Sunday, November 15, 2009

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day ~ November

 "Any flower counts!" So sayeth, Carol from May Dreams Gardens, inventor of Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day.

Indoor Micro Mini Roses

I wanted to participate in the monthly Bloom Day but winter is upon us and I didn't think I'd have anything to show. So, I was quite delighted to discover that indoor flowers count. This is a snapshot of my beloved micro mini roses, biggest blooms are about the size of a 50-cent piece.

After I photographed these wimpy indoor roses I thought to myself:

Hmmm... Do you suppose there is anything worth shooting out in that frozen garden of mine?


Scabiosa Pincushion Flowers still blooming ~ it was 13 degrees last night.

Well whaddyaknow! Every gardener probably has that flower. That one perennial who, no matter what, will never let you down. Mine are Pincushion Flowers. What's yours?

I grow black, pale pink, and fuchsia Pincushions (these 3 are kind of fussy.) But, there is just no stopping the purple girls. These feisty little ladies don't care about wind, drought, cold, snow. It's almost as if they knew I needed a helping hand for this November Bloom Day and decided to give it their all.

Not to be outdone... the outdoor roses are attempting a comeback:

And, Helianthus perennial sunflower blossoms, in my humble opinion, look just as pretty in winter time:

* There is a giant boulder in this garden ~ about the size of a Jeep Wrangler. Intense mountain sunshine heats it up during the day and it radiates heat at night. I 'think' this is what keeps the Pincushion Girls alive and kicking.

25 comments:

Tatyana@MySecretGarden said...

Snow pictures are dramatic! Love the scabiosa especially!

Chloe m said...

I have some violas out there buried under the snow.
I love your pincushion flowers, and how they are still blooming their little hearts out.
And the Roses, oh so nice!

Rose said...

Yes, any flower counts--and in the winter months, we sometimes stretch that creative notion:) Love the pincushion flower; I haven't had much luck with them--they last a year and never come back for me. Yours looks great! Wow, looks like you've had some snow; I'm certainly not ready for winter yet. But I did just read that according to a Gallup poll, Utah is the "happiest state in the country." Your blooms certainly made me happy:)

Thanks for visiting; happy Bloom Day!

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Thanks, Tatyana - You had some beautiful photos for bloom day!

Rosey - We still might have to talk you into growing an indoor rose. :)

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Hi, Rose!
Thanks for stopping by. Maybe it's all of the sunshine that makes Utah such a happy place. And regarding the pincushions... you're probably too nice to them. Mine seem to do best when I abuse them:))

I enjoyed your photos, too. I just love this virtual garden tour idea of Carol's.

Corner Gardener Sue said...

Hi Kate,
That rose is quite lovely, and look how full of blooms it is! Your pincushion flower looks quite brave blooming in the snow. I have some, but am pretty sure they are finished for the season. I think my soil is too wet in the winter, so they sometimes don't come back in the spring.

I shivered when I first saw that snow. We could be getting some soon, they say. Thanks for your comment on my GBBD post.

Granny Fran said...

I can see that I need to grow Scabiosa in this, slightly lower, high altitude garden. Like your eye for choosing photos, and your birdsong.

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Thanks, Sue!

I just can't get over how many pretty flowers you have percolating in November in Nebraska! :) Love that collage idea.

Anonymous said...

Hi Kate - I am happy to hear that indoor flowers count. So, I should have some flowers through winter. Your rose looks gorgeous. Do you have a sunroom or some large windows? Gloria

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Hi, Granny Fran!
Thanks for stopping by. I wish I had a sunroom like yours. Happy to share some pincushion flower seeds next spring, if interested. :D

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Thanks, Gloria! Sunroom -- I wish! I have one great big bay window that keeps my little flowers happy.

jan said...

What wonderful loyal flowers to keep up the effort, even with snow!

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Yes, A for effort on those little gals.

PS - Still chuckling over Betsy and Sharon's discovery. :D

Anonymous said...

Ah, Kate, well done! Your shot of the indoor roses is fabulous, but the outdoor stuff with ice is wonderful! Your reasoning about the giant boulder makes perfect sense too. Love those purple chicks! :-)
Frances

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Thanks, Frances! I was pretty amazed to find those little flowers working so hard out in the snow! ;-)

Lona said...

Yuck Kate, nasty old snow. I saw on the news that the snow was falling out that way. It can just go around me ;-)
Your miniature roses are so pretty.Glad to see you will have a little color indoors. Snow does look pretty on the flowers but it makes me have cold chills just to look at it.

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Hello, HHG! Yes, it's snowy and cold and brrrr... but at least the sun is shining. And, that always keeps me in good spirits. :)

Judith @ Lavender Cottage said...

Kate - thanks for stopping by Lavender Cottage.
Knautia is part of the scabious family - same type of flower. I just love it because it blooms from June until now and is one of those airy see-through plants. (and doesn't need watering)

Carol said...

Lovely roses and I love your snowy scabiosa... though pincushion is a nicer name. The colors of the outdoor rose leaves are stunning in the white snow. Enjoyed your nature sounds too! Carol

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Hi, Lavender;
I started growing it for the same reason. It's very windy around here and love watching those tall stems and bright pink flowers wave in the breeze. :)

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Hi, Carol;
Thanks for stopping by. Your bloom day photography is LOVELY! :)

Birdy Official said...

A great finding today. Nice blog with beautiful images.

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Thanks, Birdy. I enjoyed your blog, as well. Those Velvet Ants are kind of scary!

Denver Landscaper said...

The mini roses are beautiful. I should start an indoor garden. How does the large boulder look in your garden? I'd love to see photos of the whole setup.

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Thanks, D. Landscaper;

Here are a couple of pictures of the Big Rock Garden. :)