
Here in USDA Zone 5, the weather has been seasonable for February, which means some snow, some cold, some wintry mix, and did I mention the cold? If we are to have blooms, they'll be mostly indoors.
Indeed, the hyacinths I've been forcing in vases in my breakfast area window are all in various states of bloom. The scent is amazing, heavy and sweet, but uplifting.
As you can see from the picture, there is still some snow outside, especially outside this window which faces north. I'm sure those hyacinth are happy to be on the inside looking out.
Other flowers inside include:
Hybrid variegated leaf orchid, (Sarcoglottis speciosus x Stenorrhynchos speciosum). I think it looks a bit like a chicken's foot. Go look at the link to the picture and let me know if you agree. I'm growing it mostly for the variegated foliage, and once I get my act together, I plan to move it to my big terrarium.
Jewel orchid (Ludisia discolor). I featured this orchid in my January GBBD post, so I won't show it again. This is an easy orchid to grow, with sprays of smaller blooms, so if you want to dip your toe into the waters of orchid growing, you might try it. But be careful! You could end up falling in love with orchids and soon be planning to build an extra room onto your house so you have a place to grow all your orchids.
Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera sp.). I'm getting a few new blooms here and there on my Christmas Cactus. Every time I see them I wonder if I've left out some Christmas decoration someplace in the house. Don't you hate when you think you've put away all your Christmas decorations and then you find some knick knack or doo-dad that got left out?
I also have some red poinsettias still blooming and a few tiny pink blooms on a Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia milii). Thanks, Kim, for reminding me to include them.
Now, let's go outside.
Drumroll, please.
In February, which last year was a complete white out for bloom day, I have crocuses in bloom.
At this point, if you've read this far, you are probably groaning, "Not THAT crocus again! How many posts about that crocus is she going to do? I've seen enough of it".
But have you? Because look, there are now three buds! The two smaller buds showed up today, even after being buried for a day or so in some 'wintry' mix'. So it isn't a crocus, it is now three crocuses in bloom (or bud, don't get technical on me).
And that's Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day this fine February day at May Dreams Gardens.
What's blooming in your garden? Join us for bloom day by posting on your own blog about what's blooming in your garden right now, outdoors or indoors. You can post pictures, lists, common names, botanical names, whatever you’d like to do to showcase your blooms today. Then leave a comment here, so we know where to find your blog and can visit to see and read about your bloom day blooms.
“We can have flowers nearly every month of the year.” ~ Elizabeth Lawrence
Comments
I can beat that outside easy as can be.
My GBBD post is up, too.
Hyacinths are a smell you either love or hate. Although I love the flower and those cute little vases, the smell is overwhelming. Not good at all.
Robin at Bumblebee
Even though I'm on vacation I couldn't resist posting for Bloom Day.
My crocus are shy and haven't even been able to peak above all the snow we've had in Chicago.
There's lots to see outside, come visit:
Thanks.
You will need to show us your terrarium when you have it full of flowers.
I have my pitaful excuse for blossoms posted.
I wonder if there is something in my water?
My blooms post is up tonight - out of state houseguests are arriving on Saturday and guess who's not ready.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
My post is up too.
http://Blissyo-elgarden.blogspot.com/
Carol what a vast improvement your garden is today compared with last year. Three crocuses!!!!! Whoohoo! That's a 300% improvement, nothing to be sneezed at, wouldn't you say?
Hyacinths have such wonderful scents that I love having them both inside and out. Yours look lovely and, without doubt, smell devine.
Happy GBBD!
Frances at Faire Garden
http://www.fairegarden.blogspot.com/
I'm not sure if we'll have a post at Gardening Gone Wild; hopefully Steve will be able to post this evening.
I am so glad you decided to continue your garden bloggers bloom day.
My garden blog is new - and my post is up.
Regards
Karen
My blooms day post is up too. Just like Carolyn, I too could not resist posting for GBBD, though on a vaction.
Best Wishes
Frances at Faire Garden
(reminding me there is still 2 feet of snow to melt here) Actually it's good to see the bad weather didn't crush it's spirit and it now has some friends.
I love the crocus photos. Keep them coming. I tried to grow them once, but the bulbs rotted in our clay soil, heat and humidity.
When your tulips start blooming, I won't be able to get enough photos of those either.
Did anyone else find just an index and no viewable post when visiting Green Thumb at India Garden? I switched from Internet Explorer to Firefox and her post appeared... could it be the broken link thing that Ki/MuckNMire was experiencing a while ago?
After seeing those hyacinths again I'm ready to go buy one in bloom.
