Each month for the past year, Carol at May Dreams Gardens has sponsored Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day.
It is a mid-monthly opportunity for all garden bloggers to post photographs of the plants blooming in their garden.
This is my first Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day post. I figured it was better to be one day late than not participate at all.
Since my outdoor garden is hidden under much snow, the only blooms that I have are indoors. I was so hoping that the Bengal Clock Vine would have two blooms open by today. They are almost there (at right).
The Bougainvillea bracts continue to glow in pink (above). The small, white flower is the only one in bloom – the flowers are really quite insignificant for Bougainvillea.
The
Black and Blue Salvia (at right), put out another bloom. I have a suspicion that this one will be the last until this cutting is planted in the garden.
I am even more in love with my birthday Orchid (pictured below). Every day I wonder if the blooms will start showing signs of fading.
I thought my dog, Lytton, was a perfect backdrop for the Orchid. He grew bored with picture taking and decided to have a nap. Houseplants generally don’t interest him.
Finally, there is my vase filled with dried roses. I figured they could count as blooms, even if they have long since died. I love keeping dried flowers to remind me of the people who gave them to me.
even without ever writing a word
or painting a picture,
by simply molding one’s inner life.
And that too is a deed.
(Etty Hillesum, writer)
in the autumn light 
Love the dried roses, Kate! I have a number of them around too, but only in dishes rather than vases. They were all given to me by my longsuffering otherhalf, of course, and they make me smile when I see them.
I am so happy you joined us for bloom day. For winter, I don’t think you are a “few blooms short” at all, you have a lot of indoor bloom. And that orchid is beautiful. It looks so pure, and the blooms do last a long time. Carol, May Dreams Gardens
Hi Kate, Those blooms took my breath away. My world is mostly grey snow and bare trees. The variations in green are just stunning. Thanks for naming the plants.
Wow – your indoor blooms are just as gorgeous as your outdoor ones. You just have more of them outdoors! LOL. Oh, I save my flowers until they are dried too – I think they are lovely when dried and you are right – they remind you of who gave them to you. I like to make potpourri out of some and put them in a pretty bowl. Oh, I’ve been meaning to ask how you pronounce Lytton (in my head I’ve been pronouncing it “Litton” with a short i vowel sound). He did make a lovely backdrop to the orchids, with his contrasting dark coat.
You have some very lovely flowers indoors to enjoy. The dried roses are sweet. I’ve only got my trusty African violets blooming – nothing as fantastic as your blooms.
Hi Kate. What a lovely variety of blooms. The orchids are my favorites. ps. You are a sentimental thing, aren’t you!
Your indoor plants count just as well as outdoor plants I would say.
Hi Kate, Your blooms are lovely. That Lytton is a sweetie. He looks so relaxed while the Orchid looks like it is a soldier at attention all smart in its dress uniform. I have never thought of a bouganvillea as an indoor plant. I gues because I have only seen them growing in CA. It makes a very nice houseplant obviously. We had one as a haning plant where I work last summer. It had varigated foliage. Very pretty even when not in bloom. Maybe I will look for it this summer and then try to overwinter it.
what utterly beautiful photographs! finding this has made my day. will definitely be coming here more often…
The glowing bougainvillea is so pretty – I noticed it in a previous post but didn’t say how much I admired it.Also admiring the mat under your vase of dried roses – it appears to have a rose motif?
Hi Kate 🙂 Thanks for dropping by my blog yesterday. I’ve been smiling my way around yours – such beautiful colours and photos! I so wish I had a garden too, perhaps I will when we move but for now I just enjoy the rose garden here. Thank you for the inspiration, wonderful blog, beautiful garden! 🙂
What gorgeous bougainvillea, the color is superb. I enjoyed your post and look forward to more.
Like Lisa, I also had never heard of Bougainvillea being grown as a houseplant. I’ve always admired it when I’ve seen it in warmer climates than ours. All this is academic, of course, because I kill houseplants. Yours are all so lovely.
Nice blooms, Kate. My bougainvillea is in the basement overwintering, but starting to grow. I can’t decide whether to bring it up into the livingroom or wait until it is time to take it outdoors again. Andrea
Hi Kate, Your dried roses do count as blooms! Your pictures illustrate the determination of all gardeners to enjoy their plants despite the seasonal challenges. So what if Lytton grew bored – your pictures are lovely.Weeping
I love your beautiful flowers!
