15 February 2008

Garden Blogger's Bloom Day: Endless FARCH, Pt 1


Once again it's time for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, the keep-gardeners-sane project developed by Carol of May Dreams Gardens, and it's been really cheering for a northern gardener like me to see those of you with real blossoms outside in your garden. As some of you know, (in some cases, first hand!) this has been the week of much weather here in Nova Scotia, and we're all a bit weatherbeaten. But in my office, it's sort of summery; because there are no less than a dozen plants flowering, with a few others scattered through the house.
Deliver me from plant temptation, though, because this azalea is doing quite nicely; so much so that I'm deeply tempted to go get one I saw the other day in a deep purple colour--I'd never seen a house azalea that colour before, and the blossoms were larger too. Will I go back and get it? More importantly--will it still be there when I go back?


Although the growth on my evolvolus is looking a little straggly from lack of sunlight, it's still producing flowers every few days. IN another month I'll cut it way back and start fertilizing it, getting it ready for going outdoors for the summer, but meanwhile, these blue flowers just make me very happy.


Another great success this winter has been the flowering of the Phaelenopsis--so well has it done that I'm getting mentally psyched to pick up a couple more easy orchids. There are two upcoming orchid shows happening, one in Halifax and one in Wolfville, and I know a couple of serious orchid-breeders/raisers, so you all know what will happen when I go visit them!


This is a first in a long time! My pheasant-breast aloe is starting to flower! This is one of those plants that pleases me so much architecturally because of its shape and colouring and texture, it doesn't have to bloom to be a star--so right now, it's really taking pride of place.


Although the flowers have long since dropped from the two poinsettias that I've still got (I let the other two go to sleep), this pink one and the bicolour are both still doing well, holding all their leaves and coloured bracts too. They're only small plants, and will likely succumb to be tired after a while, but for now, I still am enjoying them immensely.


Those saintpaulias/African violets I rescued from the bigbox store have settled in nicely and appear to be thriving. They are also, so far, cathair free, because I've cleverly put them where the cat children can't get at them. Plus they don't seem to be tempting dietary supplements, so no one has come after them to chew on them.


Someone--it may have been Diane of Alberta Postcards, whose current Blooms Day post is from Lotusland, also known as British Columbia--mentioned the fragrance of cyclamen in a post some months back. I have to confess I hadn't noticed any scent before, and I do find it somewhat ephemeral. The while cyclamen appears to produce the most scent, and that early in the day, and I love the purity of its blossoms, too.

A final note--I'm delighted to see how many have participated in the Garden Bloggers Geography Project so far! It's really enjoyable to learn more about where you live and garden, so different from my location. And yes, I'll get a post up about HERE, too, perhaps sometime this weekend. I also have several book reviews and my Wildflowers in Winter post to do, plus finish a couple of articles and start drafts on others. I'm never bored--frequently tired, but never bored--as we count down the days til spring arrives, (first, however, I gotta survive FARCH!)

15 comments:

  1. You do have a lot of irons in the fire, don't you? Though the weather outside is bad, the blooms inside have to give you reason for some hope. They look wonderful. Now, go back and get that azalea.

    Thanks for joining us for bloom day again.

    Carol, May Dreams Gardens

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  2. Leave it to you to have that lovely blue color even in your winter garden Jodi. I just discovered Evolvolus this past summer. It did so well for me. I want to use it again this summer. I had no clue that one could bring it in for winter. I guess my mind just doesn't work in that way. I kill most of what comes inside for winter. I hate to feel guilty over a flower. :/ All of your blooms are beautiful.

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  3. Wow, it's spring inside your home! You have lots of blooms!

    I don't know that I could resist the azaleas. We lived in an older neighborhood in Alabama and the azaleas there were huge and everywhere. I love driving around in the spring when they were blooming.

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  4. Wow, Jodi, you have lots of blooms this month. My favourite is the Orchid followed by 'Blue Daze'.

    I have no doubt you'll be building up your Orchid collection in the next while. That will be fun to see.

