Helleborus multifidus

It’s hard to get beyond the usual suspects as we look around the garden for flowering objects in mid-January for Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day.  Let’s face it — this is just not the time when most plants want to be frolicking.  That being said there are always a few things that surprise and delight if you take the time to go looking on a cold dreary winter day.

The Hellebores are all budding up nicely and the species example above, Helleborus multifidus, is fully in flower.  A green flower is always unusual and like all Hellebores the flowers will change color as they hang on for a long time.

Many of the flowers I’ve shared before, like the Red Fall Camellia and the Double pink Spring Camellia are still flowering strongly.

Red Camellia Sasanqua month after month

Double-Pink Camellia japonica

And the Red Flowering Quince pops into bloom whenever the temperature rises to the fifties, which it did briefly last week.

Red Flowering Quince (Chaenomeles)

The Witch Hazel is ready to take it’s turn on the stage.  The first straps appeared this week.

Witch Hazel (Hamamelis mollie) first straps showing

And besides the snowdrops (which are a little ratty for the early ones, and still tight in bud for the later ones) there are a number of plants which are right on the verge.  The Winter Aconite and Adonis are popping up and a Salvia and Rose that are fully budded ready to burst forth.

Winter Aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) just starting up

Adonis amurensis ‘Fukujukai’ poking through

Knockout Rose bud

Salvia nemerosa ‘Caradonna’ in bud

But I guess my real surprise for the day was a flower on one of the Rosemarys.  Not quite like the brilliant blue they get in California, but not to shabby either if you get up close and look at the flower in detail.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)

So that was my surprise for the day, What’s yours?