Categories: uncategorized
Tags: london, naturalhistory, urbanwalks
Date: 26 December 2006 04:47:22
Its no surprise when roses bloom on in suburban gardens in north-east London on Christmas Eve. Everyone knows roses flower all through winter, at least some varieties do. Rosemary is another plant that famously flowers in winter.
Dandelions are just being ruderal and opportunistic, like the ubiquitous (in London) annual mercury no-one (except me) seems to notice, or the little patch of chickweed I just saw, trying to get a breeding cycle into even a few frost-free days. And so far we have had no frost at all this winter so they are in luck. The very struggling Michaelmas daisies might just be late, continuing in flower till winter really starts. (if it ever does)
Those primroses look planted. Maybe they are some weird variety. The Pelargonium do look like some florists variety, and they aren't native, so might not have the cues they need to flower at the right time in our environment. The violets by the gatepost are just about believable - after all there are winter-flowering pansies - though they look as if they might be a florists variety as well.
But hollyhocks? Hollyhocks???? At Christmas? That is absurd.
Almost as absurd as walking home from church on Christmas Eve in North London and seeing over ten species of plants in flower in gardens. Maybe its global warming. Maybe its so the shepherd's can pick a bouquet for Mary. But whatever it is, its strange.