Ending the year with a few new pets

And they are like pets ! Miniature Orchids , at least I don't have to throw balls for them all day . But I do find myself carrying one or two around the house , from East facing window sill to South facing sill  and back again  for more.

Since I don't know my Oncidium from a Dendrobium , Let alone a Epiphtonitis I had to keep them all tagged. 

I thought engraved  Copper tags would be nicer .

In some cases the tag is bigger than the plant , but I can tuck it away.

I think Philip read my post about missing my old copper plant mister . Yes ... a copper/ brass  mister  and a matching watering can !  I do seem to always have a spray mister in my hand these days .  Thank you Philip !

And more Christmas presents ...1,650  pages of minature Orchids ... should keep me going for 2018.

And now ice

Merry Christmas 2017

An indoor December bloom day..

I went out yesterday and took a few photos for today. Then I realized they were the  same blooms I posted last month  , just a bit weather battered .
So , I'll  forget those and show my in door blooms : The lovely white Cyclamen has been with me for  few years now , probably a  past Christmas purchase .

I couldn't resist  this pale yellow primula vulgaris 

The Christmas Cactus 

This cheeky little monkey is from Lockhartia linifera a miniature orchid bloom .

Another miniature Oncidium 'twinkles' just beginning to bloom.

And lastly  Dendrobium   Diamondhead x compactium  which  just started blooming  yesterday .  The  miniature Orchids  will need a separate post , it looks like another collection .

A frosty start to December

At last a frosty morning ! I was getting bored with  wet and cold . 

Berries ...remember to plant more berries next year .

I'm always impressed how the shade garden tidies itself up so quickly , most of the plants have just melted into the ground.

A  light sprinkle of  frost for December .

Last year this time was the start of something not so light .

My Gesneriad Collection

I seem to have started a Gesneriad collection . Not many considering there seem to be thousands in the species . Just enough to run along the East facing window sill. East seems to be the place . Morning sun, when it's to be had. I've bought a grow light . I what blooms !
The one on the far left is the African violet I've had for years. It's never re-bloomed , so that's my challenge ...you will bloom , you are meant to be the easiest of all to bloom ! Hopefully the gravel tray will add moisture , which they seem to like.
The middle one is a Streptocarpus . It did have one bloom when I brought it home . Apparently the soil shouldn't be allowed to dry out.
The one on the end is Primulina 'Betty' . I got this last year from Evan The Practical Plant Geek at the last plant swap. It has beautiful foliage and seems healthy , but no blooms ...yet , maybe the extra moisture and light will help.

Two new ones : Kohleria 'lono' and Smithiantha . They both have blooms , the trick will be keep them at it.  They all seem to need misting , so I've got my stray bottle handy . I wish I still had the lovely copper sprayer I had in the seventies !

Another Streptocarpus , this one came from my mother . I've had this for years . It blooms all year long in my sunroom , which is unheated . The soil is always too dry , but doesn't seem to mind , it just keeps blooming.

Gold in the garden...

I'm enjoying it while it lasts ! All the red leaves have dropped , and I haven't many conifers or evergreens. So , I'll enjoy the gold leaves for a bit longer.
The last  leaf of the NOID "Tough Love" sale plant from a few years back.  It's still retains it's variegated  pucker .

Leucosceptrum Janonica 'Angel gold'

Rhamnus frangula 'Ron Williams'

Leucosceptrum stellipilum 'October moon'

I do  have a few conifers ....Golden Mugo pine 

And a few evergreens .... Eleagnus pungens 'Clemson Var.

Robinia Pseudoacacia 'twisty baby' at least when the leaves are gone , we still have those twisty stems  .

Ponciris trifoliata ...no fruit this year !

Cistus Mickie 

A few leaves left on the Punica

Just a single Kerria bloom

and one Coreopsis big bang full moon . It's quite sweet to discover  just the single blooms this time of year.  

November Blooms ...

Saccharum starts off the November blooms , as it's the tallest !  I just moved a big clump of  Achnatherum  Calamagrostis , which is that tangled mess in front of the Cotinus . I'm hoping this will be a good move !

Salvia aff. chiapensis is supposed to be tender , but it survived last freezing winter. So, I'm hopeful .

Persicaria 'golden arrow' looked miserable all  this dry summer, so I cut it down to the ground .   It  came back  much happier with the cooler temperature .

Same thing with the Astrantia major , it bloomed in spring , I cut it back when it went crispy ..... a nice little late bloom.

Salvia 'Purple majesty' 

Rain drenched Emilia Javanica

                                            Cyclamen hederifolium

Fuchsia speciosa

Two new and unplanted Salvia , Which are: S. leucantha and S. Conferlifolia 

Another long suffering one.   Inula Orientalis hated the dry summer and refused to bloom ... till now .

Fushsia Whiteknights Amythyst

Persicaria amplexicaulis 'blackfield'  is my favorite .

Penstemon 'Enor'

Schizostylis 'Big Mama'

 And  lastly , because it started to rain again , Rosa chinensis
Happy November Bloom day !