DECEMBER HANGS ON TO SUMMER

"How like a winter hath my absence been From thee, the pleasure of the fleeting year!
What freezings have I felt, what dark days seen!
What old December’s bareness every where!
And yet this time remov’d was summer’s time;
The teeming autumn, big with rich increase,
Bearing the wanton burden of the prime,
Like widow’d wombs after their lords’ decease:
Yet this abundant issue seem’d to me
But hope of orphans and unfather’d fruit;
For summer and his pleasures wait on thee,
And, thou away, the very birds are mute:
Or, if they sing, ’tis with so dull a cheer,
That leaves look pale, dreading the winter’s near."
- William Shakespeare

December was the third warmest on record.  Many days of 60's and 70's and the garden was yet untouched by a hard freeze.

The Edgeworthia  ( Chinese Paper Bush ) put forth its fragrant blossoms.  The dianthus, autumn sage, silver and gold Japanese Mum and some Korean mums still has blooms.  

Alas, my long-awaited Prunus mume 'peggy clark ' ( ornamental Japanese apricot ) will not bloom this Winter due to the black knot fungus that attacked it this Spring.  It is struggling to put forth new branches after I severely pruned it to get rid of the disease.  I'm hoping it'll make a full recovery over the coming Summer.

In the deep of December I am happy to see the Christmas Rose burst forth in bloom.  The lime green and whites are my favorite .

 Farewell to this last month of the year in the garden.  I'm looking forward to the new year.