It is almost possible to find a rhododendron in bloom every day of the year at UBC Botanical Garden. This species, Rhododendron thomsonii, has a few flowers emerging now. Many of its flower buds, though, were hit by the cold weather and aborted, littering the ground beneath the rhododendron with brussel sprout-sized green blobs. Fortunately, flowers in December aren't the only reason this native to southeast Asia captures winter interest. Particularly striking on rainy or misty days are the stems with their reddish peeling bark on a background of greenish-lavender.
You can learn a bit more about Rhododendron thomsonii subsp. thomsonii via the American Rhododendron Society.
Photography resource link: More serendipity today. I often browse through the photo critique galleries on Nature Photographers Online. Generally, I frequent the flora forum, but occasionally dip into the earth, sea and sky (landscapes) forum. While doing so yesterday, I discovered the work of Adam Gibbs and his stunning landscapes of western North America. He also takes great flora photographs (a runner-up in the Plants category for Wildlife Photographer of the Year in an exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London). Please note – if you browse through the main galleries on his site, use the unmarked navigation arrows below each set of images to advance to the next set of images (each season has 3 or 4 pages worth of photographs, but it isn't immediately obvious).
I noted from his profile on the Natural History Museum site that he lives in Burnaby, which is also my home. Curious, I had to look up his address in the phone book. No more than five blocks away... (and less than a block from my previous residence!). Small world.
This appears to be a species of the Australian tree, known commonly as ribbon eucalyptus, because of the bark coming off in long pieces.
Anna, as fortune would have it, we also have Eucalyptus viminalis in the garden's collection. I don't think it's mature enough to take a comparison photograph, however. Still, I'll check next time I'm in the Alpine Garden.
Rhododendron thomsonii - Z6, RHS Index of Garden Plants, Griffiths
Although variable, of course, being a wild species this one is rated hardy to 5F--making it not too likely to persist in USDA 6. (We sometimes get 5F here in USDA 8). Cox, THE LARGER RHODODENDRONS says
"Hardy enough for most British woodland gardens but may be damaged in cold gardens in very hard winters. Suffered severely in the winters of 1955 and 1972 in north-western North America*, where they find L&S 2847 to be hardier than most introductions."
*That should, of course, be 'north-western USA'