The Bells are Blooming

My orange Million Bells are blooming in profusion—amazing, since they stayed outside all winter. Though the winter was milder than usual, we still had some very cold nights in the ‘teens. The “regular” petunias in neighboring hanging baskets are growing fast; though I want them to cascade, I think I’ll need to pinch them back for more blooming since they seem to bloom on the stem ends.

It’s planting time! A garden center I’ve never been to is having a “Spring Opening” on Saturday. I need to put together a list of what I need—and don’t need i.e. already have.

Rain is coming.

While I Wasn’t Looking

As I raised the blinds this morning I was pleasantly surprised to find another red hibiscus opening. I knew that the bud to its left would likely open tomorrow but I hadn’t seen this one coming! What a treat! From its plant stand, the hibiscus bush is taller than I am with this flower at the very top. The nearby shelf is the sixth one up; I had to climb a step stool for this photo.

The oak pollen that I thought was finished is making our walks miserable. We need more rain to wash it away and to ease our moderate drought status. Lord Jesus, please glorify the Father by giving us rain—without trouble (see John 14:13).

Comeback

Last year’s white petunias are merrily blooming again with their newer Johnny Jump Up roommates. Most of them can stay beautiful for awhile before the slugs get them.

I’ve often read that stale beer is just the thing to slow down the slimy creatures so they can be caught…hmmm, you just don’t think of slugs being fast, but we’re not beer drinkers and there are children around who might get too curious. Or the neighborhood cat. I’ve heard of birds eating such inebriated insects and becoming a bit tipsy themselves--flying under the influence. No, a different remedy will have to be found. Meanwhile, there are plenty flowers for all to enjoy.

Today’s weather was forecast to be sunny with a high of 78 degrees but it’s been cloudy and nowhere near the balmy high. Brrr…I’ve had to put on a heavier sweater.

Quick Response

The lettuce seeds I planted a short time ago have already sprouted! They obviously like the warm weather too; the warmth seems to be bringing everything out early. I really didn’t plant them that close together; apparently my watering and God’s rain washed them together but that’s okay.

Though the mixed lettuce seed packets always show purple leaves, for some reason none ever emerge in my garden. I would really like to have purple leaves.

We enjoy salads for their nutrition, lightness and no-cook preparation yet it’s amazing how labor-intensive salad-making is in washing so many leaves. It’s worth it though to get really fresh and colorful food and for keeping heat out of the kitchen.

A Good Start

Spring is burgeoning in my garden too! Fooled by the extra-warm days the plants are growing like it’s early summer! A couple Sweet William flowers are blooming and the Creeping Jenny is eagerly running but I haven’t yet seen any purple Victoria Blue Salvia buds.

I’m very pleased that I won’t have to purchase any new plants in these varieties. Nor pentas or Angelonias. Nor Tropicana Cannas. Of course, the red hibiscus will go out too. I’ll have quite a garden already as soon as I can be sure it won’t get cold at night any more (it has been known to snow here in the spring); then I can fill in the color gaps.

Morning Peace

A red hibiscus (flower of peace) greeted me this morning. The buds start as tiny green knobs and seem to take forever to develop but once they achieve a certain level of maturity their growth accelerates. Once the roll of petals emerges, I can tell about what day it will bloom—usually in two to three days.

The hibiscus will need pruning soon. I don’t really like pruning but I would like more flowers. Maybe I can find a bright orange one at a good price this year.

In the photo you can see the pollen-laden pine trees through the window; other areas have pollen-dropping oak trees. Both kinds of pollen have covered everything outside for miles around. Even an aerial photo of one of our lakes shows a huge amount of yellow pollen on its surface. Reportedly, it’s the worst pollen “season” in a long time—maybe ever. I enjoy trees but I will be glad when they finish this cycle so that my eyes and nose can be at peace!

Mystery Solved

Alas, the seedlings I had hoped were new beginnings for my golden oregano were wildflowers of the weed sort. Now they’re gone to make room for the good stuff.



Life is too short and space too small to hang on to imposters whether in plants or beliefs.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6 NIV).

To Flourish

The prayer plant is blooming again. This is the kind of little white flower that I told you about that made the seed pod that dropped the tiny seeds that grew the new baby prayer plant. The flower lasts only about a day so the process is very quick—no wonder I missed it last time. Both plants are blooming; they must be happy.

