Aloe juvenna blooms

The succulents in the pop-up greenhouse have been quite happy this winter.  Since it has been a mild winter, temperatures in the greenhouse have often soared to 80-90 degrees - and the heater has been on only rarely (to prevent it from dropping below 40 degrees).  Many of the succulents are in the process of developing blooms.

This is the first time my Aloe juvenna has ever bloomed  and presently has the best flowers of the bunch.

Mild Winter

You know you're having a mild winter when you can pull off some damaged leaves from a Snake Plant (Sansevieria trifasciata) in November, cast them into your garden to decompose and then, come late February, discover that one leaf has managed to sprout and grow almost six inches.

Didn't even know that Snake Plant would sprout like this.  That's the original castaway portion laying along the ground in the back right of the picture.  I may have to see what I can produce next fall by trying this is some pots and keeping them out of the cold (though that hasn't been a problem this year!)

Planted in Ground:

• Wall Iris (Iris tectorum): Have been hanging on to two of them in nursery pots since last spring; finally decided to drop them down between the twin waterfalls.
• Little White Soldiers (Drimiopsis maculata): Finally planted this pass-along from Philip (East Side Patch) that I received way back before winter - this plant was on my Gotta Get List, so hoping it does well.

Flower Power: GBBD February 2012

Established Plants

Variegated Abutilons (Abutilon pictum 'Thompsonii')

 Gopher Plant (Euphorbia rigida)

Annuals

Viola sp.

Pansies (Viola tricolor)

Flower Wannabes

Ornamental Cabbage (Brassica oleracea)

  Nandina (Nandina domestica)

 Dwarf Buford Holly (Ilex cornuta 'Burfordii Nana')

 Possumhaw (Ilex decidua)

Indoor Plants 

Moth Orchid (Phalaenopsis sp.)

Flower Power: GBBD January 2012

Annuals

Pansies (Viola tricolor) & Ornamental Cabbage (Brassica oleracea)

Flower Wannabes

 Nandina (Nandina domestica)

 Possumhaw (Ilex decidua)

 Dwarf Buford Holly (Ilex cornuta 'Burfordii Nana')

Potted Plants

Aloe 'Doran Black'

Indoor Plants 

 Moth Orchid (Phalaenopsis sp.)

Tardies

Mahonia (Mahonia aquifolium)

Post Freeze: Aloe Was Blooming in December

Well, by golly, I guess this proves that Soap Aloe (Aloe maculata) blooms don't like 28 degree nights.  Think the plant itself likely suffered some damage but it tends to handle that level of cold fairly well.

Aloe Blooms in December

The Soap Aloe (Aloe maculata) that started blooming in mid-November is still going strong.

But my garden has been flirting with freezing temperatures, and tonight should finally see it get down to near 28 degrees.  Typically, I leave all my in-ground plants unprotected down to this temperature, and only cover if it dips even lower.  But it will be interesting to see how the Aloe blooms fares.

Flower Power: GBBD November 2011

On the 15th of every month, May Dream Gardens invites us to record the plants that are blooming in our gardens.  After our brutal summer's heat & drought, it was nice to see some flowers return due to cooler temperatures and a single brief shower.

Established Plants

Rose Creek Abelia (Abelia x grandiflora 'Rose Creek') has produced more blooms this fall than ever before - a nice comeback after our hard summer.

Toad Lily (Tricyrtis lasiocarpa) had a rough time with the drought, but was able to produce a few blooms for the fall.  Always impressed with its unique blossoms.

This is the end of the first full year for the Forsythia Sage (Salvia madrensis) in my garden.  It struggled and only reached a height of less than three feet, but is still trying to put out some yellow flowers.

West Texas Mist Flower (Conoclinium greggii) continues to produce a sprawling purple coverage over its area in the garden.

Philippine Violets (Barleria cristata) is another plant that seemed to produce fewer blooms than usual this fall - less than 6 flowers have shown up on it.

Blue Anise Sage (Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue') was able to produce at least a few blooms after struggling mightily during our summer. Though vegetation is sparse, at least the few intensely-colored blooms are enjoyable.

New Plants in the Garden

Pale Pavonia (Pavonia hastata) produces nice, bright blossoms at its tips - but is quite lanky in my shade.

Indoor Plants

The usually reliable Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera x buckleyi) did not like our intense summer heat this year - it lost over half of its foliage and thus produced very few blooms for our winter.  Thinking that I may need to bring it inside next summer.

Flower Wannabes

Dwarf Buford Holly (Ilex cornuta 'Burfordii Nana') berries are changing from green to dull red to increasingly bright colors as the season progresses.

Chile Petin's (Capsicum annuum var. aviculare) has several bright green and red berries scattered amongst its foliage.

The Possumhaw (Ilex decidua) trees lost much of their foliage early this fall due to the drought - but was still able to produce a fair number of bright red berries that are really starting to show.

Of course, the bad-boy Nandina (Nandina domestica) shrugs off heat, drought and everything else to continue to look good and produce large numbers of berries.  Know its invasive, but like any "weed" - it sure does well.

Tardies

Joe Pye Shrub (Eupatorium viburnoides) seems to have actually grown more than usual this year - apparently liking the heat.  It has not yet opened its flower clusters.

A late blooming Soap Aloe (Aloe maculata) is sending up a short flower stalk that has not yet spread it's reddish-orange clusters of flowers.  It's a race against the winter's first freeze to see if I'll actually get to enjoy the show.

Be sure to visit May Dream Gardens to see what other gardeners have blooming in their beds.