Winter flora...

While it's not officially winter yet, you wouldn't know it by looking in our back yard! After a couple of nights of hard frost, things are looking pretty dreary! We covered the lemon tree and some of the vines, but everything else was on it's own! The heliotropes didn't fare very well, but they are hearty and will come back. Even the geraniums are sad!

Last week we finalized the winter prune of the roses, so that job is done! We did a bit of clean-up and weeding, and Lee sprayed all of the rogue weeds in the gravel. Now we'll wait till spring for our major reclamation project.

In spite of all of that, there are some bright spots in the garden:

The last roses of 2009! These Princess Diana roses were in bud when we pruned the plant, and have enjoyed having them in the living room. They have a wonderful perfume!

Gift from the birds! Our neighbor feeds the birds, and hasn't figured out that if you cook the seed, it won't grow! The birds hide their seeds in all of our planters and flower beds - here's a sun flower growing out of one of the hanging baskets!

Sun flower close-up. I wonder if the birds get confused when they go to retrieve their seeds, and they aren't there?

Winter blooming New Zealand tea tree, in full, exuberant bloom! This is the second bloom cycle we've had this year!

First Camellia bloom of the season! The bush is loaded with blooms! This Camellia tree originally belonged to Cathi and Don when they lived in San Jose. Needless to say, it's transplanted happily to Moss Beach.

First forsythia bloom of the season! Again, the bush is loaded with blossoms, and should be quite full when we return at the end of December.

Also happening, but not picture-worthy: next springs peonies are poking up through the soil! We should have an amazing display of peonies in May. The lilac busy is loaded with buds, too. We love spring!