Sprouts and Blooms in the Sunroom

The weather here is bizarre for a few days, so I'm in denial and hiding out in the sunroom. We keep it partially heated, but closed off, so it seems to simulate winter in a warmer climate. Temperatures never drop below about 45F/7C, but they warm during most winter days to about 60F/15C. During short winter days, many plants go semi-dormant, and then "wake up" in late winter/early spring with longer daylight.

So for this "Six on Saturday," I'm sharing some indoor happenings: First, the Kalanchoe (K. blossfeldiana) is about to bloom (see above). It's a great indoor potted plant year-round, but I take mine outside (along with all my pots) from May through early October.



I started some seeds! And they're sprouting fast! These are mixed Dahlias. I've never grown Dahlias from seed, so I'm thrilled they're successful (so far)!



This potted Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) has come back for several years now in its pot in the sunroom. It's a joy to see the sprouts climbing their trellis in spring and blooming in the summer. I also have some vines planted along the west, sunny side of the house on an outdoor trellis, although those plants have never bloomed (yet). I'm so glad I planted these--they're easy-care, and they bring so much joy!



Yay for Zinnias (Z. elegans)! I post about these guys way too much (sorry), but they're definitely a garden staple for me. Tiny little sprouts like this eventually yield continuous, weekly blooms for cut arrangements--from late May through mid-October.



This was an accident: In October, I left some Impatiens (I. walleriana) in a mixed planter when I brought it inside. These plants looked terrible in December and January, and I forgot about them. To my surprise, they perked up and started blooming in March. Fun!

Finally, I'm thrilled to say California Poppies (Eschscholzia californica) are waving their little tendrils in a planting trough in the sun! I've never had luck planting these seeds directly in the garden, as many people do. They seem to get lost in the mulch and the competition with other plants...and maybe wildlife eat them? Anyway, we'll see how they perform in this trough, which I can move around and control a little easier. Some day, I'd like to try planting their Papaver cousins, using a similar technique.

That's my "six" for this week. Head on over to Garden Ruminations to see what's happening in other gardens around the world!