Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - February 2010

The 15th of the month sneaked right up on me, which is rather unusual when it's the dead of winter.  Winter isn't exactly my favorite time of year and usually drags by at the speed of glaciers. But this winter has zipped right by.

The blooms here are pretty darn slim right now.  Not a thing outside that I can see, and that is part of the problem.  Everything is well covered by snow.  It's going to take awhile before most things see the light of day.  So the few blooms I have are all inside the house.

Usually, I store the Oxalis bulbs for the winter, but decided to just leave these in the pot. They've continued to grow and bloom under the lights in the basement.  Now that the days are getting longer, maybe I'll bring them upstairs and put them in a south window.

I love their contrasting foliage and the striations in the flower petals.  The blooms remind me of small hardy Geranium blooms - in yellow!

Crown-of-Thorns (Euphorbia milii) blooms all winter in a window with a southern exposure, though its blooms are sometimes much more pale than they are when it's outside in summer.  I really should cut it back so it will branch more, but I'm afraid I'll kill it if I do.

 

 

Finally - yes, only three blooms this month - the Dragon Wing Begonia hasn't stopped blooming since I brought it inside for the winter, not even after I cut it way back.  I can just imagine how wonderful it will be when I can return it to its spot, hanging in the big oak tree, this spring.

Its petals shimmer in the light, which shows how full of water they are.  These kinds of plants don't react very well to overwatering, which is probably why mine has done so well.  I keep forgetting to water it! I'm reminded whenever I start to see too many blooms laying on the floor.

That's it. No orchids at present, though one is fat with buds.  No amaryllis in bloom, but there will probably be one by next week. I'm looking forward to March's Bloom Day, when I hope to have some crocus and snowdrops in bloom outside!

Be sure to visit May Dreams Gardens, where you can find links to other participating bloggers around the world, showing off their beautiful blooms, inside and out.