Dazzling and Confused...

I know that "Dazed and Confused" is how the saying--and the song--goes.  But my 'Sweet Lillian' amaryllis is more dazzling than dazed in its confusion:

This is its third bloom since I bought it back in November 2008 as a present for my grandmother.  The first bloom was a lot fuller, but I'm not complaining.  It has yet to receive a rest period--or fertilizer--and it is planted in a serving bowl with only pebbles (no actual soil) anchoring it in.  Given the sum of that abuse, it is performing admirably, I think!


And maybe, just maybe... maybe this will be the year that I remember to bring it in for a rest, and then pot it up for Grandma.  Finally.

My 2010 (Gardening) Adventure

I am notoriously bad at keeping New Year's Resolutions.  (Even when I (grudgingly) make them, I admit that they are going to be broken immediately, as you see here.)  So while I was toying with the idea of making a resolution on growing more edibles in January, something held me back:  The idea that this was one thing at which I actually wanted to succeed.

And then, I had my eureka moment:  I need to think of it not as a resolution... but as an experiment!

Experiments, now there are things that I can get into.  A quick search of my blog shows that I have pages worth of posts that contain the word "experiment."  They cover things like growing currants as topiaries in a semi-shaded spot that needed some structural plants... which had the added benefit of resulting in a delicious tart, made from these:

I'm just such a fan of melding form AND function... and of eating from my own backyard... that this makes sense on all kinds of levels.  So my EXPERIMENT for this gardening year will be as follows:

In 2010, I will limit my plant, seed and corm/root purchases to things that are actually edible.  Because I am all-too-aware of my weakness for pretty plants (and already had a couple of plans concocted) I will allow myself 3 exceptions to the above rule... and will strive for everything else to be both pretty AND tasty.  I will also consume, share and/or put up as much of my garden's produce as humanly possible this year.

I hope that you all will follow along with this gardening adventure of mine. I'm sure that there are going to be some bumps in the road, a few inventive recipes, LOADS of temptations, and lots of dirty fingernails along the way.  Stay tuned!

Beautiful AND functional:   Peach tree blossoms from the 2009 garden.

Orchid Watch - Day 4

The bud is about the same color, but as you can see from the photo above it has dropped down a little bit.  And the stem has straightened out some, too.  Here is the first photo of the bud  for comparison:

I promise not to post a new photo of this orchid every day--frankly, I'm not organized enough for something like that.  But, fair warning:  I'm excited enough to share at least a few shots along the way to full bloom.  So you'll see a few more!

March 2010 Foliage Follow-Up

Yes, I've shown this kalanchoe beharensis before.  And I can tell you right now that I will probably show it again. I'm completely fascinated by its leaves, which look like velvet silver:

But with a hard, slightly toasted edge:

Of course, if you look in the right light, you can see more than just the flat silver sheen of the fuzzy leaves.  Look closer, and you'll notice the lighter-colored veins that radiate out from the leaf stem end:

In some lights, the silver doesn't look so rich.  In some photos, it even washes out to an ugly yellow:

Sighting seems to be everything for this plant--the right conditions, but also the right companions to set off its chunky, soft, silvery texture:

I like where it was placed in the photo above.  I think that next year, I'm going to literally plant it out in that part of the garden instead of leaving it stuck in a little 4" pot on top of the ground.  Maybe it will get even bigger and more impressive if  it has some room to stretch its roots?  We shall see!


To find out what other plants are catching the eyes of garden bloggers everywhere, visit Pam @ Digging and see the Foliage Follow Up links for March!

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - March 2010

It's Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day... and while there's nothing yet worth showing out in the garden, I have quite a few things that are still in bloom in the house:  The passalong abutilon from Kylee, abutilon megapotanicum and dragonwing begonia (both in "dormancy"--ha!) in the attic, and some nameless rescued orchids with tiny red flowers.  The peace lily and the jewel orchid are still going strong, too.


An embarrassment of flowering riches, really, for Cleveland in March.  And yet I'm most excited about two newly discovered buds.  The amaryllis that I blogged out in my previous post, and this:

That soon-to-be beauty is a bud on my Paphiopedilum Canticle x Macabre Pie--last shown here, in February's foliage follow-up, with its dead previous bloom stalk still intact.  I picked it up this fall on clearance, as the last flower on the previous stalk was fading, so I never expected rebloom so soon.  I can't wait to see it!


For a proper showing of actual spring beauties across the northern hemisphere--and  maybe even some "fall" jewels from our friends south of the equator--visit Carol's March GBBD Roundup post at May Dreams Gardens.