What's In Bloom? July 2026

 Having returned from our recent trip to the warmer climes of Brisbane, we came back to proper Tasmanian winter. As I write this on Saturday, 11 July at 12.40 in the afternoon, the current temperature is 2.3 degrees Celsius with a feel-like temperature of 0.

Winter came late this year, and we loved every extra moment of warmth and sunshine, but it showed up and I imagine it's now here to stay for a while.

I have been working on some massive projects in the garden which I will update soon, but until then, let's look at the little specks of joy dotted through the greyness and fog.

The Hellebores or 'winter rose' is one of my favourite plants. Mine is an evergreen and lives beside the patio and is one of highlights of winter. 

 Also near the patio, in the tropical garden, and should absolutely not still be in flower is the 'Chocolate Cosmos' (Cosmos atrosanguineus). These flowers' most distinguishing feature is their scent. They literally small of chocolate, (I think they smell more of chico baby lollies) I have walked through the patio path and sworn someone was baking brownies. 

I'm very appreciative of the micro-climate that is developing so that plants such as these which should be dying back by now are protected enough from frost to remain evergreen and keep flowering through the winter.

Not yet in flower, but not far off is possibly one of the most beautiful and heady scents in the garden, the Daphne odora. As you can see by the sickly leaves, this Daphne has had a tough trot: scale infestation and several replants looking for a spot she'd be happy, but I think she's on the road to recovery and a permanent home by the back door.

By the front door, and growing up the side of the veranda for privacy, some wind and sun protection and of course another amazingly scented flower: the 'Japanese Honeysuckle' (Lonicera japonica). This climber is such a tough and beautiful workhouse. I monitor it closely as I am very aware that it can be invasive. But at this time of the year the bumble bees are having parties on this plant, it gets no supplementary water, it takes the western sun. It's worth it's weight in gold.

An Australian native climbing workhorse which is as tough, drought hardy and beautiful is the Hardenbergia violacea 'snow white'. I have this growing over wires to create a hedge-like boundary around the fire pit garden. It's really delightful and earlier flowering than its' purple cousin which I also have in the same area.

My rose hedge has not stopped flowering all year.

The Kniphofia 'red hot poker'  have been divided hard in the last year and it's nice to see them popping out a couple of small flowers.

For me, the show stopper is the 'silk tassel bush' Garrya ecliptica with these incredible 20 to 30cm long tassels.

photo courtesy of landmorphology.com

This is not my plant but a photo of what the Garrya can look like at maturity. They're quite incredible.

When we first moved in, I hadn't identified the Garrya and I referred to it as 'The Ugly Bush' and subsequently chopped it to the ground. Being the stubborn plant it is it re-shot and it now about 2.5 metres tall and it bloom. I have since bought others as I genuinely think it's one of the most wonderful small trees/shrubs in the garden.

Although this isn't the nicest time to be in the garden for a human, there are so many signs of rebirth everywhere and the hint that spring isn't too far away.