Saturday, February 15, 2020

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day February 2020

What a Garden Bloggers Bloom Day this has been!

Normally, by now, I am scrounging for anything in my house in the zone 5b Southern Tier of New York...anything...that might contain a bloom.

But not this year.

I have three African violets blooming, and one that just stopped blooming.

Do you get the feeling I like pink or purple flowers?

You would be right.  This is the one that was on its way out and today, the bloom was shriveled up.  But I am giving this plant its moment.

I am honoring this pleasant surprise.  This is a poinsettia from 2018 I kept in my office cubicle until late fall, then brought home.  It is starting to show some color! (Those colored leaves poinsettias are famous for, by the way, are not flowers,  They are a specialized leaf called a bract.  The actual flowers are in the center and small. )

This is my fancy African violet that has nice leaves and small blooms.  It is starting to bloom again.  It's doing quite nicely in a self watering pot.

My orchid buy from Home Depot on Black Friday is just now starting to lose its blooms.  This is one of the nicest purchases I have ever made on Black Friday.

My gift for Valentine's Day - a cyclamen to kill.   Seriously, I've killed every one I've ever been given.

My Thanksgiving cactii have buds again.  This one is the furthest along.

This year, I can turn to the outdoors! 

My Lenten Rose had started to bloom right after January GBBD, and I was holding my breath because we have had snow, and this morning, with the snow cover disappearing, it got down to 4 above zero F (-15.5 C) .  When I took this picture, the temperature had climbed to 8F. Well, there are some flower buds that may have survived. 

There is also this plant, whose name I have totally forgotten, that has some buds on it.

I have one more to discuss.  This fall, I decided to be experimental and force daffodils.  Spouse and I purchased a shallow clay pot in a nursery in Ithaca, New York, and planted five or six daffodil bulbs of a variety recommended for forcing.  The instructions said to put the pot in the ground at soil level, and then, at the beginning of February, dig up and bring indoors and keep well lit.  A week ago, we noticed this.  It's hardly grown since, as you can see in today's photo,  but I need to be patient.

One more thing - I have two phalenopsis orchids that have something looking like white mold on them. And actually, none of my several orchids (ones I've kept from previous years) look happy.  I may have overwatered them.  None are showing signs of wanting to bloom, either.

But hope springs eternal in the garden!   Thank you for sharing my world today.

Join Carol at May Dreams Gardens every 15th of the month and see what other gardeners are doing for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day.

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10 comments:

  1. danger gardenFebruary 15, 2020 at 4:52 PM

    That's a lot of blooms! Glad you've got indoor flowers to get you through the winter months.

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  2. Dorothy BordersFebruary 15, 2020 at 6:06 PM

    The cyclamen are so pretty and I do love your Lenten rose, but, of course, my favorites as always are the African violets.

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  3. peppylady (Dora)February 15, 2020 at 6:48 PM

    When I look out window it hard to think about gardening when I see a light covering of snow

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  4. Kris PetersonFebruary 15, 2020 at 8:49 PM

    I think you're doing well for zone 5b, Alana! (My zone is now classified as 11a!) I tried to grow African violets in my shade house last year, which was a major fail - they need to be grown inside here too. I've found orchids do best under a regime of benign neglect, although they want to be fed occasionally if they're going to bloom. I've had mixed luck with Phalaenopsis but Cymbidiums in big pots do relatively well here.

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  5. songbird's crazy worldFebruary 15, 2020 at 10:01 PM

    Your African violets arevpretty.

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  6. Arun GoyalFebruary 16, 2020 at 2:03 AM

    Those are pretty colorful blooms .Loved African violets,Cyclamen and what a pretty shade of orchid.We share same bloom of Thanks giving cactus for this month.Happy bloggers blooms day.

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  7. Hilary Melton-ButcherFebruary 16, 2020 at 8:53 AM

    Hi Alana - they're all doing well under your nurturing hands ... enjoy all the new growth and keeping them all living on - cheers Hilary

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  8. LeaFebruary 16, 2020 at 10:49 AM

    Love the African Violets! Beautiful Cyclamen, too!
    Have a blessed day!

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  9. carol l mckennaFebruary 16, 2020 at 1:18 PM

    Gorgeous floral shots and such a delight to see so much blooming ~ Good Luck with the daffodils ~ they will bloom ~ ^_^

    Happy Moments to You,
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  10. Liz A.February 16, 2020 at 7:34 PM

    Wow. Monster turn out for February.

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