Snowdrops, you are undeniably gorgeous, and I’m going to dig you up and pot you and bring you in for Christmas decor, but you are also at least two solid months too early. Climate change is freaking me out, people.
Category: Serendib Garden
Thriving Thai Basil
If you take a few minutes on a blustery but startlingly warm day to finally clear out your window boxes, you may find that the Thai basil is THRIVING. Lovely treat — have dug it up, repotted, and brought it inside, and my winter Thai curries will be yummier for it.
Lantana Blooming
Lantana decided to bloom too. I don’t know how the indoor tropicals decide it’s time to shine, but I’m happy.
A Little Door Decor
Took 15 minutes to put together a little front door decor. I admit, I’m having a little trouble motivating to do holiday decor this year, with no party to host, but at least we can get the outdoor dressed up a little, and hopefully it’ll cheer up the mail carriers at least! The hanging planter is from Gardener’s Supply — I really like changing it out seasonally. In the spring, I’ll plant little mini daffodils, etc. in there.
I use a mix of metal (jingle bells), dried decor (the artichoke pods and dried pomegranate were from Trader Joe’s, I think, which have held very nicely over a year in storage), faux decor (berries, a big sprig of silvered greenery that I used wire cutters to snip into six pieces, three glittery peach ornaments).
Wintersun
This is a new paperwhite for me, variety “Wintersun,” supposed to have white petals and a yellow cup, and I am dying to see it open, but it just keeps getting taller and taller and taller…c’mon, flowers. Bloom, already.
Joker
Amaryllis “Joker”. Kavi prefers this one — she likes showy flowers with very full petals. Peonies are always high on her list, so that doesn’t surprise me.
Harlequin
My South African amaryllis (the kind that generally bloom in time for Christmas, as opposed to Dutch amaryllis, which usually bloom for me in January / February) has started opening nicely. This one is Harlequin; I love that fine tracery of red on the edges of the white petals.
Amaryllis can be a bit pricey to invest in, but they do usually bloom for a few weeks, so a nice, long return. AND, if planted in soil and treated properly, they should return annually, so eventually, you can amass a nice collection, if you’re so inclined. And if you’re not planning to try to bring them back, maybe offer them after they’ve bloomed to your local garden club group? Someone else may be happy to take it off your hands !
Let Me Sing a Lullaby
Go back to sleep, go back to sleep, let me sing you a little lullaby, it’s not spring yet….
Cenaturea Montana
Cenaturea montana, still blooming, December 11th. Beautiful, but unnerving.
Roses in December
I think this is the first year I’ve had roses blooming in Chicago in December. Strange, but lovely.
