Katie is right, it's a pygmy alpine quince.
It blooms most heavily in spring, but keeps blooming sporadically until frost.
It's only a foot tall or so.
I didn't plan for this, but there are a bunch of muscari bulbs planted in the area.
The quince is dwarf enough that it's red flowers look great contrasting with the blue muscari.
Well, THAT's a day-brightener!
Interesting point about alpines - they combine well with other low growers . . . what a nice combo for this time of year!
My salvia is still cranking out blooms.
We've had a warm fall.
But next week is supposed to bring us back to reality.
I'll enjoy it while I can.
And what's up with this??
A forsythia is planning to open tomorrow.
Won't he be surprised in a few days.
This message was edited Nov 21, 2010 12:56 PM
????? Interesting.
It's snowing here today and overnight temperatures will be in the teens on Monday and Tuesday. That's cold for us.
Katie is right, it's a pygmy alpine quince.
It blooms most heavily in spring, but keeps blooming sporadically until frost.
It's only a foot tall or so.
I didn't plan for this, but there are a bunch of muscari bulbs planted in the area.
The quince is dwarf enough that it's red flowers look great contrasting with the blue muscari.
chaenomeles japonica var. alpina pygmaea.
I found it listed in both Fairweather Gardens and Gossler Farms catalogues on-line.
There may be others...
This message was edited Nov 21, 2010 7:46 PM
Not to turn this into the "Weather Forum" but so sorry for y'all having freezing/cold/snow. Forecast for Houston is in the 80's and high 70's until Friday, then the cool hits! Finally got some Nasturtiums blooming in my shade garden--3 is better than none! Impatiens, salvia, torenia, lobelia, begonia, fuchsia and cyclamen all blooming. My Japanese Maple is budding out. The shade garden is presently happy :) And happy Thanksgiving to everyone!
We have snow for Crismis too.Just like a greeting card.
"Cold Fort Worth beer just ain't no good for jealous . . . ."
I have been growing a Salvia called "Black and Blue", for the past few years. It is not Winter hardy in the ground in our zone 6 Winter. I am considering bringing it inside for the Winter and then putting it out next Spring. Any comments, or anyone who has tried it?
chaenomeles japonica var. alpina pygmaea.
I found it listed in both Fairweather Gardens and Gossler Farms catalogues on-line.
There may be others...
This message was edited Nov 21, 2010 7:46 PM
arfitz - I'm trying it with lantanas, Persian Shield and a few others. Good luck.
Arfitz, I've grown Black and Blue salvia for years. It's hardy for me in same zone. In fact, it spreads a little more vigorously than I prefer, though I wouldn't call it invasive. I love the late blooms (note the fall color in the background).
Edited to add you might just plant it in the yard, then bring in a division next fall.
It grows vigourously.
This message was edited Nov 23, 2010 5:06 AM
lovely
I found another brug that blooms reliably here in my cooler garden. It is called Santa Rosa. It's a deep pink with good tendrils. Remember, my climate is cool in the summers because of mountainous locale. This flushed 3 times with off and on minor blooming between. I took a LOT of cuttings from this one.
This is NOT my photo.
This message was edited Nov 28, 2010 10:47 AM
We have 1 pathetic Poincettia left from the holidays.
The lilypad begonia houseplant is starting.
A few amaryllises are blooming inside but that's all.
Begonia just starting.Sorry about the camera setting.Loaned it to GS and he changed the settings I am frustrated beyond all.
The shrimp plant I posted earlier recovered from the cut-back and is now blooming. I decided to bring it inside from the greenhouse to enjoy the bloom and put my Christmas cactus out.
Love my Crismiss cactus which blooms in November.
Mine did too. I moved it off this small table and put the Shrimp Plant here.
Anything counts, Cindy! Even fake flowers will count if this wretched weather continues!
Beautiful, woodspirit!
Pirl's right. I just tossed the last of the poincettias. Really cold trip to the compost.
I don't have anything in actual bloom now, but last Fall I purchased a "Vine Maple" called "Pacific Fire" with a coral bark that really stands out in the Winter against all the snow we are receiving now. I located it in full view about 20' outside my Kitchen window with its branches just in front of an 8' ilex whose dark green leaves make it all the more dramatic. It cheers me up whenever I see it.
Sounds really interesting, arfitz!
ge - I bought one poinsettia for the holidays and while it was dropping leaves like crazy in the house, it's really liking the cool gh. So can't get rid of it unless it croaks.
arfitz - a coral bark maple? Bet it's gorgeous. I'd love to add more trees but already have too many natives.
pirl - LOL.
thanks, pirl. Nice to see you.
Same here. I've never had a Christmas cactus anywhere near as gorgeous as yours is.
Here's my shade garden at the moment: Have a begonia going crazy in the corner by the house, a salvia loving the cold weather, some nasturtiums in a pot blooming nicely (although the exact same plant in a different pot right next to it isn't blooming at all), and some cyclamen.
nice yellow
Hi Cindy. I was wondering about your GH. Is it attached to the house, or does it require a hike?
And how big is it? I've always toyed with the idea of putting one in, but I can't seem to keep up with the yard, much less a GH. But this time of year, it would be entertaining.
Weerobin - Mine is a 6 ft x 10 ft kit attached to the south side of my attached garage. I couldn't think of a decent place to put it in back yard as it wasn't going to be an architectural feature and heating costs would have been much higher if detached. While DH urged that bigger is better (and some days I agree), I kept it on the small side. Last year, we cut a doorway through the garage to the GH to allow easier access in the winter. There's really not that much upkeep with it. In fact, it makes it much easier for potting up things since I don't have to clean up so much if doing the same chores in the house. I'm more of an indoor seed-starter so it's perfect for growing on seedlings. Plus it's very soothing in winter to go into a "green" space. I don't use it much during the summer except for potting chores. I tried growing tomatoes in it last summer but ended up with lots of spider mites even though I kept the air moving all the time and it's automatically vented. I do overwinter tender plants in there as well doing cuttings and growing seedlings. I have two benches as well as one of those tall Rubbermaid (or similar) cabinets for holding stuff. I even have some 4 ft lights set up on the bottom shelf of the bench for the extra light required during the winter. I'm using a non-vented natural gas heater to keep the temp around 60. I think once it's built, the most work it requires is the bubble wrap I put up for winter on the inside to help hold some of the heat even though the walls are double-wall polycarbonate. Oops, sorry to make this so lengthy. Hope this helps.
Boy, sounds really useful. My overwintering plants are just thrown helter-skelter into the garage. There's barely room for the car. In fact, I have a stake in a pot to use as a marker to stop before running over the pots! And there's not enough light for the tender evergreens. I just don't know where I'd put it. Thanks for the info.
