Interesting Anthurium Event

A few days ago Mr Subjunctive over at PATSP posted a picture of an Anthurium that he had tried to cross pollinate and he was hoping he was seeing seed formation.

Last night I noticed something odd on my Anthurium.

I think those are seeds.

[They look kind of, well, gross.  If these were on an animal I'd be calling the vet.  They're on a plant so I should be calling.... um...  the plant doctor?]

I did NOT cross pollinate.  In fact I only have the one Anthruium.  I like it.  It's a nice plant.  I wouldn't mind more IF I HAD ANYWHERE TO PUT EXTRA PLANTS. 

So what do I do with the seeds?  Do I cut the flower off and send them to the compost bin?  Do I wait for them to ripen and try to start them?  And then do what with the seedlings?  I'm running out of room for new plants.

If only I had a conservatory.  I can picture it now - an addition on the second story (over the first floor addition someone put in a while back).  Windows on three sides - East, South and West.  Skylights that open to let the heat out during summer.  Tile floors to trap the heat during the winter.  And more than a few plants.  Ahhhh.  

Now I just have to convince The Husband that this would be a good expense.  

I bet he'll expect up to complete the bathroom remodel first.

Spoil sport.

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day

It's already time for the April Garden Bloggers Bloom Day.  I rushed out last night just before sunset to get some pictures.  In the evening breeze.  As it started to cool down.  While still wearing my t-shirt and bare feet.  You know I love you if I'm outside, getting cold, just to take your pictures.  

Most people are over crocus but up here they're in full swing.

These have already closed up for the night.

Pansies

Pansies

Pansies.  I crave color right about now and if the summer is cool these plants will survive to bloom in the fall and again next spring.  It's the summer heat that kills them.  These pansies were planted last spring.

Cute little dwarf iris.  These don't last long but they're a great pick-you-up-plant in the early spring.

I'm disappointed with the Hellebore.  It just started to bloom this week.  I thought they were supposed to bloom late winter.  Now it's delicate blooms get lost among the bright colors of the early spring blooms. 

Like this almost-but-not-quite daffodil (variety bigboxus).

I have several types of Pieris.  These are getting moved this spring.  They are just too big for the spot.

This is one of the end of the season sale plants I picked up last year.  Pieris Valley Valentine.  I guess I should have expected pink flowers with a name like that.

HUH?  I recently upgraded the lighting where I keep my African Violets.  I have a lot.  I don't buy them but I will pick up leaves off the floor or rescue plants someone else is throwing out.  I didn't know I had a ruffly-white-with-pink blooming plant.  Not really my style.  I prefer bolder colors.

Did I mention I went overboard with the Pansies? 

The *NEW* Astilbe Area

Last weekend I cleared an area for my Bluestone Perennial order.  It's mostly Astilbe and Ferns to go on the shady side of the house (part sun, only in the afternoons).  Today the plants arrived!  Yipee!

Yesterday we got a lot of rain and we're predicted to get more in the next few days.  If I wanted to plant these guys before next weekend (10 days out) it had to be today.  It's a good thing our soil is loose and sandy.  Planting in damp soil is not a good idea and if it was damp clay it would be impossible!

Here's the after.  See all my nice little plants?

Now I just have to break it to the husband that I'm not ready to put in the Asters yet - that's another area that needs to be prepped!

FINALLY!!!!

After a long, hard snowy winter and weeks of below normal temperatures the weather pattern finally changed and I was able to get out in the garden yesterday.

A ladies' hands proclaim her habits.  I have a habit of working in the garden without gloves.

One of my neighbors worries about my tendency to wear sandals or, worse, go about in bare feet!  Yesterday she told The Husband that he needs to buy me some socks.  I explained to him that "socks" is New England code for pansies.  Got a shopping trip scheduled for today.

The Husband is like Royalty in that he has many titles.  One of his titles is Major Spoilsport of Plant Buying.  Every time I talk about buying a plant he asks "where is that going to go?"  So I check the tag and mention that the conditions are just like those needed by the vaguely-Latin-sounding-name-that-I-just-made-up and there is a gap in the garden there.  If he's on the ball he persists in wanting to know where that vaguely-Latin-sounding-etc  plant is - he doesn't remember which one it is.  Spoilsport.  The point of this story is that I have ordered plants from Bluestone Perennial and he wants to know where they are going.  So here they are.

All of those plant labels are where the plants will go.  This was my big weekend project - remove the grass, add compost, be ready for their arrival.  That will put a pin in his Spoilsport bubble.

Just don't tell him about the OTHER plants I've ordered that aren't going here.    Shhhh!

Gratuitous photo of Crocus and First Bee of the Season!