Another rainy day

It's been a boring week: the rain continues and I can't work in the garden, some plants seem happy anyways...

Camellias, undisputed Queens of winter

The flowers of the Spiraea cantoniensis look even more delicate after the rain

Clivias can bloom at any time of the year..

I also have yellow Clivias but they are less prolific bloomers

Today I discovered the first Rhododendron buds!

In the pond the water lilies are sending up new pads! can't wait to see them bloom!

See you next time!

Rainy day...

Today the rain (and back pain) keep me from working in the garden. Besides Camellias not many plants are blooming right now.

This white Camellia is usually a late bloomer and last year the heat ruined her buds before they opened, I'm glad she bloomed earlier this year!

See you next time!

The rival Queens

It's often said that the Camellia is the Queen of Winter and the Rose the Queen of Springtime but in my climate their reigns overlap! The result is a Regal clash! When I was a child I was spellbound by a Camellia in the garden of my school, it was planted next to a  beautiful red Rosebush and I always imagined them as rival Queens, like two Operatic Divas on stage trying to outsing one another! Something like the duel of the Queens in Donizetti's Maria Stuarda!

The Camellia and the Rose: ¿Who do you think is more beautiful? 

The Camellia by Honore de Balzac

In Nature's poem flowers have each their word 
 
The rose of love and beauty sings alone;
 
The violet's soul exhales in tenderest tone;

The lily's one pure simple note heard.

The cold Camellia only, stiff and white,

Rose without perfume, lily without grace,

When chilling winter shows his icy face,

Blooms for a world that vainly seeks delight.

Yet, in a theatre, or ball-room light,

I gladly see Camellias shining bright 

Above some stately woman's raven hair,

Whose noble form fulfills the heart's desire,

Like Grecian marbles warmed by Phidian fire.

Rainy day

Today I wanted to divide and repot a lotus that took over the pond last summer but the rain forced me to stop and go back inside..

There are lots of rhizomes to divide, repot and give away..

Miss Red Camellia is happy with the rain, she loves to wear diamonds of rain!

See you next time!

Red Camellia

The irresistible beauty of a Camellia

Pretty in red..

After the rain...

Warm winter..

 I don't live in a zone of harsh winters but this year the weather is warmer than normal with weeks of temperatures well over 20 C (68 F) Some plants haven't gone dormant and others "woke up" earlier than usual.

 Yesterday this tropical water lily (Lindsey Woods) sent up a flower above the water and many of the hardies are sending up pads, at this time last year the pond looked totally deserted..

And the first Daffodils of this year showed up one month earlier than last year! They are so pretty!

I don't like this unseasonal heat because usually it means we'll go from winter to summer with no in between! and summer is a dreadful time for my beloved Roses!

See you next time!

English!

Dear readers, from now on I will post the entries in english (or with english translations) I think is just fair for my readers and visitors considering that most of their blogs are writen in english! My english is not as good as I'd like so I beg your pardon in advance for all the mistakes I could - and will- make! See you next time!