Annie
Don’t apologies for your Crocus if I was in your shoes in Zone 5, I would be jumping up and down with that discovery. In the mean time I would like to invite everyone to visit the DragonFly garden, I have plenty of blooms, to remind you all why we love gardening.
My name is Priscilla. I'm a gardener in texas. This is my first garden bloggers bloom day! I've seen all the posts and finally got some blooms to participate.
http://newsprout.blogspot.com/2008/02/garden-blogger-bloom-day.html
I love your hyacinths, the scent in the room must be heavenly!
Great your crocus is blooming, mine haven't come up yet.
I just started a gardening blog myself, and I participated in bloom day for the first time today: http://seeds.sunriseruby.org/
What a great idea and I can't wait for my own crocus too now :-)
Thanks Carol. You can see my post at Kiss of Sun.
My post is up. Come see the signs of spring in my garden.
Diane
Alberta Postcards
Diane's Flickr photos
Jan Always Gardening
I can not believe you actually have crocus blooms.
My GBBD post is up at
http://pollinators-welcome.blogspot.com/
Your hyacinths are another dream for this Florida gardener. I've never "forced" anything (well in gardening that is :-). I find it fascinating and wonder if it is something I should be doing?
Congrats on your 1 year GBBD anniversary.
I (finally) have my Florida GBBD post up at hoe and shovel.
Oh, and my first ever bloom day post is up.
Your hyacinths are beautiful.
GBD
I never get tired of seeing crocuses. Didn't you plant some in the lawn last fall? Can't wait to see those.
atidewatergardener.blogspot.com
Les
Anyway, it's up.
My crocuses aren't even peeking up from the ground yet. The snow still hasn't melted in the front yet, so maybe their under there somewhere.
I like pretty orchid and agree that it does rather resemble a chicken's foot, but it's much pretty.
My post is up!
My crocus are buried under about a foot of snow or so. Wonderful to see yours! :-) My GBBD post is up. http://yardisgreen.blogspot.com
My post for February is ready and you can see it at
http://www.ewainthegarden.blogspot.com
Greetings,
My Bloom Day post is up here: http://gardenerofgoodandevil.blogspot.com/2008/02/garden-bloggers-bloom-day.html
Your row of hyacinths at the window is just lovely. I can imagine their good scent. I spotted two hyacinths just trying to poke up from the ground in my yard. No sign of crocuses yet. Whether it's one or three or dozens -- aren't crocuses always a welcome sight? Enjoy!
If you missed posting yesterday and have some blooms to post for Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, please do so. Late is fine, we'd love to see what you have blooming in your garden.
And if I missed visiting your bloom day post and leaving a comment, let me know. I sure tried to visit every blog that participated but I might have missed one or two.
Carol, May Dreams Gardens
~Sarah
I've just posted my first contribution to Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. Lisa, at Greenbow told me about it. What a great idea! My garden is quite frosty at the moment, but some plants are in bloom, despite the weather.
/Katarina (Sweden)
I'm a little late, but my GBBD post is up!
My post is located here:
http://thesuniskillingme.blogspot.com/
http://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/
I'm envious that you have crocus before I do - wow! A neighbor of mine has a whle lawn full now in bloom - and they are on the North side while mine on the South facing yard are still inside their little sheaths. Any day now though, any day now.
I've just been over to Bliss and seen what Yolanda Elisabet said about giving up GBD. I love it but have had my own doubts about extending beyond the year because, in my case, I thought it might get repetitive and boring. There's not much space on a couple of balconies and though I shall be growing some new stuff this year, the old favourites which I've already talked about ad nauseam will be there in abundance.
So, I'm toying with the idea of the "plant of the month" theme. A GBD post which mentions what's in flower but focuses mainly on one plant which I think is representative of the month. I started this month with primulas (though quite honestly I've not got much else to blog about at the moment!). Hope you're happy with that as an "evolution" of the theme - I'd still like to post it under the GBD heading.
In answer to Sue Swift's question, I'm just happy to have people participate once a month to show us something in bloom. If after a year you want to change it up a bit by focusing on one 'plant of the month', your top 5 or 10 blooms, or whatever the "wow" in your garden is that month, that all sounds great to me.
Carol, May Dreams Gardens
I've finally got my February Bloom Day post up here: Rachel @ In Bloom
Pat at commonweeder.blogspot.com
Mary Beth
http://talesfromthelaboratory.typepad.com/tales_from_the_microbial_/2008/02/camellia-japoni.html
I am a bit late in arriving this month but my post is finally up now. I didn't want to miss this month out especially when I have some flowers :-D
I am looking forward to browsing the other gardens now :-D
I am terribly late, but have committed to posting something each month for the Garden Bloggers Bloom Day...so here is my meager offering for February.
Hopefully March will be better.