Over the years I have discovered that many of my garden flowers do well in my winter greenhouse.
Early in the year I pot up a few annuals such as poppies, snapdragons, petunias, pansies and especially nasturtiums. They bloom all Summer outside and continue blooming in my winter greenhouse.
My "antique" plate, painted in 2005, is still around. Just couldn't part with it. It has all the right flaws.
This petunia changes yellow and red combinations, all on the same plant. Sometimes they tend do be a solid red, then they change to a solid yellow and often they are a combination of both and in different patterns.
Have a wonderful week.
Thank you dear friends for stopping by and leaving such lovely comments. You are so appreciated.
Gina
Dear Gina, I wonder if your greenhouse gets any heat at all during the very cold months. I take some cuttings of summer annuals, but there is only so much space by my kitchen window. It is great fun to help these colorful flowers to make it through the winter and to set them out in the garden when spring arrives. Your Petunias always amaze me. I have not seen colors like that anywhere.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely week, Sieglinde
Dear Sieglinde, My little greenhouse is pretty amazing. It is below ground and has a dark blue cement wall on the inside, facing south, The wall stores the heat and gives it off during the night. It is only when we have no sun for several days that it gets quite cool, but never freezes. One of the doors opens to my garage. I never have to get into a cold car, which is pretty wonderful when it gets to be minus 22F. But most of all I love that I can play in there all winter long.
DeleteSuch gorgeous flowers, and your photos certainly bring out the amazing colors Gina.
ReplyDeleteA good decision to hold on to that lovely plate.............it's beautiful, with such a joyful looking bird singing at the top of its lungs!
I had my pair of resident Carolina wrens doing that this morning at 7 am - standing on the porch rail trilling back and forth as they preened with so much energy. They sleep every night, coming at dusk and we can set out clocks by them, in my now almost dead hanging Boston ferns on the porch. How can I throw them out - I keep them all Winter in their dreary brownness just for the wrens!!!
From soppy me - a hug, and thankfulness for God's tiny creatures bringing me immense joy.
Mary
Dear Mary, Of course you can't throw out the ferns. Not when they provide a safe spot for your wrens and their beautiful songs. Our songbirds have all gone south. We won't hear them again until early next Spring. I don't know if I can wait.
DeleteThank you for your visit and comment. I always enjoy hearing from you.
"it has all the right flaws"....what a great quote! You know how much I love deterioration and patina. I am glad you kept the plate. I know your greenhouse must be a delight to visit.
ReplyDeleteDear Theresa, I have seen you create some fabulous magic with paints. No one appreciates patina more than you do. One of these days you will come this way and we can make old from new.
DeleteVery colourful post, cheering up the day.
ReplyDeleteA greenhouse must be such a treat to enjoy plants all through the year.
Have a lovely week,
Marian
Hello Marian, How nice of you to come for a visit. During Summer my greenhouse is totally empty. In Winter it mostly holds over my geraniums. Some of them are more than 20 years old.
DeleteHow lovely... I would enjoy that too!
ReplyDeleteHello Madge, Thank you for stopping by. Thank you also for your lovely comment. It is very much appreciated.
DeleteI think the plate looks vintage - just the way I like them! And what glorious colors in that mix of petunia. That pink is so striking.
ReplyDeleteI used my basement in Illinois for my greenhouse; I had two sets of those plant stands with fluorescent lamps that I could start 12 flats each of new seeds. Oh how joyous that was to go downstairs in the middle of winter (Feb - on) and see my fresh greenery. There was a freshness and of course all that green that was so exciting.
That is quite clever of you, two, to have the greenhouse open to the garage to help warm it up a bit during those harsh winters. I like you description of "being able to go there and play!"
Dear Mary, I know exactly how you feel about seeing fresh greenery in February. All of us, who live so far North, truly appreciate a little color during the winter months.
DeleteYour plant stands produced a lot of flowers/plants. I would love to know what you were able to grow.
Gina - I was studying horticulture at the time so there were so many new plant varieties that I was being exposed to it was fun to decide what would work in my landscape plan, find the seed and then grow it! Let me think about this as it was over 15 years ago - but I will report back!
DeleteHello Mary, I will look forward to your discovery. ox, Gina
DeleteHi Gina, your flowers are still going strong! Good to see. Here, in Vancouver, I've got lovely dahlias still. I wish I had a greenhouse; it's on my list, (it's a long list). One day. Then I might be inspired to overwinter my geraniums. I always buy new ones in the spring. My grandmother would have scolded me for this. Hope you have a lovely week ahead of you. :)
ReplyDeleteHello Veronica and thank you for your visits. It is only in my greenhouse that the flowers are blooming. The garden is frozen. I would think that in your climate you could winter over your geraniums in a sheltered spot. Keep them altogether, covered with lots of leaves. They might look a bit sad early in the Spring but they will soon start growing again.
ReplyDeleteOh this sight must just transform a mood, even on a Winter's day the pallet so amazing~
ReplyDeleteDer Mary, You always leave such nice comments. Thank you so much. Have a wonderful remainder of the week.
DeleteThe antique patina of your 2005 plate is wonderful, and I like that long-legged, high-strutting bird!
ReplyDeleteDear Mark, You will see that long-legged, high strutting bird all over Italy. It is one of the most recognizable designs of Italian ceramics. I just added a few extra years to his countenance.
ReplyDelete