Christmas in Oakland

Here are some of the colorful things in my yard on the darkest day of the year:

Cestrum aurantiacum, an unscented relative of night-blooming jasmine.

Berries of Nandina domestica.

The leaves of Osmanthus heterophyllus 'Ogon' turned bright yellow during the recent cold snap.

I planted this Parthenocissus henryana to cover the cinder block wall in the back corner of my yard.  But now it seems more intent on climbing into my neighbors yard.  It's a relative of Boston ivy and Virginia creeper.

Close up view of the Parthenocissus henryana leaves.

Two Solanum sisymbriifolium berries, one ripe, one not quite.

My Christmas gift to myself:  new back steps.  Now I don't need to take my life into my hands every time I do laundry.

During a windstorm, this Easter Island statue fell on the nearby Tibetan tree peony. I thought it was lights out for the peony, which was disappointing because it's not the easiest plant to find for sale.

But just as winter begins, Paeonia lutea var. ludlowii is sending out new leaves from its crumpled stems.  Here's hoping it will pull through.  I bought a small fence to protect it from falling statues.

I still haven't been able to figure out the genus of this Tibouchina.  I only remember it starts with a 'P'.

The fuzzy leaves of the mystery Tibouchina.

Tecoma capensis 'Lutea' against the garage wall.

Morgan enjoying the new steps.

Erica verticillata amid the dropping leaves of the moss rose.

Close up of the Erica verticillata.

Rhus integrifolia about to bloom, and Rosa setigera shedding the last leaves of fall.  

The flowers of Daphne bholua aren't much to look at, but they are very fragrant.

Christmas Tree.