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  5. You have so many lovely indoor flowers. I have none. I kill houseplants so I have relegated myself to two bromeliads and they were gifts! You phaelenopsis is beautiful I can't believe you are calling it EASY! Yikes. I've killed several in years past but was thinking about buying one yesterday. I think i over handle/water them. You'll have to post tips from your friends and the shows to give me courage to try again.

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  6. Jodi: you are a smart lady to surround yourself with so many colors, textures and blooms. That alone has to make your winter warmer. And imagine... azaleas...growing indoors in the middle of winter! Was that your pretty red bromeliad sitting next to them hiding out of range from the photo?

    I'm working on my geography post-- what a great idea you came up with!
    Have a great weekend.
    Meems at hoe and shovel.

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  7. Jodi, you are worrying me with all your irons and late night hours. I think I am getting up, around 5 am, when you are going to sleep! Surrounding yourself with plants and flowers seems like the way to maintain sanity during the length of winter. The catchildren must help keep you happy as well. Please don't overtax yourself!

    Frances at Faire Garden

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  8. Sending you some sunshine from Florida, Jodi. Great post on your indoor garden.

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  9. What a treat to be surrounded by blooms in your office, Jodi. I imagine that would be very inspiring, though perhaps very distracting as well!

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  10. Hi.. I like your blue flower, I think it's not common color for flower. What's flower is that? I like your orchid too, Phalaenopsis..

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  11. Carol, yup, I like to have multiple things going on...it's the left-handed/right brain quirks in me. It's too cold here today to go get plants, so I'll have to wait til the weather moderates again.

    Lisa, I killed my first evolvolus that I brought indoors because I forgot to water it, and it really resents that...;-( But I love the colour so much, I had to try again, and this one is doing fine. So far.

    Robin, I know...the azaleas are irresistable. Here, the ones that do especially well are the deciduous types, but these indoor ones aren't hardy outdoors.

    Kate, you grew 'Blue Daze' too, didn't you? Did you bring yours indoors? I should remember, but my brain is a bit cluttered.

    Diana, welcome! My phael gets rather rough treatment--it's in a north facing window that is made of coloured and antique glass panels, so it's cold there. I water it occasionally, mist it more often because there's a Phormium beside it and I want to prevent spider mite outbreaks, and other than that, the plant is on its own. Maybe it's a masochistic orchid?

    Meems, loved your bloom day report, and explained about these azaleas there. I didn't include my bromeliad because I posted about it a couple weeks back.

    Frances, not to worry...because I work from home, I can set my own hours. It all gets done, and I thrive on being busy--and luckily my longsuffering spouse doesn't mind doing things like housework, laundry, etc. :-)

    Carolyn, thanks for the sunshine! The heat, however, got lost somewhere between here and Florida--we're at about -10 F with windchill today.

    Nan, the blooms don't really distract me unless one of the plants is screaming "water me....I'm wilting...I'm wilting..." You know what cyclamen can be like.....

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  12. Hooray, I got in! (I've been trying for 25 minutes ...) Lovely blooms you have. I've never heard of a pheasant-breast aloe and would love to see what it looks like ... do you have a photo in an archived post I could find my way to?

    I'm jealous about the cyclamen. My cyclamen only has 5 leaves left ... the tea brought it back to life but I lost all the buds. Aren't the white just the best??!! Love cyclamen.

    Diane
    Alberta Postcards
    Diane's Flickr photos

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  13. The blue of your evolvolus makes me very happy too! :D

    Cindy at Rosehaven Cottage

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  14. Lucky you to have so many beautiful blooms Jodi. That white cyclamen leaves me speechless...I adore the shape!
    Sweet little violet :)
    I awoke to the sound of shattering this morning. One naughty kitty was in big trouble! The damage: A fancy-leaved Begonia in a terra cotta pot on the floor..pot broken (saved and repotted plant). Several leaves of 2 violets given by a friend knocked to the floor. 2 casualties...damage repaired as best it could be. Good news: the leaf cuttings had rooted!
    Kitty is in disgrace.
    I'm adding Evolvulus to my wish list. What a colour!

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  15. Thanks for the link, Jodi. Since you can't have outdoor flowers yourself, you've done a fine job of surrounding yourself with floral beauty indoors. Nice Bloom Day post.

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