Christmas Time Is Here

A Merry Christmas, friends bloggers!
¡Feliz Navidad!
Wesołych Świąt!
Hyvää joulua!
Vrolijk kerstfeest!
Häid jõule!

      Gledelig jul!    

  

GBBD in December

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, mid-December. Nothing blooms in my garden that is in the rain and sometimes under the snow. At home, in the city it's really blooming day, the home plants are in their best.
Small Gloxinia started to bloom 8 buds. Gloxinia (correct name Sinningia) is a tuberous plant with soft velvety leaves and bell-shaped flowers of various colors. It's one of the most showy flowering potted plants.

This young begonia has grown in the garden without any flower and now inside it blossoms prettily. Lovely bright red flower in Christmas time.

And finally my beauties, miniature roses Ice Angel. I have two of them and the first one is in bloom. 3 buds appeared a week ago, now one bud is opening. This time is the darkest in the year, I bought special phito-lamp for the plants because roses need more light.

I hope all buds will have opened until Christmas.  New poinsettia decorates my desk, the last year ones are very slowly to bloom.

What is blooming in your house, in your garden now?

Pond Plants

It's December without snow, my garden is brown with fallen leaves and dark grass. My four water lilies are in the deepest spot of the pond, there the water doesn't freeze during winter. Ten years ago when my new pond was empty I found the hardiest Nymphaea because I needed to keep in mind our cold winters.

Usually hardy nymphaea (Nymphaea spp.), or water lilies are aquatic perennials that grow in zones 4 through 10, my zone is 5a. As aquatic perennials, hardy water lilies have flowers that grow either float on the water surface or above the leaves on stiff stalks. My four water lilies are red, raspberry-like, pink and pure white colors. Their round green leaves grow up to 15 cm in diameter. Many insects love sitting on their leaves or flowers, flying above the water.

Before winter coming I tidied up old leaves and rubbish to keep the pond clean. Usually I cut all Nymphaea leaves and buds in the end of October. Now Nymphaea 'sleep' under an ice till spring.  

Looking at calm pond I recall bright, amazing water life with lilies, insects, birds and frogs.  
Do have a pond in your garden? Do you plan to have it?