed up October.
In November this NOID heather turned a lovely orange and set off Yucca rostrata's cool blues.
The fun of sputnik blooms on Fatsia japonica is a great way to end the year in December.
And with that fond look back at 2012, I may actually be ready to move forward into 2013! Happy New Year!
In January we visited Pasadena, where I spotted this huge planter full of Agave parryi var. truncata.
In February, I was heartened to see Arctostaphylos x 'Austin Griffiths' beginning to bloom.
March is such a wet month here in the PNW that I have learned to embrace moss in all its forms.
The Northwest Territory shone in April as Mahonia aquifolium bloomed.
A sea of Helianthemum set off the steely blue spikes of Yucca rostrata in May.
My favorite color, orange, plays out in June as Phygelius 'Passionate' fronts Trachycarpus fortuneii.
Meliathus major 'Purple Haze' looked good enough to eat in August. Its scent, reminiscent of honey, explains its common name of Honey Bush.
September is the month for Caryopteris blooms in a saturated shade of periwinkle blue.
With perfect fall coloring, Libertia peregrinans 'Broad Sword' and Ensete ventricosum 'Maurelii' warmed up October.
In November this NOID heather turned a lovely orange and set off Yucca rostrata's cool blues.
The fun of sputnik blooms on Fatsia japonica is a great way to end the year in December.
Happy New Year to you Jane!
ReplyDeleteI dream of great swathes of Helianthemum like those you show. I thought I had the perfect spot for them, but they remain stingy. I'll give them another year to shape up, bolstered by your photo of what could be.
ReplyDeleteMe too! I remember gasping, back in March, when you posted that photo. So lovely!
DeleteWonderful photos, Jane. No wonder you wanted to look back! I have had a Yucca rostrata in a container for two years. It gets very little sun on my covered patio. I think I'm going to have to change that. Seeing how awesome it looks in the garden makes my mouth water. My "sputniks" are just now blooming.
ReplyDeleteHappy 2013. The best is yet to be. :)
Happy 2013, thank you for the reminder , one of the reasons I started a blog ...If my laptop wasn't so darn SLOW I'd have a review as well .
ReplyDeleteGreat retrospective Jane! I love the images you chose for each month and next year, once I've been blogging for longer than a few months, I plan copying your idea if that's o.k. with you. Hope that 2013 is your best year ever!
ReplyDeleteSo much great color! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI remember so many of these, like the heather and yucca. I'm glad you posted the phygelius photo again so I can make a note this time not to forget to grow it this year!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful garden images. Thanks for sharing them!
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