Collections

Why is it, if I find a type of plant I particularly like one is never enough. In fact, it seems my motto is,  if one is good then fifty is even better.  A couple years ago I bought my first bromeliad and fell in love with the sculptural form of these marvelous plants. Within six months I had at least thirty broms and after a year it was up over a hundred or so.... I'm hopeless I tell you.

I've always loved variegated and patterned foliage so when I found my first foliage vriesea on line I was hooked. The colors and patterns of these gorgeous bromeliads are total eye candy. They are easy peasy to care for. In winters I grow them under lights that are on 12 hours a day. They get watered once every two weeks or so and only get a dilute root feeding every six weeks or so. By growing them in groups the water in the 'tanks' in the centers of the plants keep the humidity up around the plants and creates a happy environment for these beauties. 

Here are a few photos of some of the Vriesea collection I took today while taking care of (read drooling over my plant babies. LOL)

Fall/Winter Pursuits

All of the tender plants have now been safely tucked into the house, garage or my friend's greenhouse for the winter and 99% of the containers have been emptied out and stored away for the season. (I noticed a couple of annual pots outside  that I missed, Jeesh...) We've raked up and shredded leaves, still lots of that left to do as the oaks take their time shedding.  I don't mind them falling and making more work as the oak leaves are one of the main ingredients of the compost I use for top dressing and amending the soil in the borders every year.  So, now is the time to take out my bird blind and set it up in the middle of my back yard.  Yes, I did say "bird blind".  I spend a good deal of my time in the winter outside in the garden in my 'tent' as my family and friends call it. They all think I'm a bit daft (you can imagine what the neighbors think) but I love my garden birds and I love taking pictures of them.   We got the blind set up last weekend and I spend a wonderful day on Monday enjoying the last of the fall color and my garden birds.

The Japanese Maples are my last blaze of color in the gardens now

White-throated Sparrow, one of the many Sparrows that visit regularly in the winter

There are only a very few leaves left on the Hydrangea petiolaris



American Goldfinch in the Hydrangea petiolaris

American Goldfinch

House Finch - love to see those nice buds for next year's flowers on the Hydrangea

Red-bellied Woodpecker on the oak

Mr. Pesty Gray Squirrel



Black-capped Chickadee tucking seed in the base of the Hydrangea petiolaris




White-breasted Nuthatch

The Japanese Maples are gorgeous right now - these leaves will be gone after tonight's first snowfall of the season

Drasty Chipmunk - I do wish they'd move to someone else's garden




Black-capped Chickadee

American Goldfinch

Dark-eyed Junco - love these sweet "Snow Birds"

Mourning Dove