Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - December 2013

If you visit our Bloom Day hostess, Carol of May Dreams Gardens, you will find gardens featured that boast many blooms this month. But, as for my garden in mid-December, blooms are sparse indeed this year.

Although we haven't yet had that true "killing" frost and no snow and ice as in many parts of the country, we have had several lighter frosts and many nights when temperatures have dipped into the the low 30s F. That has put all the tender perennials to sleep and has bitten back others and put a real damper on any hopes of blooms for the rest of the year.

Still, a few hardy plants persevere.

There's the Turk's cap, of course. It never really stops blooming, although it slows down in winter.

The various lantanas still send out a few blooms which are nourishment for our winter visiting butterflies.

The 'Dallas Red' lantana has been a particular winner this year.

 The shrimp plant seems unbothered by the cold and continues to be covered in its weird blossoms.

 Several of the roses can still be depended upon to send a few blooms out until that killing frost finally arrives. Here is one of the double 'Radazz' blossoms.

'Belinda's Dream' is always a prolific bloomer. 

 The only "winter color" I've added so far is a few baskets of pansies like this one that hangs near the front door.

 The "faces" of pansies and violas always make me smile.

 In the garden in the backyard, the Copper Canyon daisies continue to spill their profuse blooms over the path.

But that's about it. The garden really does need some more color for the season and maybe I will bestir myself to visit the garden center to obtain some this week. Meantime, thank you for visiting my late autumn garden and happy Bloom Day!