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!

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!

Pleasant Views for Botanical Healing

Sooner or later, it happens: Repeated frosts and freezes take the life out of plants, and the growing season ends. Some plants go to seed, like Blue Mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum), while others remain nearly evergreen, like variegated English Ivy* (Hedera helix). But they all slow down when the weather is cold and the days are short.

I happened to have some strands of both remaining from some floral arrangements, and gazing on them caught me in a reflective mood. I tend to have a bit of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) this time of year, which is normal and manageable if it doesn't get too severe. During my adult life, it never has; I just tend to "nest" more--staying inside, reading good books, eating comfort food, crocheting, and finding fun indoor activities to get me through the shorter days.

Anyway, beyond the fact that these two plants are pretty together...my point is that the fluffy seedheads of the Conoclinium cheer me up. Just looking at them brightens my mood. I think it's a combination of factors: they're attractive seedheads, I enjoy the colors, they are signs of hope for the next growing season, and most of all...they're so soft, cuddly, fluffy, and perfect. Like a warm blanket or a cuddly stuffed animal.







See what I mean? How about you? Are there particular plants, seeds, or flowers that cheer you, calm you, or help improve your mood...just by looking at them?

[PlantPostings is celebrating eight years of blogging this month. Cheers!]

(*Note: I also love English Ivy, but only in pots, since it can become invasive where it's not native, even in cold climates.)