My Boxing Day Flower Count is becoming a real tradition now as this is the fifth year I have done it. It is simply a case of going round the garden and counting how many plants are in flower. Of course when you start thinking about it in detail, as no doubt some people will, you start to wonder if you should count every single Primula vulgaris or each of the red flowered Cowslips or whether you just count one as a representative of the group. I didn’t remember having these thoughts before and when I looked back on last year’s post I suspect this is because last year, and the years before, the numbers were small – 17 in 2014 compared to 35 today!
One of the most notable differences is the number of hellebores that are already in flower probably due to the ridiculously mild winter we have had so far. Last year there was one double in flower which I had bought in flower back in October. In contrast this year all the flowering hellebores are well established and I anticipate there will be more flowering within the next two weeks given the number of buds appearing. Also flowering at the moment is the Helleborus niger ‘Christmas Rose’ and Helleborus foetidus.
Then there are a ridiculous number of primulas in flower. Last year there was a small number with one or two flowers just about showing but this year the flowers are more advanced and in some cases going over. Here are some of my favourites.
The usual shrubs are flowering: Abelia, Jasminum nudiflorum, Rosemary and this year they are joined by Viburnum tinus ‘Eve Price’
Other new additions this year are some early Galanthus, although Galanthus Ding Dong has been a resident for a couple of years now.
The actual flower count list is as follows:
Abelia
Viburnum tinus ‘Eve Price’
Jasminum nudiflorum
Rosemary
Galanthus elwesii ‘Mrs Mcnamara’
Galanthus ‘Ding Dong’
Galanthus plicatus ‘Colossus’
Galanthus elwesii
Helleborus niger ‘Christmas Rose’
Helleborus foetidus
Helleborus ‘Anna’s Red’
3 x other unknown Hellebores
Bergenia
Euporbia rigida
Salvia involucrata boutin
Salvia ‘Phyllis Fancy’
Cyclamen hedrifolium
Cyclamen persicum (I think, bought in 2014 as a bedding plant)
Papaver cambricum
Pulmonaria
Digitalis ambigua
Bedding Pansy
11 x assorted primulas
In contrast with previous years the Iris unguicularis has been flowering for a couple of months and seems to have finished now. You can compare this year with previous year’s via the following links
Boxing Day 2014
Boxing Day 2013
Boxing Day 2012
Boxing Day 2011
December 26, 2015 at 3:16 pm
I love this tradition Helen. I actually have a few flowers in blooms here as our December has been so warm too. Here’s to a blooming good New Year!
December 26, 2015 at 4:02 pm
What a good idea! You have inspired me to do the same. It will be interesting to see how the list changes year after year.
December 26, 2015 at 7:30 pm
How lovely. The viburnum and snowdrops are my favourites 🙂
December 26, 2015 at 10:18 pm
Our Hellebores have also been ridiculously early here in Birmingham. Many were in flower before we had even cut the leaves off. Even in the winter months there is always something ready to catch you out and show you up!
December 26, 2015 at 10:31 pm
I shall probably be doing a count in a few days time, once back home – but before commenting I thought I would check back on my last Boxing Day count. It surprised me to see that we also had a mild December last year and that there were several witch hazels out by then although hellebores were only just coming into bud and only a little behind this year’s. Your very pretty hellebores are certainly more advanced than mine, and your primulas are gorgeous too – well, anything flowering on Boxing Day is going to be gorgeous really!
December 27, 2015 at 7:41 am
I really must get a euphobia – have noticed a lot this year giving a great splash. Happy New Year. Hope you are not getting flooded – tho’ I think north of you. Summer has ARRIVED – wheeee – 25 degrees and two swims totally 400 metres! No wind!! Just blue and clear sky out to Barrier Island! Yea yea yea!! Beans and courgettes for dins out of garden – yum!!d Picked 3 strawberries while watering – delicious!
December 27, 2015 at 1:57 pm
It’s been a most peculiar winter so far, hasn’t it!
December 27, 2015 at 6:51 pm
Such a strange old season and, judging from other blogs I read, the same is true in the USA. Should we be worried ? Or just enjoy the vagaries of our weather.
Happy new year helen.
December 30, 2015 at 12:20 pm
Ridiculous numbers for Winter but what a joy. I love your Galanthus Ding Dong