What's Looking Good December 2025

They're not heavy, only small pots. I usually hang clothes there to dry.

 

I'm relieved @Michael Hewett - because they do look cute!

 

Camellia.



Skimmia "Carnaval" with green and red flower buds.



Lower garden in winter mode. The grasses, tree fern and dried Rudbeckia hold interest and Erigeron is still flowering.

 

Not a lot is looking good in the garden at the moment, normal because my garden is mostly hardy perennials, roses and lawn.

However, the pheasants that keep popping over the fence provide a splash of colour!

 

The last rose

 

This isn't my favourite season in the garden.
The deciduous plants have mostly lost their leaves, the lawn area is muddy (thanks to lots of rain + having clay soil) and it's difficult to keep things tidy. But there is still some life nevertheless.

Some of the roses haven't completely given up yet.





Viburnum Tinus is in full bloom. It's not a plant that excites me but I appreciate it more during the cold months.


I have 2 Pieris that seem to think Spring is around the corner.


Berries on Gaultheria Mucronata:


Carex Heather Falls:


Heathers are another plant that doesn't quite excite me overall, but they add some colour now.



I still love the two Calamagrostis Karl Foerster I have in my back garden and I am surprised by the fact that they are still green.

 

Your garden's still looking good with lots of colour @CostasK. I think your Calamagrostis is enjoying your clay soil. Mine, in sand, went brown many weeks ago but is still a favourite!

 

Thank you @Plantminded and thanks again for the recommendation for Calamagrostis Karl Foerster prior to getting them. I love them.

I am a little surprised regarding the clay soil to be honest. I did amend it quite a bit to improve drainage (with potting grit and cheap peat free compost) but it would appear that they appreciate a bit of moisture retention, as long as the soil still drains well.

 

Moisture retention and more nutrients in clay soil will encourage better leafy growth @CostasK. Once established after a year or so they are impressively drought tolerant, I never water mine. I’d avoid any manure or fertiliser though, the flower stalks can become lax and brittle in wind and rain. Yours look good enough to divide next year if you want to.

 

Since October our Iris unguicularis has been sending up 1 or 2 flowers. Since November the flowers have increased and continue to do so. We have 2 clumps and they give us great pleasure to see them in such abundance of flowers as the original plant was given to us by Sister Jackie who helped us many decades ago and it always reminds us of her and all she did for us.
Sorry not a brilliant photo.

 

Calamagrostis acutiflora "Karl Foerster" Salvia confertiflora on RHS


Daffodils


Antirrhinum "Night and Day"


Daphne bholula "Darjeeling"

 

Apologies for this battered dahlia flower (from cold greenhouse), but the colour is a bit different.
Dahlia australis x tenuicaulis

 

That dahlia colour is interesting @NigelJ - mauve?
And confertiflora still flowering!!!
Love the iris @On the Levels !

 

Mauve is good, my note says purplish pink.
It's unusual in that it can reach 15 ft tall and flowers year round. I'm told it should be hardy with me; so next year, once I have a spare, I'll plant it out in the garden.

It's been silly mild this autumn and only two mornings with frost on car window and one with white grass at the front.

 

@NigelJ mauve became an unfashionable term. I read many years ago about one grower of cattleya for corsages in USA being interviewed about the colour of his flowers. He said "mauve is flattering to women of a certain age" - killed his business! A Gerald Ratner moment.