What's Happening in the Sunroom?

Any type of new life at this time of year is encouraging. Even during an extremely mild January (for us), the promise of new growth, longer days, and warmth are so welcome. Indoors, in the sunroom, the plants are putting on buds and flowers and new shoots. The plant that seems happiest is Oxalis vulcanicola 'Zinfandel.' The hairy buds and full foliage are lush and happy.



The plant is spilling over all sides of its pot. In May, I'll divide it for potting outdoors.



Another Oxalis, Purple Shamrock (O. triangularis), has been a happy plant in the sunroom (and outdoors in summer) for many years now. It's a nice companion for the variegated English Ivy (Hedera helix).



Fuchsia 'Autumnale' is not as happy indoors as it was outdoors. This is my second year of overwintering this one. I might try a different spot for it, or attempt some stem cuttings to encourage new growth. But it's still alive and colorful.



The Purple Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) is not changing much, but the buds and signs of new growth are encouraging.



My two hanging baskets of Fuchsia 'Marinka' also are struggling a bit. (I've had these plants for so many years!) I think I'll place them in a different location and give them a bit more TLC.

But the plant that has surprised me the most with its ready adjustment to indoor growing is the Polka Dot Plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya). It almost seems happier indoors than it did outside during the summer. What a joyful little plant full of new shoots of growth!

That's it for now. Dreaming about seed-starting in the weeks ahead...

Strange Weather, But Happy Plants

After a cold snap during the holidays, we're warm here in the Midwest--we've been consistently warmer than "normal" since late December, and projected to continue through the 10-day forecast. I'm not complaining: It's definitely more comfortable than normal for this time of year. We've had rounds of light snow, which melts quickly with highs in the 30s and 40s F.

The garden seems OK, but I'm a bit worried about lack of insulation if we suddenly get colder again.



I checked the Hellebores (H. orientalis), and they're definitely budding. I re-covered them with layers of leaf litter to protect them in case of future colder days.



I leave the stems and seeds of last year's plants for overwintering insects (in the stems) and birds (food from the seeds). The Wild Senna (S. hebecarpa) seeds are attractive in their own right.



The mosses are fascinating to study--in every season and all types of weather.



'Autumn Joy' Sedum (Hylotelephium spectabile) has an attractive burgundy cast and looks lovely coated in light snow. 





In most winters, the Epimediums (E. x rubrum previous and E. x warleyense here) are ravaged by rabbits, but our rabbit numbers seem lower lately. Maybe they'll snack more in the spring.

Climbing rose (Rosa setigera) foliage is still attractive, even as the color fades.

I was surprised to see the Mums (unknown species/cultivar) still show some green; probably because of our mild temperatures.

That's a brief overview of some of the outdoor plants. Shown here is the potted Passion Flower (Passiflora incarnata) that spends the winter in the sunroom. Stay tuned for an update on the indoor plants soon.

Happy New Year!

Happy Solstice and Blessings for the Days Ahead

Before the Snow

Autumn and winter are playing tag in my part of the world lately. We've had cold days and snowy days, followed by rainy, sunny, and relatively mild days. This morning, Mother Nature blanketed the garden with a fresh coat of snow. It will probably melt on the weekend with milder temperatures, but it's pretty while it lasts.

Before the snow, I took a quick tour around the garden yesterday to note the highlights of the late autumn garden.



Most years, the Epimediums ('Rubrum' here) are chewed to the ground by the rabbits this time of year. Rabbit activity, for some reason, is lighter this autumn.



I like the stacking here of the Juniper shrub, Epimedium x warleyense, and the Ajuga groundcover.



Sedum 'Autumn Joy' is a favorite in the garden this time of year with its colorful seed heads.



Moss on rocks and other surfaces keeps the green character going throughout the winter.



The Hellebores retain their umbrella foliage until I trim them in the spring.



I'm trying to get some swaths of Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra) going, to spill over the rock wall. I've had limited success (rabbit damage, slow growth, etc.) But this one survives with a little help from caging at the base. I hope it will fill in more in the years to come.



I leave the garden seed heads, including Echinacea, up over the winter for bird food and for insects that might be overwintering in the stems. I think they also add character to the winter garden.



This combo of Coneflowers (E. purpurea) and Blue Mistflowers (Conoclinium coelestinum) is fun.

The 'Ozawa' Allium (A. thunbergii) I profiled in my last post is still holding its color and form.

How is your garden faring as the seasons shift? Soon the days will be consistently cold and snowy, and winter will take hold here. Things are getting festive as we shift toward the holidays...