How lovely is that! I'm amazed how upright your Pat Austin is - and looking very happy this December day! I'm preparing to prune all the roses next week. The impatiens are finally starting to look peaked and need a hair cut.

If this is what December garden looks like, I might consider moving to a zone 9! :-)
Debbie, you garden is absolutely fabulous and so inviting. Thank you for sharing!
~Natalie in zone 7

Debbie,

As always, your photos are beautiful. Wow, those plums look good, and your photo of lilacs together with oranges, continues to astound me. Did I mention that I have started to see citrus trees for sale at local nurseries? I think that's really pushing the zone, but oh, I would love to be able to grow fresh oranges in my backyard.

Love the tipsy pots with the strawberries and pansies. It sounds like you had a wonderful stroll through your garden. Thanks for taking us along!

Marilyn

The only new picture here is of the strawberry pots. The others are from other times during the past year, some of my favorites I am not yet ready to delete. So funny that Pat Austin and the plums happened to be just where they are on the photo page.
Anne, My Pat is so nice! About four feet tall now, nestled in a south east facing corner and still putting out buds! Today's spray has red stems and bright pink inner petals backed with a pale peach. So pretty!

Natalie, For the most part the garden is closed down for a few weeks, with lots of bare ground showing. I am counting down the six weeks to daffodil time! : )

Marilyn, Do try a citrus tree! My next door neighbor has a Meyer lemon in a pot, so cute with a dozen or so lemons hanging on a two foot tree! In a pot you could move it to shelter as needed. My rancher friends tell me there are a number of new oranges on the market. Maybe one of them would work well for you.

Debbie ~ Your Pat is just beautiful and your plums luscious looking and I love all of your wonderful garden shots. Gives me inspiration to get out and work in our gardens today and tomorrow. Thank you for sharing ~ FlowerLady

Strawberries in December? Are they Alpine's. Love the tipsy pots!

I enjoyed touring your secret garden so much. It's been some time since you've posted pic's. You've made such progress and achieved a lush cottage garden. The plum tree is to die for. You captured an artistic shot of the Solomon seal, love it.

When does your hellebore start to bloom?

Beautiful Deb! I love your tipsy pots. I will have to try that this spring since I'm going to be doing nothing but containers this year. The sun is shining in Vancouver today although the high temps are low forties. Getting closer to spring as each day passes. Loved to see your pictures. Happy New Year!

What fun, Debbie. Now I have to ask....Do you eat them? What do they taste like?

Libby

Debbie, your garden is wonderful! I love the tall aquilegia in your April photo. I've only tried the shorter types so far, but I see I need to put the longer version on my wish list!

Also, I've been wanting to get a taller trellis for my young 'Huldine' and 'Betty Corning' clems, which are currently scrambling over some pink knockout roses. Now that I've seen your lovely "Mme Julia" on the wooden ladder I know it will be a perfect solution to my problem! (and it will be a good excuse to get that old rickety ladder out of use!)

Thanks for sharing!
PattiOh

You caught me Libby! The strawberries are ever bearing types, I do not remember the specific cultivar. No, they do not really taste good. Not as bad as the ones you get in the market too early in the season, but they are not juicy, just very crisp and somewhat strawberry flavored. There was a big one I was saving for Christmas morning for my sweetie and he, not knowing of course, went out Christmas Eve and picked it. So we laughed and shared it.

Edna, the hellebore will start blooming in a few weeks. Later January. I have six good sized plants now. Since they are evergreen they are my bones plants to my shady garden.

PattiOh, The ladder is way cool, huh? I got the idea from a magazine, and like you say, a good way to move the old one along.

Today we are socked in with fog, as is typical. I am glad I got that sunny day and enjoyed it while it was here.

WOW! I'm stunned by the fact that people have such beautiful yards in December! Not used to that here:( Beautiful gardens PattiOh. Really lovely and inspiring. I've just decided I need to pay a visit to the local flower nursery tomorrow :)