Spring

[The Pinkertons]

I wait in anticipation for this all winter. My Cymbidium's and Japanese Maples. Wisteria didn't give a showing because I slacked off about pruning last winter. its glorious when in full bloom and the scent in decadent ! does anyone cultivate Staghorn Ferns ? this one below Bella Bird, is called "PLATYCERIUM SUPERBUM" its still a baby, these get huge!

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[Casper's 2nd best friend]

Haha you don't have to cultivate Stagshorn Sumachs around here, they spread like weeds. We had a lovely specimen by our front gate but it had to go because the roots were messing up the brick front path and were sending up suckers everywhere.
I am watching Casper's magnolia tree with interest to see how it performs this year, I have a photo on flickr of it in full bloom taken last April 9th. It may be flowering earlier this year. I will keep you posted.

[mdg1109]

Suzanne those are just beautiful! You have quite the green thumb. I don't have any pictures right now of anything blooming, and all we really have blooming are daffodils, tulips, hyacinth. The cherry trees and pear trees are in bloom. They claim that we are two weeks ahead of schedule here on the east coast, but we are possibly going to get some snow tomorrow and the temperatures have dropped back down, the high today is only going to be 40!

The height of the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington DC is supposed to be tomorrow but we shall see.

I will post pictures when everything is in full bloom.

Happy Spring!

[spiritbird]

Oh my goodness we are getting snow later today and tomorrow.

[The Pinkertons]

Suzanne those are just beautiful! You have quite the green thumb. I don't have any pictures right now of anything blooming, and all we really have blooming are daffodils, tulips, hyacinth. The cherry trees and pear trees are in bloom. They claim that we are two weeks ahead of schedule here on the east coast, but we are possibly going to get some snow tomorrow and the temperatures have dropped back down, the high today is only going to be 40!

The height of the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington DC is supposed to be tomorrow but we shall see.

I will post pictures when everything is in full bloom.

Happy Spring! Back east is beautiful this time of year, and the fall is glorious. lily of the valley, I love how they are the first to popup from late March snow. bulbs don't do well here to hot.

[The Pinkertons]

Haha you don't have to cultivate around here, they spread like weeds. We had a lovely specimen by our front gate but it had to go because the roots were messing up the brick front path and were sending up suckers everywhere.
I am watching Casper's magnolia tree with interest to see how it performs this year, I have a photo on flickr of it in full bloom taken last April 9th. It may be flowering earlier this year. I will keep you posted. Stagshorn Sumachs are not the same as a platycerium these are ferns that grow on trees like orchids =
Epiphyte's An epiphyte is a plant that grows harmlessly upon another plant (such as a tree) and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, and sometimes from debris accumulating around it. Epiphytes differ from parasites in that epiphytes grow on other plants for physical support and do not necessarily negatively affect the host.

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[spiritbird]

Gorgeous blooms. Do you have a greenhouse?

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

Aha, always willing to learn. Why did the word bromeliad immediately spring into my mind after reading your description? Are they epiphytes as well?
There's a Pinkerton photobombing your plant pic :)

[The Pinkertons]

Gorgeous blooms. Do you have a greenhouse? No I but would like one. Ah! I want, I want,I want.

[The Pinkertons]

Aha, always willing to learn. Why did the word bromeliad immediately spring into my mind after reading your description? Are they epiphytes as well?
There's a Pinkerton photobombing your plant pic :) (Yes that's Isabella bird watching me take pictures.) Many bromeliads are naturally epiphytes. Tillandsia, Vriesea, Neoregelia and Guzmania are all popular bromeliad genera that include many epiphytes.

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

Our window sills are loaded with cacti. They are survivors, a couple of them we have had for over forty years. We are not very good at plant maintenance. I am not sure of the origins of our earliest one, an echinocactus grusonii barrel cactus which we call Spiny Norman after a character in Monty Python, it was bought from a garden centre but all the rest are raised in the UK, some from seed at home. In the 1970's nobody thought much about where plants (or parrots) came from and the effect we were having on their natural habitat.
I am in awe of your epiphytes.

[mdg1109]

No I but would like one. Ah! I want, I want,I want.

