The Migration Begins: Too Many Plants!

Years ago, I fell in love with brugmansias and wintered over a few plants either in an upstairs room or let them go dormant and loose all of their leaves in the basement.  Then came a few cool succulents that needed a winter spot they easily fit in an unused room upstairs.  About six years ago, a certain Dangerous gardener and agave/cacti evangelist in Portland gave me a couple of agave pups and influenced me to appreciate the charms of a whole new group of plants and the stained glass room on the back of the house was pressed into service to winter over a growing collection.  Finally, we converted our garage into a greenhouse to house the increasing collection.  The funny thing about having a greenhouse is that it seemed like there was so much space for more tender plants.  That space fills up faster than one might think. 

This year's migration of plants from outside to in has begun and the greenhouse is already feeling a bit cramped. 

One begins to think that there are too many plants in this hoard and that it would be nice to give away some of the duplicates.  I can never throw away a pup or broken stem, they all get rooted .  At this time of year,  most people don't want plants that need to be wintered over inside.  The result - too many plants!  (I know it's blasphemy to even think such a thing.)

For some reason, bromeliads grow well for me and this once small specimen now pretty much fills the potting area even though it's still in it's original small pot.

The succulents and bromeliads are all inside but there are still four large brugmansias, several cordylines, a red banana, a variegated ginger, and a host of abutilons to cram in here somewhere.  Wish me luck.

 Every year, as Agave 'Mr. Ripple' (on the left) grows larger and heavier, I threaten to leave it outside to see if reports of zone 7 hardiness are true.  One of these years, we'll find out.

To make space in the greenhouse, some of the summer residents have moved inside the house for the winter.

The greenhouse was supposed to make dragging plants up several flights of stairs unnecessary.  Oh well, I need the exercise. Looks like there's space for a few more small plants on this table. Do you suppose that a couple metal shelving units would hold more plants than the table. Hmm...

The round stained glass room only has five or so agaves that are very hardy but can't stand our wet winters.  They'll move under the roof of the back porch in February or march when that room will be heated to start the tuberous begonias. 

Meanwhile, the winter residents of the Danger Gardenette have started moving in to that area.  Fear not, it will be filled in soon.

Are you beginning to get your garden ready for winter yet?