I am getting really impatient for spring. I always am – but now more than usual, because time flows strangely in lockdown.
Some days are sunny and most of the snow has melted, but of course it’s too early to stay out on the porch for long, and definitely too cold to bring out the plants yet.
More than half of the Parrot Prince tulips seem to be withered before their blooms could fully open, but I still have hopes for the remaining ones.
The Suncatcher tulips are growing, and one is even about to flower. I hope it does not suffer from the heating as well.
This winter we turn the heating up, because of our dog Charlie. He is very old, and he often feels cold – so it’s good for him, but some of the plants don’t take it so well. The obvious solution is to move them to another place, but they have multiplied during lockdown. So there is not too much choice of good places – there has to be enough light and humidity.
The ranunculus bulbs have sprouted too, but many of them withered because of the heating, so I had to get some blooming ones from our small local garden center.
I moved the surviving ranunculus sprouts to a colder spot, at the staircase landing – but then they were attacked by some tiny pests. I noticed the same ones on the canna indica, they had left a lot of small holes on its leaves.
I washed both plants with soapy water, the remedy I learned from my plant-loving friend Munny. At first I hesitated if I should use soap on plants, but it actually worked out well. The only problem is that washing can damage some plants. The lantana is fragile and some of its branches break every time, so it might not bloom so soon. But pests damage it too, so I don’t know which is worse.
The camelia that I got a year ago might be about to flower too. It’s been budding for a long time, but it could be just leafing.
Other plants about to flower – amaryllis, a yellow kalanchoe and one of the abutilons that I saved last summer (I am not sure which one). I am still waiting for the deep purple bloom to appear. I know it’s there somewhere, but just orange, red and pink ones have flowered so far.
I think about flowers most of the time, so of course they are featured in my projects too.
Our “Early Bird” bag has made it to Singapore. I got this picture from the lady who ordered it – she said she really loved it. This makes me so happy!
