Worry is like a rocking chair, it's gives you something to do but gets you nowhere!

Saturday, January 15, 2011

First GBBD 2011

Yes I know that 49 out of the 50 states received snow....the one left out would be Florida. We live close enough to the Georgia line that I have seen snow covered cars and semi trucks in the mornings, thought that was pretty cool. We did see about 20 snowflakes on Dec. 26th..! I really don't know how ya'll live such long cold winters. (It does get very cold here just normally warms up in the afternoon for a bit) I do enjoy seeing all of the snow photos, it's just beautiful. I do think and pray for all of you often for plenty of food in the house and working heaters.

It's time for GBBD, hosted by Carol over at http://maydreamsgardens.blogspot.com .
A few blooms are opening on the Loropetalum--I love the fact that you can prune this anytime. It helps my itch to prune this time of the year if I just snip one or two tiny branches.
We have the old winter dependables...Pansies..I did not purchase flats of them like I normally do...The cold usually wilts the blooms but the plants themselves will be fine when it warms up a bit.


There are still some small blooms on the gardens Mums.
I purchased 4 tall Dianthus for $1.89 a piece, great buy as they will give me several years of blooms..like the Pansies, Petunias, Snapdragons, the Dianthus blooms suffer in the cold, the foliage is fine. I actually bought 2 flats of Petunias for $3.00 a piece and planted them last weekend. They will be fine and bloom when it stops freezing.

In the Greenhouse : Rescued African Daisies--the mising flowers were in the mason jar yesterday.
Yellow African Daisies
Diamond Frost Euphorbia over wintering in the Greenhouse...finally getting some blooms.
Not really a bloom and not really a favorite of many..BUT still it's color in winter!
Poinsettia

Everyone have a blessed weekend.

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Today I am Thankful for the warmth of gardening bloggers.

39 comments:

Granny Lyn's Garden said...

Oh wow, how nice to see the flowers. I especially love the pansies. We had about 4 inches of snow last night,which isn't really much, but I am so ready for spring..Of course that won't be for at least another 2 1/2 months.. ugh.. Thanks for brightening my day : )

Ruth Hiebert said...

I have a hard time thinking of flowers in the garden in winter.Mine are under 2 feet of snow at least.Another 2 months before we can expect much snow melt,so your flowers are an encouragement.Thanks.
Blessings,Ruth

Val said...

I love seeing your flowers. I actually do love the snow but I do long to see flowers too so I am thankful for your blog.

Lois said...

They are all so lovely Darla. I think the pansies are my favorite!

garden girl said...

Nice blooms Darla!

That's quite a distinction being the only state without snow!

Happy Bloom Day, and have a wonderful weekend.

Julie said...

Interesting regarding the dianthus...I am wondering if it could take the hot summers down here though...must investigate...would love to let some join my tires gardens! I still love the poinsettia...as I am a foliage lover, and what else can seriously compare??? I have several neighbors that have huge mounds of it, and all year long it is overlooked, until winter!!! Just gorgeous en masse.

L. D. said...

It is just great to see flowers that bloom outside. We have months to wait before that first wild violet starts to open. I like pansies as they don't seem real.

Anonymous said...

Such a splash of color on a cold, snowy day!

Amy said...

Looks very cheery in your garden and greenhouse. It is nice you are able to keep diamond frost alive in your greenhouse...mine is toast.

Patsy said...

We will start our spring in Feb by cutting back the roses and by March new growth will start and the bulbs will peep up out of the ground. Love seeing your spring flowers now.

Cat said...

Hi Darla, I'm gonna have to try that diamond frost this year...I've seen it around Austin and think it can handle the heat if planted in the shade...Do you keep yours in a pot or dig it up to put it in the greenhouse? Happy Bloom Day!

Dorothy said...

I love that Loropetalum!! All are gorgeous! That Poinsettia is beautiful, even if that don't call that a 'bloom'!!!!

Anonymous said...

I adore my lorapetalum! Last year I seemed to have blooms about all the time, but not this year. Still, the leaves are so beautiful. Lovely to see yours.

imac said...

Beauty in the eye of the Beholder.

Heating ours packed up, good job we got heaters,lol.

Anonymous said...

Happy Bloom Day. Did Hawaii actually get snow? LOL.I have been following the weather countrywide and have seen large amounts of snow in places never seeing this. It really is a crazy year weatherwise. With the flooding too. At least some spots have pretty blooms like Florida.

Carolyn @ Carolyn's Shade Gardens said...

No bloom here inside or outside (too much snow), but I enjoyed yours. Was wondering about Hawaii myself.

Anonymous said...

