My Dogwood shrubs are sporting their Winter colours now. I just love them!
The variety in the photo above is one that during the Summer has plain mid-green leaves, so not particularly exciting, but when Winter strips off those leaves, Wow! I don't know what its official name is, because I have grown it (several specimens) from some cuttings I pinched from the side of a road in Milton Keynes a few years ago. For this reason I refer to it as "Cornus Alba Milton Keynesii".
At the base of one of the other Dogwoods there is currently an area where something has cleared a little open space about 3 feet square amongst the fallen leaves. I don't know what has done this, but it reminds me a lot of the "dance floors" that Birds of Paradise make for their courting rituals! (Not that I think we have any Birds of Paradise here in Fleet!)
It has the definite look of having been either danced upon or slept upon, because it is very flattened.
Elsewhere, The Dogwood "Midwinter Fire" is currently shedding its yellow Summer livery in favour of Winter pink.
Hopefully it will go darker than this when we get some proper (cold) Winter weather.
Here are some more Wintry colours / Christmas decorations seen in the garden...
Christmas-tree baubles?
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| Chilli "Christmas Bell" |
The vegetable equivalent of tinsel?
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| Water droplets on a Broccoli leaf |
The red dogwood stems are one of my favorite this time of year. They're really striking and add to the festive theme of holiday red!
ReplyDeleteI don't suppose the patch could be created by a foraging blackbird could it? or maybe slept on by a cat? Guerilla cuttings now eh? I once took a cutting from a large garden and it died ti o punish me.
ReplyDeleteYes, well, but... I reckon that nicking a few twigs from a HUGE line of bushes at the side of a dual-carriageway is probably excusable.
DeleteAs I look at a huge molehill in my lawn and all the holes dug by rabbits I envy you your gentle cultivating visitor!
ReplyDeleteThat first dogwood is gorgeous, it really puts on a display.
ReplyDeleteI've just been taking some dogwood from the garden to use in flower arrangements.
ReplyDeleteThey are just perfect ;D