Bloom Day - January 15, 2013

January is a challenging month for a New England Bloom Day post. The snow has receded as temperatures rose to 58F the day before Bloom Day. I did check for little blooms but there are none. Well one. The reliable Helleborus foetidus is seen above and it has a good long bloom time in spite of its bedraggled, winter damaged foliage. It started blooming prior to Christmas and will continue for another couple of months. Yes, you will see it here in February if the snow is not covering it. I am also counting this allium seed head. It looks like a flower even though it is just the ragged remnants of one. Inside is a different story and there are a couple of houseplants in bloom. The begonias don't even need to bloom since their leaves are so very interesting. These little pink flowers are pretty though and if I keep this plant appropriately watered, more will continue to develop.The violet in the glass terrarium is still blooming and the amaryllis flowers are brightening the windowsill. I am going to petition Carol, hostess of Bloom Day, to take pity on us northern gardeners and call it Birds and Bloom Day. I think this woodpecker is pretty enough to count as a bloom. How about it Carol? No worries, thank you for hosting Bloom Day through the dull days of winter. I can at least visit other garden blogs to help get me through these short days.