New adventures in gardening and garden design, plus various other musings.
Houseplants, Succulents, and Tropicals
When I was 9 or 10 years old, I bought a tiny jade plant from the local Kmart with money I earned from shoveling snow. I cared for that little plant for several years and watched with great happiness and pride as it grew from a two-leafer to a sizable 24″ tall plant. It was ultimately killed by a rabbit while spending a summer outdoors at my folks’ house, but I’ll never forget that little jade plant. Almost as a form of over-compensation, I’ve taken great care of my dragon tree (Dracaena marginata) for the last 24 years. Like the jade plant, it also came from a big box store. I bought it back in 1999. From the time I loved and tended my jade plant all those years ago, right up through the present, houseplants, succulents and tropical plants have held a special place in my heart. I’ll be adding more pics to the collection here in ongoing fashion, so please check back in to see what’s new. In the meantime, I hope you’ll like these shots. Cheers, and Happy Gardening!
My mom's polka-dot plant has just bloomed for the first time ever! 10-08-23. I gave this plant to my mom on Mother's Day, 2022. It was just a tiny plant in a tiny pot. It has thrived and grown, and it's now mine. I will always love it and tend it as my mom did.
10-07-23. The last full day outdoors for my mandevilla vines. From 10-08-23 throuigh mid-May of 2024, they'll remain indoors.
Mandevillas and tropical hibiscus (next image) in the rain on 10-05-23.
This image, and the next one, are dated 10-03-23.
09-29-23. My mandevillas will soon be coming indoors for the winter.
09-24-23.
My bougainvillea on 09-23-23. When autumn grips the land here in hardiness zone 5B/6A, potted tropical plants like this one, along with my mandevillas, dragon tree, and tropical hibiscus, help to keep a colorful, verdant, tropical vibe alive in my soon-to-be dormant perennial cottage/zen garden into the early weeks of October. When frost shows up in the forecast, all of my tropicals come inside and remain there until the middle of the following May.
Caladium and coleus on 09-10-23.
Tropical hibiscus blooming beautifully on 09-07-23.
This image, and the next 3, are dated 09-05-23.
I love my mandevillas! This photo, and the next (which includes a tropical hibiscus) are from 09-03-23. These will all need to come indoors before too long. Bummer. They look great out in the garden mingling with my cottage garden hardy perennials.
Tropical hibiscus. 09-01-23.
The very end of August, 2023: this image, and the next one.
This image, and the next 5, are dated 08-26-23.
Amaryllis. A Christmas gift from my friend, Kevin Richardson.
This beautiful bowl garden was a gift from my cousins Carrie Stamos, and Paul Orich and Nykki (née Orich) and Susie (née Orich) in memory of my mother.
This Zamioculcas zamiifolia was a gift from a dear family friend, Diana Giovane, in memory of my mother.
I gave my mom this polka dot plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya) for Mother's Day in 2022 (above left). The Kalanchoe at right is a cutting from an original gift from my sister to my mom. These are my plants now, and I will continue to love them and care for them.
My 24-year-old dragon tree (Dracaena marginata) at left, and our Norfolk Pine (Araucaria heterophylla), which has served as a supplemental Christmas tree for the past several years.
This is my new succulents garden. I carefully selected various succulents such as jade plants, moonstones, ice plant, and aloe and planted them in four terra cotta bowls. I added a decorative soil covering of stone in each planter to accent the appearance of the plants. I love these little gardens!
On the left, another dragon tree is part of the crowd. These all go outdoors when the weather is warm. My mom's poinsettia (right). I'm going to try to keep it going.
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