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!

February Flowers in the Sunroom

Oxalis vulcanicola 'Zinfandel'

Kalanchoe blossfeldiana buds

Spathiphyllum wallisii

Fuchsia 'Marinka' dried

(It's Wordless Wednesday.)

Coleus in a Vase on Monday

The Coleus (C. scutellarioides) plants in my outdoor pots were top-heavy. So, after deadheading them, I decided to create a display dedicated to Coleus, alone. Last year, I made an arrangement with foliage, alone, but it included foliage from several plant genera and species. This arrangement, in this post, (above) is simply several varieties of Coleus.

I gathered as many plant tags as I could to ID them, and while I didn't get them all, among them are 'Wizard Jade,' 'Rainbow Multicolor,' 'Red Green,' 'Wizard Scarlet,' 'Kong Lime Sprite,' and 'Black Dragon.' Here they are, in no particular order:

They provide plenty of color and variety for their vase.

For more arrangement ideas from around the world, check out Cathy's 'In a Vase on Monday' meme, over at Rambling in the Garden.

Six on Saturday in Seattle

We recently returned from a trip to Seattle, and I thought I'd make that destination the focus of this week's "Six on Saturday," hosted by Jim at Garden Ruminations. The plants were incredibly robust and happy in Seattle and it was hard to narrow down the list, but here goes:



1. Beach Rose (Rosa rugosa): Wow, they seemed bigger than they are here in Southern Wisconsin. And they were stunningly beautiful.



2. Beach Rose hips: I mean, these guys seemed giant, too. I should have taken a picture of my hand next to them, but they seemed like they were larger than one inch in diameter. I was tempted to pick one and eat it right there.



3. Other beautiful Roses: OK, I didn't get the name of this one, but it was a lovely example of the stunning blooms throughout the city.



4. Bear's Breeches (Acanthus mollis): This is a fun plant, isn't it? I've seen it many times during travels, but it seemed especially happy in Seattle, for some reason. Unfortunately, it's not hardy to USDA zone 5b, so I can't grow it.



5. Sweetshrub (Calycanthus 'Aphrodite'): I can grow this one! But again, the blooms seemed huge in Seattle. A lovely shrub to consider...



6. Hydrangeas: Oh gosh, they were amazing! There were so many varieties all around the city. Most of them were blue or purple or dark pink because of the area's acidic soil. Gorgeous bloomers!

Amazingly beautiful, large, and healthy plants were everywhere we went, including at the famous Pike Place market. It was a fun trip, and I hope to visit Seattle again in the not-too-distant future.

To join in the "Six on Saturday" meme, head on over to Garden Ruminations.

Shopping Finds for 'Six on Saturday'

It's that happy time of year when the overnight frosts are ending, and it's time to plant up annuals in pots and in the potager/cutting garden. While I plan to purchase a few more plants, including a few edibles, my haul a couple of days ago is colorful and fun.

Since I'm posting for "Six on Saturday," I'll focus on a half dozen...



This is AngelDance 'Violet Bicolor' Angelonia (A. angustifolia). I've been planting Angelonias as spikes in a couple of my pots for several years now. There's something magical about the form and the shape of this plant.

Next, let's celebrate Lantanas (L. camara)! This is Bandolero 'Guava Imp.' I purchased a couple other varieties, too. I regularly plant Lantanas for the pollinators, and because I like them. They cheer me up.



Sweet Potato vine (Ipomoea batatas) is a great side element in pots. The two varieties here are  'Sidekick Lime Improved' and 'Sidekick Heart Bronze.'



The mounding form of these hybrid Impatiens (I. x hybrida) works well in large pots. And the color of SunPatiens 'Compact Purple Candy' will work well with the other elements I plan to plant with them.



Caladiums (C. hortulanum) are always a joy to view. Their large, draping foliage is fascinating to observe throughout the growing season. Unfortunately, I purchased a plant with no tag, but with research, I believe  this is Heart to Heart 'Raspberry Moon.'

Finally, another joy with its bright, warm coloring is this Dahlia hybrid, Dahlinova 'Hypnotica Rose Bicolor.' Within minutes of planting it, bees and other pollinators were enthusiastically visiting. It's perfect for a view right outside my sunroom windows.

Check out other "Six on Saturday" posts at Garden Ruminations!

Wordless Remains in the Vase

Narcissus opening: It was a bud in the vase from my previous post.

Indoor/Outdoor Blooms in a Vase

The weather is slowly warming, and a few things are blooming or just about to bloom outdoors. The day I gathered flowers for this little vase, however, it was chilly, and I clipped a few things quickly. I added a couple of companions from the sunroom for color and effect.



It's a cute little collection for a bud vase.



The Gerbera Daisy (G. jamesonii) forms the colorful focal point.



This Daffodil (Narcissus) bud and foliage from the garden give it structure and height. Very soon, many of these bright spring beauties will be blooming all over the garden.



Flaming Katy (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana), another sunroom sample, adds bright and cheery highlights.



And Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis 'Flore Pleno') add bright, white edging to the rim.

It's a cheery little arrangement.

Head on over to Cathy's Rambling in the Garden to see more floral arrangements, or to join in the "In a Vase on Monday" meme!

Six on Saturday in the Sunroom

My garden is currently "reset" on winter, after one storm dropped more snow in one day than during the entire month of January. I admit it's prettier, and the plants now have a white blanket of protection. I'm joining in Jim's "Six on Saturday" meme at Garden Ruminations, but I hope it's OK if I focus on my indoor garden in the sunroom...



I'm thrilled to see that some shoots of the 'Canova Rose' Canna Lily (Canna x generalis) are breaking through the soil in their pot. (If you see lava rocks in my pots, it's to protect the plants from digging squirrels and chipmunks when the pots are moved outside during the growing season. The rodents don't like to dig through the tough lava rocks.)



Fuchsia  'Marinka' (F. hybrida) is putting on more buds.



And there are plenty of edible Fuchsia fruits, too!



The potted Passionflower (Passifloria incarnata) vine that I bring indoors for the winter is budding. I have another Passionflower outdoors, and I hope it survived the bitter cold of January with no snow.



Flaming Katy (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana) is full of buds, too. When open, the blooms are a beautiful bright yellow.

Purple Shamrock Oxalis (O. triangularis) is happy all winter in the sunroom. Its companion in the pot is variegated English Ivy (Hedera helix).



And the Gerbera Daisy (G. jamesonii) is the brightest star in the group. I have to smile when I see these happy faces.

So much to celebrate (in the plant world) indoors and out. Happy Six on Saturday and Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!