Wednesday Vignette - Shades of Gray

Once again I'm borrowing (with permission)  Michael Jardeen's images for Wednesday Vignette.  

Looks like Yucca 'Bright Star.'  

I'm pretty sure this is my Agave ovatifolia.  I feel fortunate to live in a climate where such sculptural beauties can be grown. 

Michael's images are always captivating and it's nice to know that others enjoy my spiky plants. 

Wednesday Vignette is hosted by Anna at Flutter and Hum.  Click here to join the party!

Tell the Truth Tuesday - Neglect

On Tuesdays, our meme host, Alison of Bonney Lassie encourages us to buck the trend of posting only images of our gardens looking their best, to tell the sometimes ugly truth of gardening. 


You may recall this arrangement from In a Vase on Monday a couple of weeks ago.  The cones of Cedrus deodara fall apart when they're mature but I thought that these, blown down on a large branch during a wind storm, might remain intact.

Actually, a few did but others shattered. Also interesting to note - if one forgets to put water in the vase, evergreen branches don't stay that way long.

So, there you have the ugly truth that is now cleaned up.  To be fair, the pictures were taken after I'd removed the intact cones.  We won't discuss the poor dieffenbachias crying out for water. 

That's my ugly truth for this week.  What's particularly hideous in your garden?  

In a Vase on Monday: An English Memory

Not that I'm old or anything but I remember being in London when bells all over the city were ringing to celebrate the birth of Prince William.  My college choir had just completed a tour of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales and I was smitten with the history, architecture, and people of  "This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England."    Upon our arrival in May, I'd been disappointed to find Westminster Abbey closed to the public.  There was a group gathered outside so I joined them.  My disappointment at the closure was soon replaced with giddiness as first Prince Charles and Then Her Majesty arrived, dressed in regalia for an Order of the Bath installation ceremony.  What a thrill for a foreigner to stumble upon this quite by accident.

Today's vase is a memento of that trip, a little Wedgwood jasperware piece that I'd brought home to my mother.

Contents include memories of the season past: berries of Dichroa febrifuga and Gaultheria mucronata, along with newly sprung blooms of Hamamelis × intermedia 'Diane' and various evergreens.

The vase is sitting atop a doily crocheted by my mother, also an Elizabeth.

The small trinket box was a piece I brought home from that trip for myself and the plate behind was found at a thrift shop priced  at less than a dollar.

The dried hydrangea got tossed in because there should be something to go with the blue jasperware.

Also from England is our fabulous host, Cathy,  at Rambling in the Garden.  Click here to see Cathy's vase  and to find links to those of other participating bloggers.

It's Indoor Plant Sale Time

Many garden centers in our region discount indoor plants in the month of January.  It's a great bridge between the holiday craziness and the spring rush.  Watson's is one of them and, since they're between home and the Sunday job, it's easy to stop in and see what's happening.   Come along and see if there's anything you can't live without. 

Beside the parking lot.  Look at that blue sky!

It's the time of year when evergreens are the stars of the show. 

While these are winter bloomers, anything in bloom can be counted as a sign of spring, right? 

It's sobering to think of the amount of work that goes into the nursery business.  Things are constantly being moved, planted, watered.  One of January's tasks is potting up the newly received bare-root roses.

 In just a few months these will be covered with blooms. 

Now, inside for the indoor plant sale.  

I've been eyeing these Kalanchoe delagoensis since they were covered with tightly closed buds.  Very tempting.

Indoor plants aren't the only things on sale.  There are many sale tables containing all manner of other merchandise as well.

Cacti and succulents.   Kind of sad to know that I already have one of each of these. Having a greenhouse is a dangerous thing.

 Truth be told, I'm not much of a houseplant person, it's just that so many of the outdoor plants like to spend the winter inside.

Staghorn ferns mounted on wood are lovely but they make me nervous.  Do they ever need to be re potted?  (Re wooded?)

Winter containers combining succulents and orchids.  How long can that marriage last? 

This bromeliad came home with me.  Yes, there are already a lot of these in the hoard but none like this one.  Because bromeliads have proven fairly forgiving of neglect on my part, they've won a place in my heart.

These are kind of cool and from the hardware on the back it looks as though they're meant to be hung on a wall.

Labeled "Fern" these were kind of cool. 

I love the color combination on these aglaonemas but they eventually want attention to look their best so admiring them at nurseries is best for me.

 More orchids and succulents.  

 The indoor plant sale continues through February 3.  Back out to the car with my new plant.

Have a great weekend all!

Everblooming Winter Flowers

On Saturday, I had the pleasure of helping a group of folks grow a different kind of flowers.   The class participants were so much fun that the time flew by and I forgot any disappointment at not spending a sunny day in the garden.  (Teaching the class gave me a great excuse to procrastinate a bit longer.)

It started with a bit of paper, some scissors,

Some inexpensive electrical conduit and some glass. 

Toss in a lot of creativity and a few hours.

Petals begin to emerge.

Before you know it, flowers are popping up everywhere. 

Lots of laughter, fun and a band aid or two and folks went home with a glass garden stake to enjoy. 

I've taught this class many times and no two flowers are ever alike. 

Unfortunately, I didn't get pictures of all 14 flowers but they were all tremendous.  

What other kind of flower gets planted and sends up blooms all in the same day?  

What a fun way to spend a Saturday!