what 's blooming .. december 5/12

right now the vibirnum bodnantense is beginning to bloom .. there are several buds on both plants now .. full of the promise of what is to come .. and then there are these two beautifull blooms that have come out ahead of the rest .. one just beginning .. one in its full glory ..

i am intrigued by the life of plants .. for instance, the timing of blooms on a shrub .. what is it that keeps so many buds tight and held to themselves .. and what is it that determines that this one .. or that one .. bloom now ..

when i looked up into the cherry tree this morning .. prunus subhirtella 'autumnalis' .. i felt a bit startled .. is that the word? .. by the first flower .. until this morning what i'd seen when i looked at the cherry was buds .. many buds .. tight and not looking in the least as if they were about to burst .. then, a few days later one flower .. voila!

a light pink burst of colour .. like a beacon of pink-ness .. so sweet ..

then .. i wandered around to the side yard .. the sunny side .. and what did i see but this stunningly brilliant fushia ..

why .. this isn't our 'normal' bloom time for fushia .. usually they are coming into their own in mid to late summer .. yet here it is .. just as if this is where it's supposed to be .. and again .. i am intrigued ..

we've had a warmer autumn and late autumn .. there's no denying that .. but is it just weather that determines when a plant blooms .. is it light .. is it heat .. are there other less tangible factors in place that push one bud to open before another .. is there an order to it all .. ?? .. garden devas perhaps ..

well .. whatever it is .. i am intrigued .. entranced by the magic of it all .. and happy to watch it all unfold .. however and whenever .. i don't think it's really my place to judge .. just to enjoy any flowers blooming this time of the year ..