That reminds me of the old saying that I’ve come to dread, “Bloom where you’re planted.” It’s plain that a gardener didn’t come up with it since plants grow well and bloom in good soil, light and water conditions. While they can overcome difficult circumstances, they typically don’t flourish unless they have what they need. God didn’t come up with it either. Jesus made plain in his “Parable of the Sower” that plants flourish in good soil, using plants as a metaphor for people who flourish spiritually when they understand the “message about the kingdom” and aren’t distracted by “the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of riches” (Matthew 13:1-23 NIV).

Good conditions grow good plants—and people. However, God has a different definition of good than most people and includes persecution for Jesus’ name but it does not include sickness or tragedy since, “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work” (1 John 3:8 NIV).

Parade

The light is already changing in the east windows as the white pear blossoms are replaced with spring green leaves. Sunlight still feeds the pentas, Angelonias and prayer plants from another angle though since the maples and oaks haven’t leafed out yet.

Since the air conditioner is finally on, we won’t need the fan any more for awhile so it’s back in its corner but the bougainvillea that surrounded it is still outdoors. The calendar says it’s the first day of spring but it could still get cold—but probably not that cold. More plants may go out soon.

Over the weekend, we saw lots of red-violet redbuds, yellow forsythias, and added to the colorful parade were the yellow-green beginnings of dogwood bracts, purple wisteria and the palest of pink cherry blossoms. A few pink or orange tulips joined in as well. Spring is definitely here! And though I’m sneezing through it, I love it!

Hothouse Varieties

Another potentially record-breaking high is forecast for today, and still no air conditioning. I know that some people don’t have air conditioning at all but often their dwellings are built for better air flow or they have a cool basement.

I moved the bougainvillea hanging basket outdoors in order to access the fan; it seems happy enough. Unless the night temperatures drop again—they’re currently in the 50’s, I plan to leave it out there until next winter. Bougainvilleas can be pruned in the spring so I hope to do that soon, making way for more blooms.

Meanwhile, the other plants seem to be enjoying the “hothouse” indoors with daytime temperatures in the low 80’s and nights in the 70’s or perhaps 60’s. These temperatures fit very well with the care guidelines for tropical plants. There’s often an upside to life’s inconveniences. And hopefully this inner heat will be temporary.

My computer is working better now. I’m thankful it’s not like the early ones that had to be kept extremely cool!

Salad Days

The record-breaking temperatures in the high 80’s have me thinking about salad since the kitchen is too hot for much cooking. The lettuce seeds I planted a while back are coming along nicely and should be big enough to eat soon. Since there is still room in the other half of the pot, I planted more seeds.

It’s actually cool outside—cooler than the 78 degrees in here; for some reason the breeze just doesn’t blow through the windows today—but pollen does. But birds are singing and the sun is shining. And it’s Friday. What a great combination! Now if my computer would behave properly…

Getting Rid of Excess

When Creeping Jenny creeps it can get leggy and leafless, so I cut out the excess at a node (place where leaves emerge) at each end—so it can either branch or sprout roots.


I pushed a pencil (we always seem to have plenty) into the soil to make a space for the cuttings to grow. I’m trying these cuttings in an indoor pot for the first time to see if they’ll grow inside. If not, I’ll take them outdoors. My friend G. often puts cuttings of this and that in her big pots along with the big plants—she would probably say that they keep each other company.


Creeping Jenny roots easily so these two cuttings should make a nice cascade down the side of the Hawaiian Ti plant’s home in no time.

Yesterday and today are the kinds of days, sunny and warm, when it’s a pleasure to do almost anything though it got to 82 degrees yesterday! And it’s only mid-March. But it’s good. ☺

Thriving

The days are longer now, the weather warmer and the prayer plants are reaching up lots of new leaves! New growth is happening all over the place--indoors and out.

It’s often said that adversity makes people “grow.” I’ve long doubted that* and I see little evidence of it in the plant world. Plants can overcome great odds and grow anyway but they grow the best in good conditions.

When I look out the window at the beautiful white pear blossoms, I feel almost as though I’m living in a story book. I don’t even notice the smell anymore.


*The Bible does speak of spiritual growth coming from “tribulations” but the context of these is always that of suffering persecution for Jesus’ name sake—not the everyday hassles, not sickness or tragedy.

Too Pretty to Eat

The flowering kale I bought from a large garden center at the beginning of winter turned out to be miniature—a good size for my container that already held snapdragons and Creeping Jenny. However, its color is reserved while the variety I’ve seen around town that has long, frilly leaves abounding with fuchsia. Next time that’s the kind I’ll get. Nevertheless, this little kale has a certain amount of charm with its yellow flowers emerging.

