Good morning, and Happy New Years Eve, gardeners! Days have started getting a bit longer, and our thoughts turn away from dark December to a new year and new seed catalogs!
I love going through seed catalogs, even though I start very few plants from seed. It gives me ideas for new plants, new color combinations and investigating if any new plant or flower I like will be able to take the hot dry summers we have around here.
I also like going back through my old summer photos to see what I had success with and what did best in the full sun, what was planted alongside, etc. I admit to being a bit of a throw it out there and see if it grows kind of seed gardener, which is great for plants like sunflowers, cosmos, coreopsis, and other bee and butterfly friendly flowers.
Meanwhile, back in the reality of cold days and colder nights, the orchids are beginning to sprout flower stalks, and the big red cattleya is getting ready to bloom. The smell of these flowers is most incredible and strongest just before the bloom opens.
The Dendrobium that bloomed in November still looks fresh and new, 30 days later!
So, who else is looking eagerly through seed catalogs, and starting to plan for spring (despite what it looks like outside)?
