I love the deep red color of Hamemelis ‘Diane’, but after seeing other posts where the petals are much longer, with that torn paper look, I’m a little disappointed with her. Sorry, Diane. You will not be replaced, but you may need to share space with a showier, more fragrant cousin: perhaps ‘Early Bright’, as featured in Danger Garden’s bloom day post. 
Enjoying safe harbor in a pot on the porch, Viburnum bodnantense ‘Dawn’ surprised me with these early blossoms while I wait for the real show to begin. The new foliage comes on with fiery orange energy.
The foliage is brown and tattered, but the feathery blooms of the Miscanthus ‘Grazillia’ continue to catch the light and wave in the breeze. 
Winter jasmine is just getting started but the star of this show is the post bedecked with moss and lichen. Also in bloom but not especially photogenic are snowdrops and primroses (the prim girls make up for their shyness by blooming pretty much year-round). Some parts of the world are enjoying more abundance. You can tap into that resource by visiting May Dreams Gardens. Have fun!
Hi Ricki, The photo of the Jasmine leaning on the be-speckled post and the intriguingly blurry background–very cool! Actually the V. b. ‘Dawn’ blooms are not early. Mine starts blooming reliably in November and doesn’t stop until April. The cold weather in December set it back a little but it’s alive and kicking now. My snowdrops must be a later-blooming species. They aren’t even out of the ground yet. Nice job on the grass photo too. Scott’s photography skills are rubbing off on all of us, aren’t they? Cheers.
I kust saw that my neighbor’s Viburnam bodnantense is blooming and was reminded again how lovely it is. Wish I had the room for it, and for some Jasmine nudiflorum. These small pleasures play big in January!
I’m really going to find a Hamemelis of some sort this year ..I say that every year !
Grace~Yes, Scott has raised the bar (out of my reach, I’m afraid, but I’ll keep trying).
Jane~You’re right! Thank Gaia for small pleasures.
Linda~I have that mantra for many, many things. They always seem to be upstaged by something else.
I finally gave in to the temptation and picked up a Hamemelis ‘Early Bright.’ Between you and Alison and Loree I had to have one!
Winter Jasmine! I don’t know much about it. Does it have a pleasant scent like other Jasmine plants? I think your Hamemelis is beautiful, even if it isn’t as showy as some others. Lucky you to have severl beautiful plants in bloom! Happy GBBD!
Poor Diane, showing off like that only to be dissed in favor of a witch hazel with inferior flowers! I do think she’s lovely. You’ve also got me wondering what’s up with my winter jasmine that’s doing nothing. Need to look closer tomorrow in the daylight…
Love the shot of the Miscanthus…especially with those handsome Phlomis stems in the background! Is that the same Witch Hazel you had last year…where the top bloomed a different color than the bottom?
I just got a Diane after admiring her at nurseries last winter and seeing her fabulous red fall foliage. Mine has longer and brighter colored petals. I will be getting rid of a Witch Hazel that has been in my garden for many years and “blooms” each year with no petals at all, just the calyx looking bits and no fragrance. Maybe I need to look for ‘Early Bright’ as well. Hamemelis are a mysterious bunch!
A shame Diane isn’t living up to your expectations. It’s always disappointing when a plant does that isn’t it?
Ricki – can I ask what the seed heads are to the right of the Miscanthus? I feel I should know but don’t. They look great.
Heather~We ganged up on you with good results.
PP~My nose is not the best, but I detected no scent from the Jasmine…maybe when more of those buds open.
Loree~I usually credit our slight elevation and colder temps with later bloom times, but I guess these plants just have a mind of their own. Perhaps microclimates are the culprits?
Scott~Good memory. Yes, Diane has a split personality. I cut out all the yellow parts, but new shoots have appeared. No blooms though.
Peter~I’m hoping mine will get a little showier before it gives out. The bloom time seems to be pretty short. And yes, they are draped in mystery.
Angie~The seed heads are Phlomus russeliana: one of my favorites for year-round interest.
Great post.