Great looking pics

I'll have to add mahonia to my garden for Jan. bloom.

They won't normally bloom this early. The blooms this year are because it's so unusually warm.

i was at summit hospital in hermitage january 12 and saw a purple leaf plum tree in full bloom. i couldn't believe it! one next to it was trying with all it's might to do it but just getting started. great winter-hope it lasts.

Mahonia usually starts blooming now in my area, (7b) although there is quite a bit of variation between plants. My plants are all seed started, and in 4 clumps there are 5 variations. One of the clumps has a rogue shoot that is different from the rest. Two of the clumps are starting to bloom now, one has lots of buds, and one has just started to send up the bloom spikes.

My Mahonia sometimes flowers as early as Christmas, and it's always flowering by mid-Jan. Just goes to show what difference microclimates can make.

One of my Camellias had flowers on it last week.

This morning I noticed a flower on Homestead Purple Verbena, and my first bulb, a Scilla, has two bright blue flowers. The unseasonably warm weather has them fooled. Some of my early daffodils and Hellebores have buds too. Those usually flower for me in early to mid February.

Yesterday I thought to check for scent. Got poked for the effort, but found that mahonia smells like roses!

I have seen Mahonia in the woods at Percy Warner Park . Boy they sure are stickery . Color is exciting this time of year . Hamamelis ( Witch Hazels )are tops as well as Prunus mume . Both are blooming outside Nashville this time of year which is normal . Another is Edgeworthia chrysantha , ummmmm .

Finally we have something blooming at the farm - a weeping pussy willow. This is the first year it has bloomed so I am happy to see it. Lots of daffodil bud stalks are pushing up, too. Some as high as 6-8" already.

We had a Witch Hazel (Arnold's Promise) planted last August. I was expecting to see yellow flowers in Jan., but nothing. Does anyone know if it takes a couple of years before we see flowers on this in Jan?

Crocus are bloomimg all over the yard here at Cheapwood.

I walked around my yard today and noticed the following blooming: crocus; hellebores; winter jasamine (has been in full bloom for about a month). I have some verbena 'Snowflurry' that has bloomed most of the winter--not lots of blooms but most any day one can find a few white blossoms. Love that plant!!! I saw a gloriosa daisy in bloom before this last cold snap. My winter honeysuckle is in full bud as well as the forsythia. Oh, yes, I also saw a dandelion in bloom--guess I need to spend a few hours getting rid of some winter weeds.

The joy of Mahonia blooming in January is that the pale blooms float in mid-air against the disappearing dark foliage when captured by the porch light after dark. Which is when most of us get to see it. Highly recommended for planting under the window of any resident teenagers.

Hope you don't mind an incursion from an ex-pat

Hey Ragdollblue , You will never see 'Arnold Promise' flower in Jan. , it is more late season . Before this last cold snap , they were just beginning to unfurl . For Jan. may I suggest 'Jelena' ( Ya-lena )or 'Pallida' . The above are intermedias which are hybrids of Chinese and Japanese varieties . Feb. cultivars that are nice are 'Aphrodite', 'Aurora' , 'Diane' , and anything orange . Our native vernalis is getting better with purple and red flowers . Some virginiana cultivars are floating around , even dwarfs . By the way Ham. ver. 'Blue Moon' does not have blue flowers . At least the two I have don't . What a cool genus . Some propagators are using Parrotia as understock to do away with the suckers .

Ok hope I do this right to post a photo. This is my winter jasmine. It starts blooming in January and is just finishing now.