A December Peek Inside the Greenhouse

It's the dark season when the greenhouse gets visited mostly on the weekends.  |There are a few new things going on but mostly this is the season when the plants are taking a bit of a break for the winter and the goal is to keep them alive. This hibiscus has bloomed on and off all summer.  It's tripled in size since I got it last year and continues to be an aphid favorite in the winter.

Okay everybody, try not to die even though the gardener didn't organize you very well by water needs as he promised he would this year.

Lesson learned: Alocasia × amazonica (not pictured) really doesn't enjoy temperatures lower than 60 degrees.  Really.  It might have given up the ghost but it was small and purchased as an an experimental plant.  (Because, clearly, there simply aren't enough plants crammed in here already.)

The big leaves at top right are from a salvia that came from Danger at a plant swap.  Just noticed in looking at this picture that it's beginning to bloom. I thought I smelled something very pleasant in that vicinity when I was out there.  Can't believe I missed the bloom spike.

Cannas 'Stutgart' and intrigue' spending the winter inside.  rhipsalis and spanish moss hang from the branches of the big brugmansia.

Agaves, Aloes, a Furcraea in front, three (need to reduce it to one) jasminum polyanthum in the very back all budded and ready to permeate the January greenhouse with divine fragrance.

Finally got around to planting the paperwhite and "Angels in the Water" narcissus.

This huge (requires two hands to hold it) amaryllis bulb was purchased at Sky Nursery to be sent to my sister in Alaska.  It sat on the kitchen counter too long and started growing.  Worrying that the bloom stalks might snap off in the mail, I planted it.  Sorry.  (Who said there were no benefits of procrastinating?)

 A new plant for me is Schlumbergera aurea variegata 'Cristen'  The colors have changed a bit since I got it, perhaps in preparation for blooming but the bottom leaves were dark green, newer leaves quite gold and the new growth is a beautiful coral  shade.  It is beautiful when not in bloom. Hooray.  Look here for better pictures.

 Christmas break from school will give me some welcome time to finish with the bulb planting and clean up the greenhouse a bit.  Happy gardening all!