Vicarious winter gardening - or Show me da blooms 2

We're coming from here: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/793107/. This is the place to share your winter blooms, no matter whether they are in sunny southern gardens or in your garage or even in your snowbank!

Perfect Louise!

I am once again jelous

Or in our imagination.

That's fine too, Victor.......as long as we are sharing our blooms to brighten the days of our friends, who cares where they reside!! Please share your imagined blooms with us!!

not ready to bloom yet, but this is Hi! the cutest micromini I have!

Kass, isn't that a little bloom just left of center?? I hope he blooms for you soon!!!

yes... and I just saw some pink today... I think another 3 days and it will open!!!

Be sure to post a pic of it in bloom!! Exciting waiting for blooms to open !!

More sunflowers are opening every day! I think they are the MOST cheerful flowers, AND I love them because they become a gourmet restaurant for the birds when they finish their show! LOL

Here's one playing peek-a-boo......

I posted this one on another thread for a different perspective than the things that are now blooming. I thought some color might cheer up anyone with the winter blahs! Take heart, my friends.....it's almost February and then, BOOM - spring is in sight!!

Louise you made me very happy I bought some sunflower seeds this year... can't wait

Oh, great, Allison! They are such fun. I especially love the American Giant but I couldn't find any when we planted this year. I just now found some and will plant them in NH this summer. Happy Weekend!!

you too... soak up a few rays for us ... up in the freezing rain

oooh, freezing rain is the worst! I'd rather have snow any day!

We've never had to use the a/c so much as we have this winter! We leave it off with the windows open all day, but in the late afternoon when the humidity kicks in, on it goes again! The mornings have been very nice and cool for walking though.

Here's a shot of a small corner garden that is sort of washed out by the sun, but it had an interesting look in a way. The red ti plant looks streaked.

FINALLY, the blooms on my Thanksgiving cactus are opening at last!!

the sun bleached plant does look cool.. what do you do with all these plants when you are up north?

Allison........I pray for them to make it through the hot summer. LOL That "sun-bleached" corner of plants made it ok last year. They looked a bit parched when we got here, but they came back pretty well.

The Thanksgiving cactus and my mother's orchid cross go with me back and forth, along with some cuttings, etc. The rest just have to fend for themselves, but last summer my neighbor did some watering for us until the rains came. This year we are restricted to one day a week from 4 a.m. to 8 a.m. for watering, so I expect I'll lose some if it stays this dry. I do use the polymers and Miracle Gro moisture control soil, so that helps between watering, and I also use spaghnum moss and lots of mulch too. We've planted a lot of native trees and shrubs and we've started lots of shrubs from cuttings, so I hope they'll be established enough by the time we leave to make it through.

wow I would be a nervous wreck .... I don't like going on vacation ... never mind gone for months... guess a rain barrel wouldn't help if it's not raining

Most of the time, the rainy season lasts throughout the summer, and we get back before there are problems, but who knows whether that will be the case this year with the strange weather and the drought here. The good thing is that I don't have to worry about any of that at our NH house during the winter! LOL

I put the new pink hydrangea in the "wicker corner" of our front porch........here's a shot of how it looks there......

I spent the morning working outside and got a lot done, but it was record heat and humidity here....again tomorrow too. I was a mess by the time I finished planting another pot of green beans and a cherry tomato, along with my purchases of superbells for the front and back yard gardens.

Well, I guess I've been pretty lazy about showing you northern pals how things are growing down here around my patio. Some of the blooms are pretty cheery......especially my Kassia plant.....from its namesake's seeds.......(Thanks again, Kass!)

Here is my second wave of cukes just coming into flower.......

The short day onions are getting pretty fat and tall.......

This "terra cotta" supertunia is brightening up the patio.....

Here's a view of the patio garden with the chiminea/grill from the orange grove.....

oooops.....that shot of the onions was not a very good one. I meant to post this one instead.....

Last shot of the night.......my weeping bottle brush is filled with bright red blooms now. This is a favorite of the yellow-rumped warblers and the Baltimore Orioles......

Looks great, Louise - lucky you!

I love supertunias!... haven't seen that one yet Louise... they are very pretty

The supertunias are beautiful - love the color combo of the flowers, pot and background.

Here are the bulbs I forced, the tulips should be blooming for awhile - I put a lot of bulbs in. The flowers are pretty and my kitchen smells great.

Nice Deb! Good combo.

Nice Deb! Im kicking myself for not forcing any this year.

nice deb... I have some that are just poking out of the soil now... can't wait

Have you ever planted the bulbs after forcing them?

I did last year but won't be able to gove you the results for a few more months! LOL

Thanks, Victor, Allison and Deb!

Allison - I had never seen the terra cotta supertunia either. It is really unusual and so pretty.

Deb - your bulbs are gorgeous! What a nice treat it must be for you to have them in bloom now! The colors are so pretty together!

Celeste - is it too late to force them now?

I'm not sure Louise, never tried. I do love the color of 'Terra Cotta'!!

Celeste - seems like you could use some forced bulbs to break the winter monotony and all that snow! LOL