Winter Has Arrived... sigh.

We had snow and sleet yesterday and the temps hovered around freezing most of the day. I dragged in the last of the bulbs, tubers and rhizomes that need to go into storage and started one more light garden. Now I'm ready to curl up under a quilt with a good book. In my next life I want to be a momma bear to sleep through the cold months. Already thinking about spring and the lushness of hosta gardens.

Begonia Garden!

http://picasaweb.google.com/Elkay6/RWP_BegoniaDisplay?feat=directlink

This Saturday members of the RI Branch of the ABS planted a begonia garden at the botanical center at Roger Williams Park, Providence, RI. All the plants were donated by members to surround the 'Yuletide' camellia that was already there. The begonia information will be given to the docents so that people on the tour will be able to appreciate the variety of sizes, shapes and colors that were planted. The donations ranged from heirloom plants to cell packs of wax begonias that somehow never got planted in the spring (you know how that goes). Future expansion calls for miniature begonias in a large terrarium. It is so exciting for our members to have a spot to showcase the plants we hold dear! If you are planning a visit to New England be sure to stop by the botanical center and enjoy the largest display of carnivorous plants north of Atlanta as well as the newest garden... a bountiful begonia display!

Reprieve from the Cold

The weather has improved... instead of clear and cold it is rainy with warmer temperatures. All my begonias are inside along with the true tropicals. Today DH and I went to the big box store and bought supplies to turn our bedroom balcony into an over-wintering space. We'll see how it works; I'm more concerned about it getting too warm during the day than being too cold at night.

I just planted a big tub with three red bananas surrounded by small ferns. I want to keep that going all winter!

Coldest night yet!

As much as I love cool weather I still dread the first frost. All the plants that have been thriving outdoors for the summer have to come inside. I end up dragging them in at the last minute, working in the dark to get the last few. This year I was doing well; moving in a few at a time, repotting if necessary and checking for any bugs. Then today the cloudy skies cleared and the almost full moon was beaming down... perfect conditions for frost! The begonias and episcias had to come in promptly. As I was scurrying around, I noticed something odd on the carpet. I couldn't make sense of what I was seeing, but then I realized it was a yellow spotted salamander! He was relocated to the edge of the pond. A few minutes ago, I heard the trill of a tree frog... from inside the house! I haven't been able to track him down yet, but I will! I don't mind having critters in the house but it's hard for them to survive all winter inside.

Back in the U.S. of A.

I love the weather today! It's a blissfully cool 68F. and a slight breeze that gives me the strength to get out there and tackle the weeds. They took advantage of my vacation to sneak in an extra foot of growth. I vowed last year that beggars-ticks (Bidens frondosa) would never be allowed to bloom in my yard... the seeds get stuck in my dogs hair and in my clothes and are awful to try to remove! If you garden, you know the little devils.The Latin name Bidens means two toothed, and they use both of them to cling tenaciously to anything that brushes against them. It's hard to believe that they are related to the sweet Bidens that my local nursery sells for $5 each! Those sunny yellow flowers are so cheerful... imagine my surprise when I found them growing by the roadside in northern Ecuador. They look fabulous entwined with lantana, proving once again that Mother Nature is the best gardener! This picture is of a flower stall in Cuenca, Ecuador. When I was at my condo last week, I was buying 25 roses for $2 total cost. That's a big reason right there to visit Ecuador! If you'd like to see pictures of the condo, visit www.CotacachiLiving.com/rentals and check out PrimaVera II Penthouse.

Trip to Ecuador

This is the little town I'm heading to. Cotacachi has 6,000 residents at 7,000 feet or vice-versa. Sweet town, nice people and best of all....COOL BREEZES!!!!!! There is also an ethno-botanic garden that I will be visiting and I promise lots of pics from this trip.

Dog Days of August

The big flower garden is awash with weeds and I have no energy to deal with them. It is just too hot!! I can go out at night and pick slugs off my plants because at least it is a reasonable temperature at 11:00. Today its 90F and the humidity is in the screaming range. My truck has no A/C... oh, I am dreaming of the cool breezes in the Andes! Luckily, I'm going down to Ecuador again in a few days to give the waether up here a chance to get reasonable. Packing corduroy, socks, sweatshirts... Can't wait to need them!