All about taking it inside, especially through the long, cold days of winter. Getting my gardening fix year-round.
One of the things I brought back with me from our month-long Caribbean trip (did that really happen?) was a renewed enthusiasm for some of the tropicals we grow here at home as houseplants and annuals. Seeing them in their natural habitat provided new, helpful insights into their growth habits and needs, and an appreciation …
A visit to Erika’s apartment a month back has inspired a new sense of excitement about my own windowsills. The morning after the tour, we experienced a rare winter treat here in Toronto: sunshine! While my windowsill has been transformed several times since, here’s what it looked like on that first morning of sun. In …
This morning I set out to find a bright and cheery photograph that might bring some colour to our day. But this soft and fuzzy echeveria called out to me. I took this picture a few weeks back on my trip to speak at the Montreal Seed Fair. I first noticed the plant in the …
I showed a photo of this plant when the leaves are fully emerged in the post about Erika’s unusual house plants. This is what it looks like when the tuber is just beginning to come out of dormancy. At this stage the plant brings to mind a flattened potato crossed with an African violet that …
You know, I’ve never much cared for caladium. They’ve always been a “whatever” plant in my book, a humdrum bit of foliage most often seen crammed into decorative baskets and seasonal greenhouse exhibits. Who cares? (Perhaps many of you. In which case, I’m a monster and a tasteless fool. Sorry.) In all honesty, my eyes …
Yesterday afternoon I was invited into the apartment of a fellow Parkdale resident to check out her collection of fascinating and unusual plants. The visit brought the plant junky in me out in full force. I went home conspiring to get my hands on a few of those amazing plants myself and then spent the …
Can you believe the size of this thing? Me neither. I have not seen a euphorbia of this size before or since. This photo was taken at the Andromeda Botanic Gardens in Bathsheba, Barbados. Euphorbia make up a very large and diverse genus of plants, but because of the size I believe this plant may …
A sad mess of dessicated branches soon to meet the compost bin is all that remains of my beloved ‘Chinese Ornamental’ hot pepper plant. I had grown fond of this little hot pepper plant and was sad to let it go. I started the plant from seed two years and lovingly nurtured it through the …
About a month ago, my friend Barry gave me a small pup-filled pot identified as Agave chrysantha; however, online searches have not brought up any descriptions that match the rust-coloured spines that my little plants feature. I’ve also checked my trusty identification book, Succulents: The Illustrated Dictionary with no luck. The trouble is that many …
At least that is what I believe it is, but I reserve the right to be mistaken. There are so many Echeveria out there in the world… it can get a little dizzying. If you think you know what it is, please tell us in the comments.
Unfortunately, I did not record the name of this particular plant when I took its picture. Beautiful foliage, don’t you think? More Cyclamen: Dozens of Cyclamen Cyclamen hederifolium ‘Lysander’ ‘Laser Mix’