Can you say anticipation?

For me there is just nothing like the entire process of a blooming plant. From the first signs that the bloom time is near all the way through the sometimes painfully slow bud process, this wonderful treat of God is such a natural high for me. Of course each plant has its particular process, but just the promise of the color and beauty of the bloom set makes it all worthwhile to me.

As I author this particular post there remains the remnants of two USA centered winther storms, #Octavia and #Pandora that combined to drop almost a foot and a half of snow on my area, which is in the mountains of Virginia. Our elevation is abour 2,300 feet above sea level, but the snow we get might toal 5-6 inches per winter. This year has been exceptional and should have put me into a mental tailspin. You see I suffer from a form of the Seasonal Affective Disorder, which is directly ties to lack of sunlight and being couped up due to weather. But, thanks to our love of plants for one part, i have something to keep my mind satisfied.

Seven or eight years ago we enclosed a carport to make a den. When doing so we installed a south-facing bay window. As it happens it was a genius idea as it relates to the indoor plants we favor. In particular our Orchids and African Violets seem to thrive here.

Two Amaryllis I started just after Christmas. The one on the left is an Apple Blossom variety. The right one is a red variety that was sold at Lowes with a wax covering. The bloom was horrible as you can see in the next photo. I hope removing the wax and letting it grow natural will bring better results.

If you look in the center you can see the beginning of a small bloom.

The same plant with a flash tohighlight the bloom more.

This is a propogation off our African Violets my wife started with a single leaf in an East facing window.

One of our more mature Orchids, setting up for a spectacular display with the next 3-4 weeks.

A smaller variety with a deep, rich color.

The wildcard that I cannot remember yet. I look forward to the surprise.

You can see the idea of Battleground Farms to encase the bulb in wax is not a great one.

 

We baby the Orchids here until they get to the bud stage then we relocate them to my wife’s hair salon which is in the basement of our house. They are a wonderful conversation piece and thrive due to the light conditions there, benefiting from northwestern exposure.

With floral reinforcements like this to buoy my mood i am in good shape until the wide canvas outside thaws. I invite you to return for the series I publish about the innumerable varieties in my outside landscape. Also look for the 2015 A to Z posts where i will showcase at least 26 plants I love.

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The lilies, oh the lilies!

To say I am partial to lilies is a supreme understatement. I love every kind. I have some Asiatic ones that I transplanted from my parents yard as well as some day lilies we bought to add to our beds.  These were the best choice as my offering to the weekly floral photography invitational I joined last week. it is called the Floral Friday Fotos.

This is a blackberry lily.

The Asiatic I transferred from my home place.

One of the many Calla Lilies we have planted with our Dahlias.

Next week I will share several photos of the Dahlias we enjoy as cut flowers all summer. Until then happy bloom chasing!

 

Orchids as tonic

I AM SO EXCITED! I FINALLY HAVE FOUND MY PEOPLE!!!! Okay, now that I have that out of my system I will inform those who visit my blog what exactly i have discovered. Through the WordPress Reader I stumbled across another weekly invitational challenge to post photos of my floral finds. it is called the Floral Friday Fotos.  I LOVE taking photos of blooms. hence the name of this blog.

From the looks of the other links there is a heavy influence from the Land Down Under in those participating, so perhaps i can make some friends where the koalas and kangaroos rule.

I have some photos of the various orchids in our home to share. Obviously these are inside plants where I live, which is in the mountains of Virginia. They help me make it through the cold and dreary doldrums without blooms from November through March.

 

Amaryllis Blooms: A Family Affair

Ok, so just an FYI for those of you new to this blog: I LOVE BLOOMS! Blooms of all kinds. Spring, Summer, Fall or Winter, I love the blooms that come during all seasons. What? You didn’t think anything blooms during Winter. Well I suppose in the cooler climates it does not, at least not outside. But inside We still have the redeemable cadre of houseplants to buoy our green thumbs and bloom-loving hearts.

The particular plant I want to share today is called an Amaryllis. I won’t go into the scientific and biological names because quite simply I do not know them and find that information kind of boring. Sorry Uncle Charles (former biology teacher for many years). What I feel you should know is this plant came from my Aunt Faye (wife of aforementioned Uncle Charles) and is thriving under our care.

EDIT : A picture of the Amaryllis when I first got it in October of 2013.

Then, like hitting the lottery a second bloom stalk emerges.

The initial cause for celebration, a new bloom stalk.

The plant has bloomed once since I have had it and continues to grow larger. I am excited to report and show in the accompanying pictures that it is nearing another bloom cycle. Even more exciting is that there will be two bloom sets this time. The Amaryllis provides four blooms per cycle, so I will have a total of eight this round.

During the gloom of Winter such a sight is welcome to me. Going from several full greenhouses in 2007 to the meager (in comparison) stable we sport now I am always interested in any blooms. We are between blooms in all but one of our cadre of orchids, so the Amaryllis will get center stage.

 Check back over the next few posts to see the Amaryllis in various stages of bloom.