Suzanne, my husband made miniature greenhouses for our box garden because like Dianne said we are possibly going to get some snow over the next 24-48 hours. He took some PVC pipe and bent them and then covered them with plastic sheeting. Not that they have the affect of a greenhouse to keep it warm, but it will keep the snow off if we get any.

[The Pinkertons]

Suzanne, my husband made miniature greenhouses for our box garden because like Dianne said we are possibly going to get some snow over the next 24-48 hours. He took some PVC pipe and bent them and then covered them with plastic sheeting. Not that they have the affect of a greenhouse to keep it warm, but it will keep the snow off if we get any. Did your husband do that on his own accord! I'm impressed :goodjob:

[The Pinkertons]

Our window sills are loaded with cacti. They are survivors, a couple of them we have had for over forty years. We are not very good at plant maintenance. I am not sure of the origins of our earliest one, an echinocactus grusonii barrel cactus which we call Spiny Norman after a character in Monty Python, it was bought from a garden centre but all the rest are raised in the UK, some from seed at home. In the 1970's nobody thought much about where plants (or parrots) came from and the effect we were having on their natural habitat.
I am in awe of your epiphytes. Well I'm given it a go ... I hope they thrive, the cymbidium's I do ok with, their actually a terrestrial orchid most orchid aficionados snub their noses at cymbidiums but personally I think their much more rewarding, their not as persnickety as the true epiphyte orchid. the stag or elk horn fern are my new adventure in the world of exotic flora.

[The Pinkertons]

This is the first water lily's to show-up these are called Peaches and Cream =3930My Koi following me= 3928 These hibiscus burst open overnight all aglow=3929

[mdg1109]

This is the first water lily's to show-up these are called Peaches and Cream =3930My Koi following me= 3928 These hibiscus burst open overnight all aglow=3929

All of those are beautiful! I am in awe and am going to sit here and stare at these pictures as they are gorgeous.

To answer your quesiton about the greenhouses, yes Suzanne he did build them on his own accord. He has planted lettuce, spinach, brussel sprouts and broccoli so he did not want them to get snowed when we were supposed to get snow this weekend.

If it had been for my flowers, he probably would have had to be asked 15 times :th_eek:

[The Pinkertons]

But still... I'm impressed ,my husband doesn't know a weed from a flower.
I not much of a Veggie Gardner, but I like to plant herbs amongst the ornamentals. Rosemary is a perineal and so aromatic besides using in cooking, I cut bundles of stems to keep in kitchen counter for fragrance. , creeping Thyme along pathways

[spiritbird]

OK I have no husband so I must do it all! However I also don't have anyone one to tell me NO. My little romaine lettuce seedlings are growing. So tiny now. snap peas are mixed in with them.

[mdg1109]

But still... I'm impressed ,my husband doesn't know a weed from a flower.
I not much of a Veggie Gardner, but I like to plant herbs amongst the ornamentals. Rosemary is a perineal and so aromatic besides using in cooking, I cut bundles of stems to keep in kitchen counter for fragrance. , creeping Thyme along pathways

I just saw a post on Pinterest about growing herbs in small mason jars to use as decorations, I tihnk I am going to try that. I also saw a post about the top ten flowers/herbs that mosquitos don't like, one of them was lemon thyme and another was lavender so I am going to work on potting some of those this weekend.

I love the way rosemary smells, it also has a lot of health benefits :th_smile:

[mdg1109]

OK I have no husband so I must do it all! However I also don't have anyone one to tell me NO. My little romaine lettuce seedlings are growing. So tiny now. snap peas are mixed in with them.

Dianne my husband is always at work so it is mostly me doing everything lol. When he is home he has the attention span of a gnat so he basically can only focus on the things he is interested, but he is a good guy with a good heart and I love him so what can I say.

If he tells me no he knows that I am going to do it anyway so he learned long ago not to lol :glee:

[The Pinkertons]

OK I have no husband so I must do it all! However I also don't have anyone one to tell me NO. My little romaine lettuce seedlings are growing. So tiny now. snap peas are mixed in with them.
Well I may have a husband, BUT! I still do it on my own! :eeeek: