All of the photos below are straight out of the camera without color correction or post-processing "magic". The sky really was this blue in back of the "Gold Medal" roses that never fail to produce a Christmas Day bloom...
Christmas in the San Francisco Bay Area is quite a bit different than a lot of North America. We don't get snow in our gardens, but do get snow on our higher mountains and peaks. We get Christmas fog at night that shrouds our outdoor Christmas lights in ethereal magic. We have blooms in the garden as well as lots of migratory birds here for the winter. I had lots of white Christmases as a child when we lived in Colorado. I am happy with foggy green Christmases now. Especially when I can have a lovely pink "Our Lady of Guadalupe" rose on Christmas Day...
I just happened to peek around the northern side of the house when I was out shooting the Christmas roses blooming. Imagine my surprise when I saw my deep pink camellia in bloom! Camelias are hardy here as long as they are growing in a northern exposure location. They don't like the heat of the summer sun, and love the chill of the Bay Area winters as long as there isn't a hard freeze. We usually have blooms in January and February but this one is early this year.
Now I'm back off to snuggle up in a warm quilt so I can get better. Thankfully, Hubby has this week off work and he's a pro at pampering me. I don't know what I'd do without him.
My camellias are blooming too! Crazy!
ReplyDeleteI just came in to the house from the back where I've weeded and pruned all afternoon. My roses are now officially bare. So I'm enjoying your photos.
You are one blessed lady! For the flowers and the pampering hubby! Enjoy and get well. Will chat soon!
ReplyDeleteOh, crumb! I'm so sorry you were sick for Christmas! My camelias are blooming, too. Love 'em!
ReplyDeleteCindy, I am so sorry to hear that you are sick. But I am glad that you had a little bit of energy and could take these lovely shots. Ah Camelias, and roses in the middle of winter. Only in your area.....
ReplyDeleteTake good care of yourself, I was wondering what had happened to you. Get well soon!
Jen
Beautiful Christmas blooms, hopefully they brightened your spirit! Get well Cindy!
ReplyDeleteYour camelias are beautiful. I have the same luck with them here (Tennessee) by planting them on the north side of my home. It seems most things are early this year. Have a Happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteI always get so jealous of your flower pictures! I would love to grow a Camellia (or a gardenia or a BLUE hydrangea) but our alkaline soils would never permit it even if I could get one to overwinter. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteEarlier today I saw an AWESOME combo for pink roses- pair them with Muhlenbergia 'Regal Mist' also called Pink Mulhy grass. It makes for an amazing combo. Do a google search for 'Cotton Candy and Pink Roses' Muhlenbergia and you'll see a photo of this pairing from the OC Register. Amazing. Lucky for me I can do this pairing in my yard too- just need to do some transplanting as I already have both plants.
Oh- and I hope you feel better in short order.
ReplyDeleteCindy, what beautiful roses. You know that it always reminds me of Granddad. I am so grateful for our blogs and the connectedness that it gives us. There is no way we would share as much via email or snail-mail. I love it.
ReplyDeleteAll that said, I am so sorry that your are sick! I hope that you get to feeling better soon.
Love you lots,
Joanie
Cindy,
ReplyDeleteMelanie is an angel. What a wonderful treat for you to receive the Christmas package full of treasures from from her. Her blog is also one I enhjoy.
I am sorry Santa brought you a nasty cold for Christmas. You deserved better with all the beauty you have shared with us all year.
I a glad hubby is home taking care of you and this cold is short lived and your back is also getting the rest it needs so you can really feel good..
Have a healthy and happy New Year!
I am so glad you are feeling better! I have been wondering what was going on! So happy you are feeling a bit better cute cousin. My favorite photo is the last camellia, the very very ruffly one. It kind of reminds me of our orange poppies at home. Adorable.
ReplyDeleteAww Cindy, so sorry to hear that you've been unwell. I hope it doesn't last long as there is so much in your garden blooming away. Here all I seem to be growing is frost!
ReplyDeleteWell that's a drag getting sick on Christmas. Feel better soon!
ReplyDeleteThis is my first season with roses at Christmas, but they're not in nearly as good of condition as yours. Well, now that we've had snow they're not in good condition at all. But apparently we do have blooms at the holidays many years.
ReplyDeleteI hope you get better, soon! Happy Holidays!
~Angela :-)
Cindy, I'm sorry you were not feeling well. I've been home with a viral throat infection and UTI the past 2 days myself. I just went out to feed the birds and I saw my red camellia is starting to bloom too! I love them.
ReplyDeletehow nice to see .Flowers in bloom!
ReplyDeleteCindy, I hope you are feeling much better by now. I'm so envious of your camellias! Roses, too, at this time of year!
ReplyDeleteHope you are much better by now! So sorry you were sick on Christmas :(
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos.... love the blue sky w/yellow roses! Have a wonderful New Year!
Hi Cindy,
ReplyDeleteHAPPY NEW YEAR!! I hope you had a good Christmas despite being ill!
Thank you for the messages on my post.
The roses are beautiful. We hope to get some yellow roses this year.
Hugs from Meg and cats xxx
Hi Cindy! We hope you are doing well and doing everything you can to stay healthy.
ReplyDeleteMany hugs,
Deanna
Byisteal
Farren