Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - January

Yesterday was the official Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, but it was a busy day for me, so I'm a day late!
Carol of May Dreams Gardens began GBBD almost a year ago and you can see what's blooming in other gardens if you click her link.
This is my first BD post because during the warmer months I'm usually too busy in the gardens to commit to a scheduled day, although I do love to see what's blooming in other gardens. So I'll give it a try and endeavor not to be tardy next month....if anything at all is blooming then.

Here's what it looks like outside - absolutely nothing is blooming! The snowy caps give the Sedum Neon Stonecrop a bit of pizazz though. Posted by Picasa

However, inside we have a little colorful activity going on. This "Kristen's Pink" Abutilon (AKA Flowering Maple, and several other names) which I'm wintering over is blooming like crazy!

Even though the lower leaves have fallen off, the plant is looking healthy and has 6 beautiful blooms open at the moment, and more to come. It's the first time I've tried this plant and I'm very pleased with it. Seeing it bloom in winter is a very pleasant surprise! I had it in a container last summer, but I'm thinking of trying it in the ground this year.

This palm is not blooming yet, but it has three flower heads loaded with tiny buds.

The plant has flowered several times in previous years, and while the blooms aren't particularly showy, they're a welcome sight when blooms are scarce. Posted by Picasa

I'm overwintering my wonderful Marimba Ivy Geranium for the second year. I took several cuttings last spring and will do so again this year.

This calibrachoa (Million Bells) is an experiment in overwintering. So far it's doing well, and has had a few blooms, although none were expected, so this has been another happy bonus. There's only one at the moment, but it's a bright little beauty.

My friend Marie, who is a Master Gardener, and freely shares her vast store of knowledge (thank you Marie!), mentioned overwintering her wax begonia so I decided to try that too, and so far it's looking good. Posted by Picasa

The Columnia still has a few blooms.


This Marinka Fuchsia is another treasured plant and, like the ivy geranium, this is the second year I've overwintered it. I took cuttings from this also last spring and have a second plant coming along nicely. I keep most of these hold-over plants in a couple of unused bedrooms upstairs (now that the kids have flown the nest), where the temperatures are much cooler.
If any of the family comes home and wants to use the bedrooms we might have a problem, but we'll worry about that when we have to.

Last, but not least, this lovely Poinsettia is still a nice splash of color, brightening the house with it's pretty red bracts. Posted by Picasa

Did you notice the Garden Bloggers' Spring Fling button on my sidebar? If you visit Pam at Digging you'll find out what those enthusiastic Austin garden bloggers have in store for you, coming up in April. I wish Austin wasn't so far away from NY. It sounds like it'll be a blast!

I can't wait for spring to arrive!

Meanwhile, I'll just have to be content dreaming over the piles of seed catalogs and garden magazines, and making plans for next year's gardens, like the rest of you. It's a little easier on the back anyway :)

38 comments:

Carol Michel said...[Reply]

I need an Abutilon, I need some blooms like that at my house!

I'm happy you've joined us for bloom day and hope you'll continue. February will be "easy" in your neck of the woods, so no excuses!

Carol, May Dreams Gardens

Kylee Baumle said...[Reply]

Goodness, you've got so much loveliness surrounding you!
My abutilons have lost a great deal of their lower leaves as well. Did yours yellow first, then fall off? I read that when they do that, they need fertilizer. I fed mine last week, and we'll see if that helps.

Anonymous said...[Reply]

I almost purchased an abutilon last fall when they were on sale, and now I wish I had. Just lovely. And I sure do like those stonecrop sedums with the snowy caps.

Thanks for the mention about Garden Bloggers Bloom Day too!

Annie in Austin said...[Reply]

Kerri, it's so much fun to see all the flowers you have inside for blooming day! It's not just that you have a lot of plants... you have many kinds of plants, from all different plant families. Between your green thumb and the cool rooms they all look wonderful!

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

Barbara said...[Reply]

Oh Kerri, my wish list is getting longer and longer when I see all your blooms inside. Your marimba ivy geranium is so beautiful and I'm astonished to see it blooming in WINTER!! The same is valid for million bells, a plant I tried to overwinter but never succeeded. I never had an abutilon...but I'm going to look for one...if I'm not getting it as a birthday present. Thank you for this inspiring post!
Have a nice day,
Barbara

Reflection Through The Seasons said...[Reply]

Hi Kerri.....

Oh dear.... so you are still shivering amidst the snow.... Just as well you have those wonderful hats, I think they are brilliant.

