Gardening Flowers & Foliage

Christmas cactus is in bloom. Weirdly, it blooms several times a hear.

 

I have two blooming now as well. It depends on the variety and the light levels. As the days get shorter, it triggers the bloom and when the days start getting longer, there is a certain time that triggers the bloom. Drought conditions in my house also have something to do with it as well. I am not good at regular watering.

 

First crocii!

 

I was looking for something bright, living and peaceful and came upon this post. It really helps. thank you

 

I won't have any blooms for a while, but did notice that I have some green of creeping phlox showing at the edge of the rock wall next to the driveway

 

Well, here is the second one over on the left of the one I posted twice

 

I hit the bulb clearance sales hard last fall.
Lots of stuff coming up!

 

Wow, I am impressed!

 

That's a nice bit of spring right there.

 

Do you have Grey squirrels where you are? Every time we plant bulbs, within about 3 days they are dug up and eaten by squirrels. Even fro the pots on the deck! Glad yours made it!

 

I bribe them with sunflower seeds. I probably spend 10x what the bulbs cost, over the winter!

 

I have several squirrel..uh..bird feeders that I fill with black oil sunflower seeds also. They still get into everything we plant. But, they are part of our family. I draw the line at moles and raccoons however! We don't talk about that part of the family in polite society!

 

We like squirrels OK. No raccoons. We have voles, which the cat catches, but I haven't noticed moles. We have a little brown rabbit that eats the clover in the lawn, and any birdseed on the ground. And we have one... huge... possum. He gets a can of cheap cat food most nights.

 

The possum lives under the shed. He is preferable as a tenant over a skunk or a woodchuck.

 

Usually rodents don't bother daffodil bulbs (which is what Midwinter has coming up) or Hyacinths. They like to relocate crocus bulbs (what they don't eat) and they love tulip bulbs, so I have learned not to plant those.

 

I have some drumstick alliums in there too, they may be a slight deterrent.

 

Yeah, those are another bulb they don't like.

 

Deer around here love tulips, snowdrops and crocuses just as they are ready to bloom. I have everything behind fences if I want to see the blooms. My crocuses and winter white heather are in bloom right now with the hyacinths started to poke up out of the ground. This week I had my 5 daffodils bloom. I am going to have to plant more.

 

Snapped a picture of this very angry flower growing in my flower bed.

 

I love pansy's!