More Ugly - but a second chance

I've had these plumerias for a number of years

I thought this might be their last year when I brought them home from the storage unit

The jasmine behind them looks pretty bad as well

I took a chance and cut the stalks 

Dang

Maybe they'll live for another year

No hope for these though

They melted...or froze

My Madagascar Palms were about 6 feet tall last year and I've had them since they were in pint size pots - I've been hauling them in and out of the storage unit

 for years

No more

My next palm will be nothing like my last palm 

It was a painful dance 

Now I got a second chance

I'm trying a Sago this time

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

The Good

The geraniums lived

Had to move them in and out of the garage all winter 

A lot of work for 2 small flowers

But it's worth it

Never had any live all winter before - that's good 

The Bad

I think Boston ivy could survive an Arctic winter 

It easily survived this one - that could be bad - it can get kind of invasive -

But the jasmine may have a tougher time coming back 

It looks bad

The Ugly

This jaws agave is kind of scary even when it's healthy

But when the cold has eaten it up it can be downright ugly

After a few months I hope the ugly shriveled parts will be replaced with tender new green leaves 

My spaghetti's getting cold and my wine's going flat 

Have to check the rest of the damage tomorrow

moving day!

It's been a long cold winter - colder than any that I can remember

And even though the first official day of Spring was almost a month ago winter has not been willing to step aside and take it's place back in the seasonal queue

With the threat of an overnight freeze no longer in the weekly forecast it's time to move

The plants that were packed away for a long winter's nap and have been sharing space with tubs full of decorations, school papers, clothes and a lot of other things I should've probably thrown away long ago are now ready for the light of day

INSIDE OUT

INSIDE OUT

It's time to ease into SPRING...

try creating your own terrarium with

some of your favorite plants

You can use a favorite jar or container

and have your plants inside or

carry them outside on a sunny day

Enjoy!

Spring Training

The vernal equinox

The sun will complete its march across the equator

And the calendar signals the first day of spring

The official opening day for wine-gardening season

Let's open a bottle of wine to celebrate

     Get outside and clean off the potting bench

          Knock the rust off the shovels

               Dig your hands deep into the dirt

                    Out with a few of the old plants that couldn't

                    weather the winter storms and in with a few

                    new ones

Geraniums always catch my eye early in the season-

  the bright red ones

There's a very good chance I'll wind up bringing them into

the garage before the weather roller coaster ends

I'll place them there next to some other plants that managed

to survive the winter and I'll bring them back out for a glimpse of the sun and a little water when the weather permits.

But today I'll place some on the front porch

     It's like illuminating the OPEN FOR BUSINESS sign

Others will go to the backyard patio where I will sit and

enjoy some wine as the first day of spring comes to an end

Looks like it's going to be a great season

Two days and counting ...

Nine days and counting ...