January 15, 2009

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day -January 15, 09


Cathy and Nelly in the Garden
by yours truly


A cool green sun room

Collage of Selections from Cathy's Indoor garden


Since I've been busy taking care of our first grandchild, the newest addition to Sweet Home and Garden, my little Sweet Pea Lea, I haven't paid much attention to my indoor plants this winter. I have the usual suspects -geraniums, spider plant, ponytail palm, and Jasmine which have been thriving on benign neglect.

While visiting my first born recently I was intrigued with her sun room which is filled to the brim with all sorts of plants.

Is it environmental or do our children inherit our "green genes ?" Cathy never showed much interest in gardening or plants growing up. Later on she became a floral designer, an artist and a superb gardener , both inside and out.

Since there are no rule established for garden bloggers' bloom day by Carol at Maydreamsgardens I'm really stretching it this time by taking you on a visit to my daughter's charming indoor garden.

She hasn't counted the number of indoor plants she has but her hubby thinks it numbers close to a hundred. They include minature roses, Gerbera daisy, Pilea, Oncidium Twinkle Orchid, Purple Passion Plant, Polka Dot Plant, Wintergreen Gutheria, Hoya Stripe, Red Fittonia, White Fittonia, Jade Tree, Coleus, Chinese Perfume Plant ( Mock Lemon-quite rare ), Strawberry Begonia, Orange Jasmine, Creeping Virginia, Brush Cherry Tree, Baby Sun Rose ( Apenia Cordifolia) , Companula, African Violet, and Jewel Orchid to name a few.

Walking into her sun room reminds me of a visit to the Lincoln Park Conservatory and boosts my blue mood in the deep of a cold Chicago winter.

We're gonna get -16 tonight and we're having the coldest winter in 8 years. Hurry April !











18 comments:

  1. Wow, what a collection of houseplants! That would certainly cheer me up, too, Carolyn Gail. Glad you are getting to spend so much time with your new granddaughter; that's the best way to take your mind off the cold outside. Stay warm!

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  2. What a great bloom day post! This would be a wonderful spot to sit and contemplate Warm thoughts! ;-) I would say that her life is a testimony to yours. Have a beautiful day.

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  3. I LOVE that sunroom! I just got mine in the form of a dining room. It's not very big. I have a few plants against a green wall. But I want to get more. This inspired me.
    Brenda

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  4. I think it's both nature & nurture that makes someone a gardener. Your daughter must have had a latent interest and she must have absorbed some of the practical stuff from watching your successes (and failures). I bet you can't wait until your granddaughter is old enough to start planting her own seeds. You two are going to have so much fun in the garden!

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  5. Hi! I do think that they learn to garden from us and sometimes it shows up when they are in a home and nesting! I know that some day my son will have a garden and I hope someday to be a grandmother! Your daughters plants are lovely! A very fine painting Carolyn Gail!

    Gail

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  6. It's really fun when they get older and have better luck than we do and start giving us growing tips.The plants were inspiring...I want to visit a greenhouse now.

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  7. I love your painting, and your daughter's sunroom. It does look like the perfect place to be while outside it is so very very cold. Hang in there, keep painting, keep hugging that baby and soon enough it will be spring and you'll be taking her for walks to see some outdoor blooms.

    Thanks for joining in for bloom day!
    Carol, May Dreams Gardens

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  8. Interesting question about the green gene...I think I got mine first from my grandparents, then my father; my son, who has an apartment, asked for a Mauna Loa peace lily last year, and I got him one. He named it Simon, and it's still doing just fine.
    I don't think I congratulated you on the arrival of your first Grand Sweetpea. I bet you make an awesome Nanny!

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  9. Gee, where to start. Love the sunroom, the plants and especially that painting!

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  10. Thank you all for visiting, commenting and compliments.

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  11. I just love having plants indoors to help me through the winter months when its too cold to go outside. Your green sun rooom looks lovely.

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  12. I don't know if the ability to garden is inherent or not, but I think the interest in gardening starts young. My grandma always had a big flower bed and a vegetable garden where I could help her pick things. I helped my dad plant a vegetable garden one year, and it was cool learning basic stuff like how to plant seeds. I think that experience gave me the confidence to start trying to grow things on my own when I got older. I also used to help my mom plant a small flower bed in our front yard every year, so I had that down too. I think a lot of people are intimidated by the idea of trying to grow something, so early exposure makes it much more approachable later on in life.

    Sorry for the long comment! Those are some of my favorite memories from childhood though, so thank you!

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  13. Oh to have a room like that! It's beautiful! And that painting...I sure wish I could paint like that. I love your works, Carolyn!

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  14. Green is my signature color. Loved the green room. I have neglected my greenery this winter and past fall...it's a shame when your yard reflects your lifestyle (busy)
    I vow to do better this year.

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  15. Now that's what all rooms in a house should look like.

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  16. Hi Carolyn, this is my first visit to your blog. I like it, you have got a very nice blog.
    I adore Cathy's sunroom, I have always wanted one of those rooms. I think that would be so good for us in the north to have a room like that, brilliant.

    Tyra

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  17. Hi Carolyn!
    Your sun room w. lush growing plants look beautiful. You are definitly a gifted gardener ;-)

    Thank you for your kind comment you left for me @ my blog around Christmas + update about your granddaughter....she is the sweetest looking baby! I hope they had a wonderful trip in Ireland....congrats to you btw.

    I am just getting situated, meant to catch up with you earlier but I've been busy trying to keep up with *life*. I think I'm getting there (hmmmm!?)

    Stay warm...brrr 16?!

    Hugs,
    Ingar B.

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