Crepescule
Roses blooming in January? Yes, it does indeed happen out here in California! But truth be told, there are extremely few roses in bloom right now. In fact, January and February are the ideal months for winter rose-pruning, where the bushes, shrubs, and climbers are either re-shaped and/or sometimes even cut back by as much as half (although all of the newest canes are more protected from severe pruning than that). The cooler temps and the lower amount of daylight bring on winter dormancy in the plants; so pruning them helps them “go to sleep” and get some rest before the spring stimulates them into enthusiastic growing and blooming!
This little apricot-colored rose is “Crepescule” (an old French Noisette climbing rose from 1904), seen here with the beautiful violet blooms from the Australian Hardenbergia vine.
There are actually quite a few winter-bloomers here at Fern Lodge; so we are not without something to pick for fresh flower arrangements for the front desk, just not as much to choose from than during spring & summer.Besides this violet-colored Hardenbergia vine gracing the top of the deer fence, here are some other winter flowers that are in bloom right now, which can make good indoor cut flowers: Calla Lilies, various Camelias, Daphne odora (winter Daphne, which has a delicious fragrance!), Acacia tree, Statice (AKA “Sea Lavendar”), yellow or orange Chasmanthe, and flowering Quince, to name just a few….
The flexible canes of the old French climbing Tea rose, “Sombreuil”, is what you see woven around and through the deer fence here…