Nice Surprises for April Fools' Day!

This afternoon on returning from work, it was not only still light outside but also sunny!  I could see from my car that a box had been delivered to my front porch.  I'd not ordered anything lately so wondered what it might be.   Upon seeing the return address label (Les Parks, Norfolk VA) I realized that this was a prize from A Tidewater Gardener's Winter Walk Off drawing. I was surprised at the large size of the package but thrilled that there were so many beautiful Channeled Whelk Shells!  These are east coast creatures although they've been introduced to the San Francisco area and reminded me of visiting the beach in Connecticut (visiting relatives) as a child.

These are east coast creatures although they've been introduced to the San Francisco Bay and reminded me of visiting the beach in Connecticut (visiting relatives) as a child. According to the Smithsonian's website,  the wampum crafted by native Americans was made from the twisted central axis from channeled whelks and knobbed whelks.

I love sea shells and the first thing I did was to hold one up to my ear and sure enough, even way out here on the Pacific coast,  I could hear the waves of the Atlantic.

Because I'm currently on a tillandsia kick, this is the first thing I thought of.  Les enclosed a nice note saying that these could be drilled for drainage and planted with sempervivum or sedum.  For now, I'll just leave them on the table and enjoy them!  Thanks Les for another fun winter walk off and for this wonderful prize!

On Sunday I saw these cut proteas on sale at Costco.  I'm not a huge cut flower kind of person but these were so spectacular and since they were grown in the U.S. and reminded me of seeing them growing in the ground in California, they got thrown in the cart.

As I was unpacking Les's shells the sun sreamed through a window and hit the blooms making them glow.

A sunny day, a surprise in the mail and interesting flowers to admire all with a couple good hours of gardening before dark.  It doesn't get much better than this!

Also over the weekend, we visited Vassey Nursery in Puyallup.  It's much too early to put pelargoniums (geraniums) outside but Vassey grows the nicest plants around in big nearly five inch pots, each given a foot of space to grow in the greenhouse.  This yields a large plant the size of something one might find in a gallon pot elsewhere and Vassey's price is very low.  They seem to run out of my favorites quickly so I get them early and keep them going inside or in the glass room until mothers' day when it's safe to haul them outside. 

Here's Crystal Palace Gem's leaves are enough but it also has fluorescent orange blooms.  Throw it in a turquoise pot and stand back!

Indian Princess is also a favorite of Linda and Tom Reeder.  They were smart enough to take cuttings last fall.

 

This one was new to me and they'd lost the name of it.  Here are newly emerging leaves.

And what they look like when they're larger.  I was told that if grown in full sun, the leaves become almost totally black and it produces red flowers.  Imagine that combination and try to keep this out of your cart!

 

Wishing you a day full of surprises foolish or otherwise.