Friday, February 15, 2013

February Bloom Day-A Positive Outlook




Here's what Bloom Day looks like in February at Idyll Haven this year.  Pitiful, huh?  I honestly thought I would have at least a Hellebore or two and a fully bloomimg Hamamelis 'Arnold Promise' to flaunt this month but Mother Nature had other ideas.  At least the days are getting longer and the average daily high temperature is in the rise and since I follow the meteorological calendar, the first day of spring is two weeks from today.
 





Meet Abutilon 'Lucky Lantern Yellow', one of the few tender plants I chose to save over the winter.  Every year I bring in a few of my favorites.  Usually I attempt to keep plants that are difficult to find in nurseries from year to year like Euphorbia cotinifolia or historically easy stuff to grow indoors like this Abutilon which was a blooming fool in one of my mixed containers last season.  Most years my efforts are rewarded with some nice specimen sized tropical plants come summer.

House plants are not my thing.  In fact I'm convinced that given the choice, most plants would gladly choose death by frost rather than spend the winter in my house.  Bananas, Alocasias, Colocasias, and Brugmansias luck out and get to snooze in the basement through the cold months with the canna and dahlia tubers.  Everything else is at my mercy.

In addition to my Agaves, this winter I brought in a couple of Abutilons and variegated Geraniums, a Sanchezia, a sprouted root from Euphorbia cotinifolia, Breynia 'Picta', a variegated Hibiscus, Alocasia amazonica, Alocasia wentii and a few miscellaneous succulents.  One Acalpha bit the dust.  Winter accomodations for plants in my house are spartan and include a couple of sunny windows and a few shelves rigged with fluorescent lights in the guest bedroom. 




Thanks to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for hosting this monthly event.  February may have been a Bloom Day bust for me but I remain confident that March holds promise.

Stay warm!

Sue~





24 comments:

  1. "given the choice, most plants would gladly choose death by frost"

    We're twins!

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  2. Yup. Death by frost would be my quote too!
    I have good news for you though! The CT Garden Show starts in Hartford next week!
    Thursday 2-21-13 through 2-24-13. There is hope!

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  3. But it wasn't a bust, just look at those fabulous abutilon flowers! Happy Bloomday Sue.

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    1. Happy Bloom Day Loree! It only gets better from here on in.

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  4. Your abutilon looks very healthy and happy. It may never want to go live in the outdoors again! I really like that yellow color!

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    1. Everything gets booted out around May 1st. No exceptions :).

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  5. Happy Bloom Day Sue, I LOVE that abutilon, I need to find that one this year. (Like I don't have enough plants lol) Hmmm.... Maybe I should jump into the blogging pool now that my medical stuff is slowing down.

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  6. Enjoyed your post here. I do have a few indoor plants and know I understand why they don't do very well, especially in central heating. Point taken and well put!

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    1. Many plants don't handle the dryness created by central heat. I have forced hot water through cast iron radiators under just about every window so I try to limit the window plants to succulents. Even they need frequent watering in the winter.

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  7. make that triplets -- I have zero houseplants. That abutilon looks pretty happy, Sue.

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    1. In a frost free zone your garden must be like one big extension of the house. The older I get the better that sounds.

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  8. The Abutilon is lovely. Do not despair, spring is coming.

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  9. I do not do well with houseplants at all. You abutilon is lovely - it must like your house better than you give it credit for.

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  10. Well, at least the Abutilon sings for its supper! I'm thankful that our weather doesn't force me to haul anything indoors - everything green in the house gets chewed on by my 2 furry monsters. Happy Bloom Day! Spring will reach you soon.

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  11. My houseplants are terrific. The only problem is that they need dusting when the silk catches stuff.

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  12. Our windows are tinted so plants don't get enough light to grow well indoors. No houseplants for me. LOVE that abutilon! If there's no snow headed my way, then bring on spring!

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  13. I do love abutilons and yours looks great. The inside flowers do help get one through these days of winter. Want to go to Tower Hill? Could be fun!

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    1. A trip to Tower Hill is welcome any time of the year. Last month I trekked up for lunch one Sunday but would gladly go back.

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  14. Abutilon is my most effective hummingbird plant ever - have you found that? I too am lousy with house plants, so I left mine on the deck all winter - this particular kind is supposed to be hardy to zone 8a, so I figured why not... So far so good, even with the little bit of snow we had earlier this week.

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  15. For me, abutilon is the best hummingbird plant, period. Have you found it to be that way? Mine isn't a houseplant, thank goodness - it's hardy to zone 8a so I don't have to drag it inside. Otherwise, it would be toast by now.

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  16. I am with you! Onward toward March!

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  17. Spring is coming... eventually!

    A cute dog in that last pic!

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    1. Meet my good buddy the Nickster. He will be 13 in May.

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