Here we are at the midpoint of the month again. Since last month's Bloom Day, we've had rain to the point of flooding, and high winds as well. But as I walked around my waterlogged garden, I was struck by how long-lasting several of last month's bloomers were in spite of the challenging weather they'd endured. In fact, some of the flowers I'll show you today are the actual blooms I showed last month.
Case in point: this
Daphne x
transatlantica 'Eternal Fragrance' - this is the exact flower cluster I pictured in mid-November, still in bloom.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJVDR8n8jv64b5XOUZH51C-GZZWlaNRp4WrpLVnVYMguTFJ_8DXOCSTgkDGgMs_zWytU3vq9qQzAcfxWtRxsldBJQwkPB61Ve6slAbGvV443XPUEZZSNK_Jx8CFUpu7HuaCJ2YVhVCqo/s640/IMG_8733.jpg)
Remember this lone
Digitalis purpurea bloom from last month? It's a little ragged, but still flowering through our downpours.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk8HJsqVEypd5Pv4Rx20Mx-9x3UZMfognM-nM7duPAXeCekmSeq7ZL4V0zoivMB50jNISX8mupmCuiUro9RuswgSGJkOBs9RCVhYJs38wHGeushHqIFskZ1dB1orMRdNh-Tw05b5r2K1k/s640/IMG_8723.jpg)
A hungry hummingbird led me to discover that
Arctostaphylos 'Austin Griffiths' flowers are opening all over the plant. And these blooms are early - last year at this time the buds were still tightly closed.
Abutilon megapotamicum is another of last month's bloomers that just keeps eking out a few more flowers - or are these the same ones, miraculously preserved by our cool, wet month?
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcIg9LUtrbPt5PW0nUM5RoNWBfI89iHhxtyGwU1i7ubQqHNxRsYFow20dGUwxkbALlrJiNXfD5vubjGQKxzJHcJFlR_Fg-Dl8z3cvRjeD0-8SiwXs12h2bC8ratdXwrNv4pnXsKEYWH40/s640/IMG_8728.jpg)
It's really no surprise that the Rosemaries are still blooming from last month: this is their time to shine.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjlS9riZQbZG6qahaBXA1OGB9qLzPqVAvSct1tZ0F3EWPh4a0ednEFPOjCjLKFipH8u9lU6rDwoGDYMSLxzX_mYoZsNWpOBxYHWVNhecQbO1CS5Tqsr18ZCeLOyyemN3xpVMUPoPdfr1E/s640/IMG_8736.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB9OEp28Fh0aUXJIpGH53u2NYV8Cm3EleF1N_B74fCj_StVZ73dVIbTv5Nh7paB64y9T-5bgisNrGiNBPJ0QbKOF5mwNxKDdHKZGqUXjTA5l0GkuD2WnGvCIpTpY4Z-Dms_-PUylJ_USI/s640/IMG_8737.jpg)
Indoors (and I'm anticipating here) a bud is developing in a pot of Sarracenia. The flower will likely be brown and unspectacular, but it's always fun to see a plant bloom for the first time.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF3CHNjvqntpETYVVNcYuvOMVfJpqJX1bGkzV-0edxJoCGzovDDi9MeofnmL4kClZ-D0PyYitxHuh6y5JuVOurX8HEzgKmJYe01FK5Dis8FXI0CBMcXYeLUJKz1NFSxVzPHdchy1oC2JA/s640/IMG_8745.jpg)
In the spirit of the season, a
Schlumbergera bridgessii or Christmas Cactus, is putting out a few bright blooms. This one used to bloom at Halloween (making it a Halloween Cactus?) until an unfortunate accident involving a very bad cat apparently shook up its flowering time.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKk2ZoaKcfp7aUgeHJwBBX9H4A5q67LjvPSk67_WaIJU0zOwzxRw9dXHCS0ISmr3kxCfs4RTB-k8dci2g8V0-Uq_9Xl2kR7pZZmN7YOo0q_gBV8x3FCpkn6_SzGjio1CjdS1GOvk0_VVE/s640/IMG_8740.jpg)
The blooms looks even more festive with the backing of my mid-century aluminum Christmas tree.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRurgXTRzAK3eH-wOeuSgXfaPMkrWrQOdRSrfluIaNXmkP6GuHmJ_9wD5vBMSrmcGIUbl-H4PmLEiA2CUi5Q9m4JPM1GJb4QiR_gkWK_KuZ30Cc323q9I3Kaaq_Zl1Kfh4UAJ22ys_E0E/s640/IMG_8741.jpg)
Let's go back outside for the finale:
Camellia sasanqua 'Yuletide' is doing its best to brighten up the back garden in Christmas color.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh4-hCfhUBptDPpL30Kp8bv1cLDJxJm8Dcuaaod_S6zF5zZ7O1TIOZbxei9ZFbmkD9SySGlxZfoZnOXFeYO4T9QXbRVDHLG2kOjW2fh2tY5BeID_Dn1sIZVPDjJOg1-B2-CPDjdc3VVtg/s640/IMG_8725.jpg)
I'm especially glad to see these flowers since the summer heat was hard on the three plants we have in this corner: One may need to come out and only this one has produced any buds or blooms.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9VgmiZ65P7XLtUeZ6g5TR0GJKxTmu8-6G8p5kTI9gCg0Tz24QML-xyceDIYOUlRZdqfRujNFujBUhEGpW1sUMljLYzMA1ODgd2_Bxzmbn_GLDipIvmiZCmR3sQwlv_O0O0LqoB2xjWYc/s640/IMG_8726.jpg)
It's a lovely, bright note in a soggy space.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqP0XBo9KAUZWw_x11V7i8NE8haPzS-HqvI3FaF-Hd6KG3dQ-GR9Aq4-lcLC257wiX1FfVhnTF_yYnexzdQy8JHnKR2NtLUpiAsyjUA1s9W8W3cvqSY6PNUCLA2Shh_lvWzpxIiOsFENw/s640/IMG_8724.jpg)
I'm joining
May Dreams Gardens to celebrate Bloom Day. Check out Carol's post there for lots of other December blooms from all over.
Happy Bloom Day!