The first time I grew flowering kale at our last home, the neighbors were very excited since they had never seen such a wonderful thing—though they were in landscaping all over town!

Sooner or Later

The majority of the states in the U.S. turned all clocks forward an hour for Daylight Savings Time on Saturday night—technically early Sunday morning for those who stayed up that late. Everyone I talked to feels a mild jet lag—that is, if they knew about it (if you don’t watch the news you can be an hour off for awhile).

While I’m not happy about having my circadian rhythm thrown off twice a year—“spring forward; fall back,” I had the advantage this morning of being at the window just as the sun shone its pink rays, and I will definitely enjoy having more daylight at the end of the day. The mornings will catch up soon.

Over the weekend while on our errands we saw rows and rows of Bradford Pears in full bloom, yellow forsythia, even my favorite—redbuds, were beginning their beautiful fuchsia show.

A mockingbird came to visit the balcony garden this morning but I didn’t have my camera in hand so I stayed and watched it flip its tail up and down several times before flying away. Sometimes it’s better to be present in the moment than to risk missing it while grabbing the camera.

Turn, Turn, Turn

Houseplants often get light from only one direction so they need to be turned from time to time to keep them from getting leggy. Sometimes their lean toward the sun isn’t noticeable until they’re turned—then as with this croton, it becomes obvious when you see only the backs of the leaves.

This weekend will be the time to turn the clock forward for Daylight Savings Time. Unfortunately, the east window plants will now get less sun but the west window plants will get more. Turn, turn, turn.

It’s good to “spring forward” in the spring, moving forward to better days.

Few & Far Between

A “Red Hibiscus Day” again—at last. The bush doesn’t bloom very often indoors but it does bloom and I’m happy for it. The beautiful red blooms always brighten my day and after a day like yesterday—“one of those days” I’m ready for all the brightening I can get!

I first became “taken” with the red hibiscus when I saw them everywhere in Spain and found that they represent peace. Peace is a good thing.

Full Regalia

At last, the Bradford Pear has fully bloomed. Streets are lined with them but I get to see one right outside the window. That’s the best way to view them—through a window. Unfortunately Bradford Pear trees’ beauty is for eyes only—not noses. They stink!

Spring is on its conveyor belt now—no turning back. Since we have an “early” Resurrection Day this year, we’ll probably still be a-bloom in colorful celebration.

Pentas A-Plenty

The deep pink penta is in full bloom, probably more than it bloomed outdoors. They do, as it turns out make good indoor plants; I wouldn’t have expected it.

I’ll take them back out to the balcony garden though when the weather warms for more than a day or two. It has worked out really well to have the various plants indoors since we have such good window space but I’ve never had this many indoors before and I’m eager to get some of the them out into fresh air.

This morning I trimmed some straggly branches off the Angelonias and look forward to more fresh new growth.

Hope Instead

Where one leaf of the Hawaiian Ti plant had to be removed, six more have taken its place and are growing well. To me it’s a sign of hope that where one thing goes wrong, the Lord Jesus can bring in many good things to take its place. These new leaves are slow-growing but growing steadily.

Cold weather has returned with frigid, blustery winds. After “Noah’s flood”, God covenanted with Noah:

“As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease” (Genesis 8:22).

Cold (“global warming” notwithstanding) and heat will never go away as long as we’re on this earth so we’d better learn to deal with them especially since they are a promise of good. What a paradigm shift!

Now Appearing

While I was away yesterday, the pear blossoms finally popped open—at least a few did while the rest are “sitting on ready.”


The northern part of town hasn’t shown many signs of spring yet—but these bloodroot wildflowers (in a public garden) were blooming profusely among new fern fronds and an occasional trillium.

There’s no stopping spring now. Even if it turns cold again—and it probably will, or snows (stranger things have happened), according to the plants, it’s still spring!

Started from a cutting of a bedding plant last year, this Creeping Jenny (rounded yellow-green leaves) is already on its way; it won’t be long until it’s growing down the side of the pot. All I had to do is stick the cutting in the dirt and water it—the kind of propagation I like best.

I began growing Jenny for its color; the yellow-green gave a bit of relief from all the green-green leaves. I’ve also found that its cascading habit gives green on a new level and I like to vary the size and shapes of leaves among the plants. The picture shows Jenny’s rounded leaf shape contrasting with the more pointed leaves of Sweet William and Victoria Blue Salvia. Hmmm, I hadn’t thought of that before; we have Jenny, William and Victoria.