Bloom Day anticipation
Bloom Day in the new-baby garden this February is sparse. I cut everything back a couple of weeks ago, and while fresh, green foliage is sprouting on the Mexican oregano, salvias, roses, irises, daylilies, and ornamental grasses and some of the trees are budding, flowers are few and far between.
That’s OK. Babies need lots of rest to grow, and I see that a growth spurt is on the way. Enjoy these few, and next month there’ll be more to reward our patience. To see what’s blooming in other gardens around the world, visit May Dreams Gardens.
‘Blue Elf’ aloe
Close-up look at the ‘Blue Elf’
‘Marilyn’s Choice’ abutilon, which hasn’t stopped flowering since I planted it last fall.
A closer look
‘Diamond Frost’ euphorbia isn’t going to knock anyone’s socks off right now, but it’s still blooming, even though we’ve had a few light frosts.
In my old garden, our native spiderwort (Tradescantia occidentalis ) had colonized the woodland garden under the cedar elm, providing beautiful color before the Turk’s caps filled out for the summer. I dug up a couple of transplants for my new garden, and this is the first flower, set deep in the strappy, green leaves. Soon the flowers, which always attract honeybees, will shoot up above the leaves on tall stalks.
Purple oxalis is showing a few delicate, lilac blossoms.
Happy Bloom Day, everyone!
All material © 2006-2009 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Happy Bloom Day, Pam. I think many gardens are resting this month, although some (like mine) are resting way more than yours. This is the 2nd post with ‘Marilyn’s Choice’ Abutilon. I’m taking that as a sign that I should try to have one as a house plant!
I know that Blackswamp Kim grows abutilon as a houseplant, Carol. You should try it. —Pam
Pam, Happy Bloom Day. I loved your line “Babies need lots of sleep to grow.” It reminded of babies of all sorts including the human ones. Your “sparse” blooms are lovely.~~Dee
I think of this garden in human-baby terms, Dee. It needs a lot of nurturing right now, and I can’t see exactly how it will all turn out, but I’m full of hope for it and already feeling a strong bond for the property. —Pam
Thank you, Pam! I learned a new name and need to check if Abutilon will grow here in the NW. I like it!
Doesn’t everything grow in the NW, Tatyana? 😉 I hope abutilon will do well for you. I just discovered it last year, and it seems like a pretty great plant. —Pam
Welcome to the wonderful world of the ever-blooming Abutilon! They’re wonderful, remarkable plants.
(Just be careful when you prune them. In my experience, they tend to freak out and start growing in ways you don’t expect.)
What do you recommend for pruning abutilon, Chuck? —Pam
That abutilon makes up for everything else. It is stunning and must be happy where you have planted it. Did you bring it from the other garden because if you did it has settled in nicely. That reminds me I am going to transplant mine. It just isn’t happy in too much shade. Thanks for the reminder.
Hi, Jenny. No, this plant is altogether new for me. I got it at Barton Springs Nursery last fall. —Pam
Hello Pam~~While you might have sparse blooms they are stunningly photographed…the aloe is lovely and the abutilon is a beauty…Happy Bloom Day. gail
Thanks, Gail. I’ll be popping by soon to see what’s blooming in your garden. —Pam
That aloe is stunning — what a color! Everything continues very white in my garden!
But I’ll bet next month you’ll have spring color, right? Hang in there until then, Linda. —Pam
Pam, I’ve got to check out that euphorbia. And when do you cut back your abutilons? Beautiful pictures and happy bloom day! Linda
I never have cut my abutilon, Linda, since I’ve only had it a few months. How big do yours get? —Pam
Wow, your aloe and abutilon are stunning! Wish I could grow those here, but no dice I suppose. I’ll just have to settle for admiring yours. 🙂 Happy Bloom Day!
I can only grow this aloe in a pot, Karen, as it’s cold-tender in Austin. I bet both would do well in a pot for you too. You’re in Seattle, right? —Pam
I really like the Aloe flowers, but have thought that it is one of those plants whose foliage and flowers don’t look like they belong on the same plant. I like the Abutilon as well, but it is not really hardy here (there is more than one zone 8).
