Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Earlier this month, I found a few branches that had fallen from the tree in our backyard. It's a flowering pear tree, I think, and I am eager to see what the blossoms will look like this spring -- our first in the new house. Will the flowers be white? Could they be pink?

I brought the branches inside and placed them in this little silver vase I keep on the kitchen windowsill. I've been hoping the warmer indoor air might force the buds open. This weekend when I focused in close with my camera, I saw for the first time the tiniest specks of color inside -- pink!


Also this month, my kalanchoe plant is in full bloom, cheerful in yellow.


Then there's this one, a real surprise to me. My begonia plants are blooming for the first time in more than 10 years! How's that for pulling one out of a hat for the mid-winter edition of Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day?!


Seriously, I've had these begonia plants for more than a decade and they've never bloomed for me. Not even once. In fact, I only knew what begonia flowers look like because the ones in my mom's greenhouse bloom practically nonstop. I think mine decided to bloom now, finally, because I live in a place now were they can get direct sunlight. Hallelujah! Here's to having a room full of sun! I love it, too.

This is how the begonia flowers look up close.


Last but not least, hanging over from last month's Bloom Day is my poinsettia plant. It looks like this festive party-animal-of-a-plant is not going to quit anytime soon. Holding out for double duty on Valentine's Day perhaps? Nah. Doesn't quite work. But it's pretty enough to keep around until it loses its crowning red glory.

20 Comments:

Blogger Frances, said...

What stunning photographs! Loved the close up of the pear bud and the begonia with the light coming in the window behind it. Your new house looks like it is bright and full of natural light, how wonderful.

9:00 AM  
Blogger Annie in Austin said...

Hi Christa,

Your lovely pictures remind me why you were a photo-finalist for a Mousie. And your almost-bloomed pear branch reminds me I was going to try forcing some peach branches. Thank you and Happy Blooming Day!

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

12:55 PM  
Blogger Lisa at Greenbow said...

Your blooms are great. I can feel your excitement about finding out about the pear tree bloom color. You need to post it after it opens so we can see it too.

4:29 PM  
Blogger Carol Michel said...

Christa, What? You think it was the sunlight that caused that begonia to bloom and not its desire to be part of your bloom day post? Regardless of why it bloomed, it is very pretty and delicate.

Thanks for joining us again!
Carol, May Dreams Gardens

7:22 PM  
Blogger Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...

Lovely pinks & reds; that yellow is such a sunshiny contrast. I hope that pear branch forces well. Do you ever find yourself peeking inside the buds b4 they open?

8:17 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

gorgeous flowers

9:12 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Christa, thanks for visiting and your nice comment! I'm adding your blog to my ever-growing list of great blogs to read. The yellow kalanchoe is wonderful-i can never decide which colour I like best, so normally I have three or four, but at the moment I only have the salmony-pink one, which is nice too.

11:00 PM  
Blogger Sweet Home and Garden Carolina said...

Hi Christa,

I've finally got you on my blogroll! Thanks for your lovely comments. Your photos for bloom day are really great.

11:18 PM  
Blogger Yolanda Elizabet Heuzen said...

Great pics and your begonias have the most wonderful timing! ;-) I love cutting a few branches of my pear tree and put them in water and then wait for the blossom to appear. Yours look about ready to burst into bloom soon. How lovely that will be, to have a bit of Spring inside your home.

5:23 AM  
Blogger gintoino said...

Beautifull photos! The begonia brought me some memories. It's the exact same variety my grand mother used to grow. Unfortunately I never got one, and I've never seen it for sale.
Loved the blossoming branches

7:02 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Your top photo is a beautiful still life. Gorgeous blooms and photos.

11:33 AM  
Blogger Kristi said...

They look gorgeous!

1:47 PM  
Blogger Molly said...

I always love your photographs. Isn't it wonderful to live in a house that gets loads of sunlight?

3:38 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Simply beautiful, and beautifully captured!!
On another subject, will you be ready with your new garden in time for planting peas this year? I do hope so, I've learned so much from you, and I would love to play along...
Hoping,
Sandra in MD

4:05 PM  
Blogger Christa said...

Thanks for visiting, everyone!

Sandra,
Funny you should mention peas. Watch for an upcoming post on ordering seeds - including peas. Yes, I plan to put some in this year. I'm not sure *where* exactly, but yes, there will be peas.

Glad to have you playing along!

6:06 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks to another post from you, I've got Feb 22 marked on my calendar. Delighted to hear you have pea plans!
Sandra in MD

8:59 PM  
Blogger Whyite said...

What awesome indoor bloomage! I have never seen one of those begonias in bloom, the little flowers go well with the big leaves.

5:34 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

That's an incredibly colorful collection of plants for the winter months. Very nice photos, thanks for posting them!

11:38 PM  
Blogger Shady Gardener said...

Beautiful photographs! I'm going to go outdoors to look for a "stick!" ;-)

9:28 AM  
Blogger kate said...

You had some lovely surprises! I would have been over the moon seeing the pink buds beginning to open on the pear tree branches. The leaf colour on the begonia is great - having it bloom after 10 years is pretty cool. Might it be that it loves your new home?

I can only imagine how excited you must be for spring and to see what your garden looks like then!

1:52 PM  

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

Home