Mid-Winter Garden Update

At this time of year, it's pitch dark by the time I get home from work, so I can't go out into the garden except on weekends. It's a little depressing, but not so much happens in the garden in the garden at this time of year -- or so I thought! As it turns out, I have even more photospam for Winter than I have for any other season so far!
It was such a dull day that the flash went off for most of the photos. It looks like I was wandering around my garden in the dark, but I really wasn't ...

The nectarine tree has gone to sleep for the Winter. It'll need pruning and copper treatment soon. It's strange to see the orange merrily fruiting in the background, but I'm not complaining.

Winter oranges, yum!

The little cherry tree that we planted last Summer is dormant as well, but these buds have appeared, so I think it's OK.

After growing strongly for much longer than expected, the sweet potato is starting to die down. According to my information, once the leaves turn yellow and die down, it's time to dig up the sweet potatoes. Looks like that will be next weekend!

The one thing we've been most successful in growing so far is chillis!

See what I mean?

Many plants are thriving, even in the middle of Winter. I've read that gardeners in colder climates are jealous of our double growth cycle, and was never quite sure what they meant until I started seeing our daisies flowering again, after having flowered already in late Spring.

I'm not quite sure what these are, but they're loving the cool, rainy weather as well.

The Winter cactus (called Christmas cactus or Thanksgiving cactus in some places, I think) is about to flower as well. It's a sentimental favourite!

Cool moss on a tree stump.

The fig tree that we dug up and potted. (The previous owners of the house had planted too close to the other fruit trees.) For a long time I thought it hadn't survived the transfer, but I was very happy to see some leaves growing from near the base about a month ago.

The rosemary plant is flowering like nothing else! Do they normally flower in Winter? I don't know, but it's beautiful.

Remember a few months ago when I planted some bulbs? I said that I'd have to wait until Spring to see if they would grow? Well, apparently not. Most of them have sprouted already. I think I might have to fertilise them soon, I'd better look that up.

And finally, these plants, which look kind of manky most of the year, suddenly sprout these amazing fire-orange flower clusters right in the middle of Winter when everything else is dull and grey. Husband and I have discussed digging them up, but how can I when this happens? Amazing.