Hi, Les. I’m so used to seeing aloes growing in Austin that they look very natural to me, foliage, flowers, and all. I love the contrast between the ‘Blue Elf’s icy blue leaves and its coral-orange flowers. —Pam
Just wonderful Pam!
Thanks, Helen. —Pam
I predict by summer your yard is going to look phenomenal, Pam. You have the magic touch with landscaping.
Brenda
Thanks for the encouraging prediction, Brenda. No magic here—I’m just plugging away and being selective with my lens. 😉 —Pam
Oh, that abutilon is glorious, Pam. I’ve never seen one quite like it before (they’re houseplants here, of course, occasionally container plants out of doors.) It’s cool to see Diamond Frost blooming now; it too is an annual here only, and I’ve finally decided I quite like it.
I’m going to use more ‘Diamond Frost’ now that I’ve come to like it too, Jodi. It’s not a star itself, but it has the effect of enhancing the plants around it. —Pam
Beautiful!! Spring has definitely arrived at your house. Lucky girl!
Yes, it’s here. But my garden is mostly just green at the moment. Not that I’m complaining! 🙂 —Pam
Last week I cut back all the roses, so there were no blooms to show for GBBD. I’m really holding out for next month. There should be lots of new flowers by then.
Jan
Always Growing
I’m holding out with you, Jan. I’ll have roses next month too—yea! —Pam
While your babies may be resting, those that are blooming for you are lovely. Not a slacker in the bunch! I love your Abutilon. I bought one from BSN last week and need to ID it – I’m going to post about it this week. How much sun does yours get? I was planning to put time in a semi-shady spot, but after reading your comments, I may reconsider a sunnier side. Happy GBB Day~
Hi, Diana. My abutilon is in a part-sun location under a Texas persimmon, which casts light shade. It’s doing great now, but I remember Lucinda Hutson telling me that abutilon can look pretty ratty in summer or even go dormant, so we’ll see. I’ll know more in a year or so. —Pam
‘Marilyn’s Choice’ abutilon
The close up made a nice plant into a must have. Too bad it’s a can’t have in my garden
I have that feeling all the time, thanks to all the northern garden blogs I read, Wiseacre. 😉 Maybe you can keep a potted abutilon inside in the winter? —Pam
I see what you mean about the euphorbia. It seems to have flowers to remind you it’s there and not a weed, but give it a little warm weather and it’ll be spectacular. A plant I can relate to! I’ve never grown the abutilons, but have enjoyed seeing them around in gardens…like yours! It’s such a gorgeous close-up flower.
Hi, James. The euphorbia is such a sweet, little plant. It does look much nicer in warmer weather. I’m curious to see whether mine will just plump back up again after being exposed to light freezes this winter. —Pam
I love that Blue Elf.
Isn’t it cute? Thanks for commenting, HG. —Pam
So, its other name is Chinese Lantern! That is why it looked familiar. They say Abutilon is hardy to light frost. It means it won’t survive here. This winter, I lost three south-african heathers. The seller told me they were not for our area, but they were OK for 3-4 years. I guess it is up to a gardener,to take risk or not.
“Chinese lantern” is a prettier name, isn’t it? Austin is zone 8b, which means we get several light freezes each winter and occasionally a hard freeze into the upper 20s. So far my abutilon has done just fine with that. You’re exactly right—gardening is all about deciding which risks to take for the plants we love. —Pam
I am smitten by the abutilon, and I’m going to try again to get one to live for me!
What happened to your other one, Nancy? I’m waiting for summer to determine whether I’ve sited this one correctly. —Pam
Yes, Pam, you’ll have plenty of blooms before you know it, but these lovely few are perfectly sufficient at the moment to satisfy my yearning for color 🙂 Abutilon is amazing the way it keeps blooming, isn’t it? Yours is a beauty. Happy Bloom Day!
Same to you, Kerri! Thanks for stopping by. —Pam
How very delightful Pam, very nice choices for this GBBD / Tyra
I’m glad you enjoyed them, Tyra. Cheers—Pam
Love the chinese lantern and salvia. Wonderful colors ! Can’t wait to have my own. Great photos as usual.
Thanks so much, Patsi. —Pam
The aloe and abutilon are showy enough for any bloom day, Pam! Your babies will be ready to stretch and wake up soon, it seems – I see leaves on the ash trees already.