Hi Darla Dear, First, tell Carolyn etc. that Mauna Kea, the tallest mountain in Hawaii, has snow on it so Hawaii counts. :)

I love those pansies. The dianthus look like they'd be really fragrant. And of course I'm REALLY envious of your penchant to grow Loropetalum. My little guys are hanging in there though. :)

Anne Fannie said...

I knew I would find flowers here!! Your garden is always such a joy to see! Its 80 degrees here today, I am trying to decide if I should go out and work in the garden or sit here and pay bills. LOL
Ann

Gail said...

Dear Darla, Happy Bloom day. I am so enjoying your beautiful blooms~It looks like the greenhouse is doing its job!! Have a great rest of the weekend and I will stop by to see the naughty Tufted Titmouse on Monday. gail

Amy Andrychowicz said...

Being from Minnesota, every winter I want to move somewhere else!! :-) I am so jealous of your blooms!

Amy (from Get Busy Gardening!)

Lona said...

Hi Darla. I am so jealous girl that you are growing petunias and pansies in the dead of winter. My pansies are frozen Popsicles in my window boxes now. I can see your new greenhouse is going to be a fun place to bring back those rescued plants. I love the osteospermums you grabbed up. Have a wonderful weekend.

Tatyana@MySecretGarden said...

It's always uplifting to come to your colorful blog, Darla! Now, open me your secret, how did you manage to get it to a New Blogs category? We all are getting older, and you got younger on Blotanical!

Kylee Baumle said...

Beautiful pansies! And hey! I've got an African Daisy blooming, too! Wish mine looked like yours, though! LOL.

Noel Morata said...

aloha

you have a wonderful display of colors in your yard

have a great weekend

Caroline said...

I envy your pansies. They are so sweet!

LadyLuz said...

Lovely of you to come visiting, Darla. Thank you. It's good to see another garden with so much blooming at this time of year....I think you have a Mediterranean climate too.

Corner Gardener Sue said...

I enjoyed seeing your blooms, Darla. I like growing dianthus. They winter over well here, even the ones they sell as annuals. Petunias seem to handle the colder nights better than other annuals here, even surviving some freezing temps. I hope yours do well.

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

First of all I can't even imagine planting a flat of petunias outside right now :) Your Pansies look much happier than mine right now, I love the purple ones.

Masha said...

I am happy you like loropetalum. It is my favorite evergreen shrub. It is true you can prune it whenever and however you want (some people make theirs into amazing multitrunked trees here), but it is also nice to see the graceful fountain shape of an unpruned plant.

Floridagirl said...

Lots of beautiful, colorful blooms in your garden, Darla! My loropetalums are blooming now as well. Love that shocking pink!

Jan said...

Hi Darla, thanks for visiting for at least the past 3 posts I've written;) You definitely have color there, even though it isn't what you are used to. Reading the words 'Mason Jar' make me think of the photography contest on GGW. (All day 'Macro in a Mason Jar' has been going thru my head...I keep saying I've got to get going on this project!!) I haven't checked to see if that's what you're referring to so I'll head over now to see if that's it. I have been thinking of doing something for it, too. We have such fun blogging and taking photographs, don't we?!

George said...

Our pansies haven't had the opportunity to do much because of all the snow and cold, so I really appreciate yours. Of course all your other blossoms are gorgeous as well.

dorothy said...

I enjoyed seeing your colorful plants...so cheerful on a dreary day! I love the Diamond Frost Euphorbia too. I have 5 that I have managed to over winter for the past 2 years. We have had only a few days of freezing temps this year and I covered them with burlap and I'm hoping for the best.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Oh Darla, I love coming to your blog just to see some color. With winter up here and all of the snow we've had, all I have been seeing is WHITE... The colors are gorgeous... Sounds like the flowers are doing great in your new greenhouse.

AWESOME... Thanks for sharing.
Hugs,
Betsy

Rebecca said...

Love the photos! Can't wait until I can have pansies in my Missouri garden..just a few more months!

Barbara said...

Hi Darla, it's strange (but nice!) to see all those flowers blooming in your garden at this time of year - flowers that where I live are annuals. Diamond Frost is one of my favorites. Since you have it in the greenhouse, I wonder if I could also overwinter it in the house here. Thanks for visiting my blog, and nice "meeting" you. I'll be following your blog. Barbara

Commonweeder said...

Iam so jealous of all those blooms. Everything is beautiful.

Twisted Fencepost said...

I would love to have some of that color up here.....where it's cold and the snow sometimes hangs around awhile.

Jenn said...

Now I can't wait until it will start to get warm! We're up to a balmy 33 degrees today!