pops of color

I've been spending a lot of time in the Oasis lately.  When I was transplanting my aloe last week I noticed how filthy (as if I had not seen this for... ever) the glass on the tables were.  So after the aloe move I got out the cleaner and polished them up.  While doing this, it hit me that hey... stick some color under there.  So I popped in the house and got an old handkerchief and an old cloth napkin.  I love the pops of color in this place. 

 

bulbous blooms

I tell you what... the flower child that I am sure did enjoy the bulbous (or tuberous) begonias on the porch this year.  Our porch, on three sides of our house, extends ten feet out from the house and is covered by our roof so direct sunshine all day does not happen for my flowers.  This is where the bulb type begonias came in very handy and beautifully because they are shade lovers.  Direct sunlight will actually burn the leaves and bloom.  I had one pot at the top of the front steps and wound up having to move it back out of so much light. 

 

Here it is November 20th (when I typed this post) and all of my begonias are still blooming.  I need to take them in and over winter the bulbs but I just hate to when they are still so pretty.  They are under the porch cover so frost can't get to them and yellow them on out.  I may set them on the front steps tonight to get the process rolling.  I've heard that you don't want the bulbs out during a hard freeze and that we will have tomorrow night with temperatures dipping into the twenties.  Ick!

 

I had such good luck with these easy plants that I looked online for another source and found it pretty quick.  I don't know why I had a problem finding tuberous begonias back when I was on the hunt for them.  I reckon I was just looking in the wrong places.  I bought some today, that will ship to me in the Spring, to add to my collection.  I got two new kinds of begonias, a beautiful new to me caladium and a bag of bulbous dahlias to try.  I have a set of caladium bulbs that I have set out for the last three years.  They are what got me started with the "bringing in the bulbs" movement that I seem to have.  But hey... why buy new sets of flowers to plant every year when you can just pull out the same bulbs from year to year?  They are beautiful and so easy to care for.

 

These are the ones I just bought from edenbrothers.com.

 

Apricot Lace Begonia

 

Picotee Begonia

 

White Queen Caladium

 

Dahlia Bulbs Gallery Mix

 

 

That's about all I can spend on flowers for next year but I'm pretty happy. 

 

 

Aren't these gorgeous too...

 

Dahlias Bridal Bouquet

 

 

Dahlias Rembrandt Mix

 

 

Dahlia Bulbs Choc

 

 

Hosta White Feather

How gorgeous!

 

Hosta Fire and Ice

I can just see these in pots at the bottom of our steps.

 

Calla Lily Bulbs Black and White Mix

Golly these are gorgeous!  I am in love.

 

 

 

You can find these and other Spring planting bulbs from edenbrothers HERE.

halloween things

I have seen some of the cutest posts on DIY Halloween decorations.  We live so far off the road that no one sees decorations if I do them. The most I do is carve a pumpkin for the porch on Halloween night to keep bad spirits away.  I think that's why the day care means so much to me that I can do it up right there!  I love the witch hats!  click the pics for links.

 

 

Found on polkadotchair.com

 

 

I'm not big on wreaths but this is too cute.  I think they glow in the dark too!

Found on ilovetocreate.com

See all of their Halloween Posts and DIYs HERE.

 

 

 

I love these witch skirts and legs made from umbrellas.  So smart!

Found on facebook... no link... sorry!

 

 

This is pretty clean, fun and easy to do.

 

Actually.. it's pretty dang gorgeous!

Found on ourvintagehomelove.blogspot.com

 

 

 

And one more.  These mummies are going to be made at the dc! 

Probably a bit smaller than these but how easy!

I'd better get to cutting out some circles!  TTYL!

around here

In Bloom was the title I envisioned for this post.  But it truly is what's going on "around here."

 

 

I have said it before.  I believe there are two "most wonderful times of the year." 

 

If you came to my home right now

and took a stroll around with me

here's what you would see.

 

3rd year Caladiums.

Begonias from a friend.

One of my QVC bulbous begonias.

and another.

and another.

Yellow roses.

Tomato blooms.

 

Butterflies loving the milkweed.

Green bean blooms.

Zucchini blossoms.

Dragonflies resting atop corn stalks.

Black bean blooms.

Basil blooming too fast for me to snip it.

Orange Zinnias  -  new to me this year.

Pixie zinnias from saved seeds.

Cucumber vine flowers.

Water Hyacinth from a friend.

Begonias from a friend.

I am right fascinated by this one.  How lovely.

Can you spot the tadpole in my water hyacinth?

It is one of many... many... many tadpoles in there.