I don’t mind a mostly evergreen and dormant garden in February – there’s a peaceful organization to it that is missing at other times of the year.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
That’s true. It’s the quiet time before the storm of growth—the growth we want as well as the weeds we don’t. —Pam
I’m always surprised and pleased to see the aloes blooming. They never bloom here. I guess
they need your long hot weather to bloom. Lovely blooms all… Happy GBBD.
That and a mild winter, perhaps, Lisa. —Pam
Pam, do you keep your aloe outside during the winter or bring it in for the freezes? Interesting that your spiderwort is already blooming. Mine are growing but not blooming yet. My garden is in the same shape growth-wise. Lots of stuff is growing but very few blooms yet!
Hi, Jean. The ‘Blue Elf’ is in a heavy pot and stays outdoors all winter, but I do cover it when a freeze is predicted. Because it blooms so early, we often get a freeze or two when it has bloom stalks, so I’ll put a tall stake in the pot and drape a sheet over it. So far that’s been fine, but if we ever get an extended hard freeze I’d probably have to get it into the garage.
Other aloes, like an African aloe I grew in my old garden, were fine in the ground, however. It just depends on the variety. —Pam
That ‘Marilyn’s Choice’ abutilon really is striking in its colour. And I don’t think I’d ever seen an Aloe in bloom before — very pretty as well. In fact, everything looks really great. 🙂
Thanks, Nancy. I’m just glad to have had a few blooms to share this time. —Pam
It seems that to be a gardener (and not just have a garden) one must cultivate patience as well as plants. Your new garden is coming along nicely. That Abutilon is a stunner.
You put it nicely, MMD. I think you’re right about cultivating patience. —Pam
Your young garden is looking quite lovely, Pam, and your photos, as usual, are stunning. I love abutilons, too, and your Marilyn’s Choice looks happy under the persimmon. Mine seem to do best in part sun, with more morning than afternoon sun during the hottest months.
Thanks for the tips, Renee. I’m wondering whether my abutilon will fry in the summer because it’s going to have more afternoon than morning sun. Time will tell, and it can always be moved. —Pam
My Abutilon never stopped blooming since I bought it 2 years ago. I whacked it down twice in between, it’s still going strong. You’ll enjoy that plant (if you can keep it from getting bigger than your house ;->)
Hmm, I will take your warning under consideration, Renate, and be sure to whack on it as necessary. Thanks for the info! —Pam
Oh my goodness, that abutilon is to die for. I;ve never seen anything like it. Don’t know if something like that would grow here. It’s something tropical looking. So nice.
I think it’s a Zone 8 or higher plant, Jan. I’m trying it for the first time this year and hoping it doesn’t succumb to our dreadful summer heat. —Pam
I must say even the southern gardeners do not seem to be brimming over with flowers this year. But next month you will be the envy of all of us. Love the blue container.
I’m not sure my garden will be the envy of anyone since it’s so new. We’ll see. And yeah, February isn’t a great month for flowers in Austin gardens because it’s the best time for a late-winter hard pruning before the spring growth spurt begins. —Pam
My Marilyn’s Choice is still in a pot, having been purchased just before Christmas during that spell of low temperatures. It’s blooming prolifically, though, and seems to like the spot where I have it. That poses a dilemma for me: those hot colors do not go with the planting scheme in that area. I’m hoping it will be equally happy in the spot I’d originally intended for it. I guess I’ll find out in a few months.
Good luck finding that perfect spot, Cindy. We’ll both be waiting to see what summer does to our abutilons. —Pam
I’ve been growing the Marilyn’s Choice abutilon through two winters and summers now. It’s on the south side of a fence, under trees, and only gets morning sun but a lot of light all day. What’s worked well for me is to prune about halfway down. Since I have five of them, I stagger pruning so they’re in varying stages of growth and bloom all year. This variety has outperformed the other three abutilons in my garden, blooming constantly while the others take most of the year off (the others are “Voodoo”, “Souvenir de Bon” and one from BSN they call “Peter’s” but that may be “Vesuvius”.)
Thanks for the growing info, Vicki. I’m glad to know that ‘Marilyn’s Choice’ is a particularly hardy one. —Pam