I was pleased to see that gorgeous Abutilon..... I bought one last year, it was a little cheaper because it had lost its name tag, it proved to be a good purchase as it flowered its socks off. Seeing your pictures, I’m pretty sure its the same variety as yours. I shall have to remember to come back to this post when mine is next in bloom and check it out. Marion

Judypatooote said...[Reply]

I always said that if I found a man he would have to be funny and a handyman, and rich wouldn't hurt either, but now as you remind me of spring and I look out back at my garden, I decided I would have to ditch rich and add gardener.... LOL I use to love to garden with my hubby....he was a pro...our yard was immaculate, not a weed to be found, and he had a green thumb....every thing grew... he liked the natural look, but no weeds wasn't natural....so I now have the natural look.....LOL I think I might write a blog on this.... you must have just the right lighting for your flowers... I use to be mgr. of a plant dept. in a nursery, and I had plants galore....but now I don't own a one.....your's are lovely... judy

Needled Mom said...[Reply]

Your plants are just gorgeous, Kerri. I love the Abutilon. You certainly have a lot of success with overwintering your precious plants. I hope spring arrives soon for you.

kate said...[Reply]

What I love about your plants is the vibrant colours. The Ivy Geranium, the Fuchsia and the Columia, along with the Flowering Maple are just gorgeous.

I'm glad I stopped by to say hello!

Unknown said...[Reply]

Glad I dropped in, also. I'm especially intrigued by your overwintering projects, like the callibrachoa, but I like the abutilon really well too. Funny how they drop some of their leaves in winter. Mine dropped ALL of its leaves...because I forgot to bring it indoors before a hard frost...:-)

Catherine said...[Reply]

How gorgeous all of your plants are..you seem to have found the knack for overwintering!! We heat with a wood stove~such dry heat makes it hard on house plants, so I haven't had much luck overwintering out door plants..how wonderful it must be to be surrounded by all those beautiful plants and blooms~especially at this time of the year! ~you have given me SPRING FEVER bad!! :)
Cat

verobirdie said...[Reply]

Kerry, your blog deserve its name even in winter!
And the poinsettia is splendid.

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...[Reply]

I can't believe this...even your indoor plants are bright & cheery. How on earth do you get them to bloom for you like that? I don't have a single indoor plant anymore because I got tired of scraggly looking plants. Maybe it's the coolness of your upstairs which we don't have, but I think it's just your natural green thumb.

Love the snow and Jimmy loved the snowy caps on your Sedium Neon Stonecrops.

Jo's-D-Eyes said...[Reply]

Hi Dear Kerri,
How are you doing these days?
we miss the flowers and therewith the wonderfull colours in nature, however the snow is pretty too, The below picture ( red leaves) is a chistmas star right? Or thats how we in Holland call that plant here... Soon.............. its spring here and I can show you the colours in Holland, Now today I showed my dog and before the windy and sandy beaches, also a pleasure to wlak there...

Bye see you (I hope so) JoAnn

Charley "Apple" Grabowski said...[Reply]

I didn't know that a palm flowered. I wish I had something blooming here, all of your blooms look so cheery. I haven't succeeded in killing my poinsettia yet but I think it's on it's way out. Let's hope for an early spring!

Carole Burant said...[Reply]

You may not have anything flowering outside but oh my, look at the beautiful blooms you've got inside!! I'm envious because I have absolutely nothing blooming, inside and out! lol Actually my Flaming Katy looks like it will start to bloom again soon so I'm looking forward to some colour. I'm already getting Spring Fever and miss gardening so much! Your poinsettia is just gorgeous...I always kill mine. lol That's one plant I just can't get to continue blooming. So enjoyed all your beautiful pictures once again. xoxo

Giddy said...[Reply]

Wow! I am amazed at all the color you have going on in your house right now. Do you have any problem with Jasmine wanting to dig in the pots? My boys like to, so I don't keep much upstairs. I have a few straggly geraniums blooming in the winter garden downstairs, but nothing to brag about. You win the prize!

Jellyhead said...[Reply]

Hi Kerri,

Hang in there, spring will be sprung soon enough! And in the meantime you still have all this colour to brighten your day.

Hope you have a lovely weekend :)

Diana LaMarre said...[Reply]

Your plants look great, Kerri. I wish I could overwinter plants that survived like that. My two are positively awful looking!

What a lovely Poinsettia. Do you ever get them to bloom again the next year?

Anonymous said...[Reply]

Well it's certainly spring inside your home, Kerri. However, those snowy caps on the Sedum Neon Stonecrop look good enough to eat! Who needs a sno-cone machine if you live up in snowy NY?

