December already?

 How can it possibly be December? Not just because the year has flown by but because it's still getting up in the high 60s during the daytime here in the Bay Area. Well, our gardens certainly don't mind. Without further adieu, here are some recent photos from my garden.

Aloe Sunshine. A new Aloe in my garden, this aptly named variety has sunny yellow flowers.

A new Grevillea, this G. Poorinda Leane is already blooming.

I like the pleasing contrast between the fall colors on my Cotinus Royal Purple and the delicate bluish-green foliage on my Melianthus pectinatus.

This shamrock oxalis is a winter bloomer and also sports vibrant green foliage.

Another photo of my Oxalis White Pillow. I love the dense mound it makes.

My Black lotus (Lotus jacobaeus) is in full bloom, attracting every bee from a mile away. Or so it seems on sunny days.

This sport off an Azalea variety was named Court Jester. The flowers are all different, some with pink portions like this one, others with pink speckling.

After a major pruning, my Duranta has flushed out vibrant golden new growth.

Berberis 'Orange Rocket.' My Berberis is holding onto its foliage late in the season.

Aloe striata (Coral aloe) + Sideritis cypria. These companions have filled in very nicely.

Here is part of my collection of bromeliads and dwarf conifers. Even though they're in pots, the fullness creates a densely planted look and I like them against the backdrop of the tree.

Speaking of dwarf conifers, here is the first collection I planted 10 years ago around the other side of the tree mentioned above.

The patches of Babiana are getting nice and thick. This South African bulb is an early spring bloomer.

Three new bromeliads, added to my extensive collection.

A simple Petunia but pretty nonetheless.

This uncommon Centaurea (C. ragusina) has kept its intense silvery tones.

There are many shades of blue, and flowers exhibiting those colors. I think of this Salvia bullulata Pale Form as being a fine representative of robins-egg blue.

Aeonium 'Sunburst.' This succulent has prospered without much attention.

Kalanchoe variety. This one gets big, with thick rubbery leaves. This girl is just a baby.

Sometimes called 'propeller plant' for its thick, planar leaves, this Crassula falcata has some of the most intense flowers in the world of succulents.

Canarina canariensis. I love the simple reddish-orange tubular flowers on this winter blooming scandent plant.