Robin's Nesting Place said...[Reply]

I can't believe the variety of indoor blooms you have.

I had planned to overwinter the Million Bells so I could propagate from cuttings. All of mine died when we had water restrictions during the summer.

Midlife Mom said...[Reply]

Wow! You have many wonderful blooms inside your house! I don't have anything but foliage plants inside so the only color I have is green! lol! I should do a post on my plants and paste in some blooms from your flowers! What 'cha think?!

Jeanette said...[Reply]

Hi Kerri. Thanks for your Visit. BRRRRRRRRRR it strange to see snowing there, when were having such hot weather and water restrictions its hard to try keep the garden alive.All your plants add a lot of colour and bring Spring into your home in the middle of winter..your calibrachoa will be in full bloom and reward you in spring. ive just lost a purple one to the heat but my other like your is doing well. Take care ill return soon

Alice said...[Reply]

Lovely splashes of colour even in winter Kerri. You probably appreciate them even more than your stunning summer displays. Great to see some of the things you haven't tried before, like the Abutilon, flowering so well at this time of year.

We've had some lovely rain, and I've been out weeding the lawn. We did it only a few weeks ago but I think we just made room for more to grow ....grrrrrr!

Merle said...[Reply]

Dear Kerri ~~ What a lot of lovely plants you have blooming at this time of year. It must be a lot of work, bringing plants inside in Winter.
However, the rewards are there to see. Thanks for your comments and I am glad you enjoy the jokes and the Puppy story. Take care, and keep warm
Love, Merle.

Naturegirl said...[Reply]

Kerri i also cannot wait for Spring so much so that I will escape to Arizona soon to take in the glorious cacti in full bloom! What would we do without our blossoms indoors to get us through the long grey winter blahs! Love the color in your home!
hugs NG

Shelley said...[Reply]

Its so nice to see flowers blooming again. We haven't had much winter and I'm already tired of it. I love spring. Your photos are great.

Susie said...[Reply]

Hello dear Kerri,
Loved seeing all the beautiful plants you have blooming (esp the Abutilon)
We still have some color outdoors, but have had lots of cold and some freezing, which is so hard on the plants.
Thanks for all your sweet words and prayers for Grandpa.
love and ((hugs))

Mountain Mama said...[Reply]

It's so nice to see some flowers. Winter is such a bleak time that a little color does wonders to lift the spirit.
Thanks for sharing.

Rising Rainbow said...[Reply]

I am so ready to see some flowers. This cold wet winter here is getting to me.

Susan Tidwell said...[Reply]

Love your blooming pictures, such an inspiration for January!

I just heard on the news that upstate New York got 3 feet of snow! Looking forward to pictures after you dig yourselves out... I guess that cute hat will come in handy now!

Stay warm!

Jo's-D-Eyes said...[Reply]

Hi dear Kerri,
Nice to see your blog again thoug I visited your blog earlier, I noticed now your spingfling button, good idea!

OOw I wanted to let you know that I posted frost nature (because f my flu haha!) You might like to see it, also youmiht like to listen to the the music in combination with this nature..

Have a good week my dear nature friend:) JoAnn Hug

Christy Woolum said...[Reply]

I need an Abutilon also.
I have never seen this plant.
Thanks for the thoughtful comments on my blog. I can't believe you also had a Nikki and Lucy. How often could that happen?

Chica, Cienna, and Cali said...[Reply]

i love those ermine hats Sedum Neon Stonecrop have acquired ..thanks to Old Man Winter........and what a beautiful spring you have inside........reminds me of a Camus quote..."In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible
summer."
have a happy week ahead :)

david santos said...[Reply]

Thanks Kerri,
I had never seen something so beautiful.
Snow, plants and flowers. Very beautiful.
Congratulations.

Val said...[Reply]

I have two small palms on my desk at work, and --- they are flowering just like yours! I didnt even think of it as flowers, do they change from how they are now?

When I look at them now, I think of you. Thats so nice!

Cris said...[Reply]

Awesome indoor flowers!!! When you said you have piles of catalogs and garden magazines I pictured you by the fire reading them with a cup of hot tea/coffee and the cold wind blowing outside. Do you clip your favorite pages, how do you save them for future reference? Just curious, I usually write on the first page or the cover of the magazine what interests me most, so I don't forget what I saw. :-)

J- said...[Reply]

Do you know what type of palm that is by chance? I used to have one, I never knew what type it was and I would like to get another one.