YOU are blooming, Kate, with your wonderful poem and blog. With all you have growing in your home – so colorful – I suspect you don’t have cats.
Hi KateTake a look in my garden…surprise!Cris
Your roses dried nicely didn’t they! I haven’t seen a bengal clock vine before, interesting! Bougainvillea really does glow doesn’t it!?
I love your bougainvillea and enjoyed seeing the tiny flower. My mother used to grow it in Australia, along with hundreds of other beautiful plants. I may try growing that and wintering it over. It’s fine outside in the summer, I assume? All your blooms are gorgeous, including the dried, sentimental roses. I do that too 🙂
Lovely blooms! This was my first time participating, too. Great pictures.~Sarah
Oh, I think I’m too late. Lovely flowers, your orchid is so pretty! Will have a go next month. Have a lovely weekend. Gx
The favorite trio! I am sure you are happy to be able to enjoy such striking cheerful flowers now.
Beautiful blooms 🙂
Nice blooms for blooms day Kate. Your birthday orchid is looking great and I love the Black and Blue Salvia.Your Bengal Clock vine is about to burst out in a great song and dance routine I see. Isn’t it wonderful when buds are about to reveal their secrets?Have a lovely weekend!
Dear Kate, Thanks for visiting my blog,you reming me so much of my mum and her love for all plants & flowers. I think the idea of the dried flowers reminding you of those who gave them to you – is beautiful & the quote alongside is one I’m going to make a note of.
it’s always a treat to stroll through your garden, Kate, summer or winter. i agree w Carol – you’re not at all short on blooms. i love the garden day each month idea… soul food for those of us living on a chunk of ice for months on end. …and, yes, there’s really nothing like a dried rose, is there. i still have a small bouquet of pink roses given me by one of my favorite violin students, years ago. she’s now an architect in Vancouver.
Welcome to the Bloom Day tradition, Kate! I’ve never seen the clock vine before, and the picture you had of it in full bloom in an earlier post was just lovely. I look forward to visiting you again.
I love the quote. Your blog is a flower itself. I always enjoy my visits here!
Your bougainvillea looks great compared to mine. We had a light frost and that’s all it took to wilt the bracts. I’ll have to trim it back some after all danger of frost is gone. A good thing, because it is out of control!The orchid is beautiful.Aiyana
Hi Kate! Awesome photo of Lytton and the orchid — terrific composition. Now Moose wants a picture of himself like that — he also said to say hi to Lytton! Your flowers are really beautiful — I’m impressed with all the kinds of flowers you can get to bloom inside, especially Bougainvillea. I hope you have a really nice weekend!:)
Hi dear Kate, the Bougainvillea is beautiful. How i envy you to have orchid growing at your place, there’s no one growing orchids in my region and so I never had the chance to try and grow one… but I love them.Lytton is very cute:-)
Kate, your Bougainvillea is beautiful. Whenever I see that flower, it always reminds me of tissue paper, so delicate and pretty.
Kate,Do you know the name of your bouggainvillea? I have a ‘temple flame’ in a large pot on my front porch. I do love bouggies! My favorite is Barbara Karst.
Thank you for bringing a little bit of the warm weather in sight for me! The photos are lovely.
Yes, Kate, I am so very blessed! My children are very dear to me.
lovely flowers….they die alot around here if you keep them outside where I live 😦
oh those are indoor flowers huh? i should learn to read better 😉 they are still lovely!
Hi Kate.Thanks for leading me over here to your nbeautiful blog.Like at your place we are also totally covered in snow these days. I enjoy my indoor orchides through. And I look forward to spring.
Kate I never knew that we can overwinter Bougainvillea! I have always admired them when visiting Florida or Arizona and have picked blossoms to dry between book pages but never realized that I could enjoy growing one at home!!I also dry my roses and display!hugs NG
Kate, you have a beautiful home! If we had the space, the hubby would grow hot pepper plants all year round. Unfortunately my green thumb is more like a digit of death.But I can cook! I made a new soup I think you might like to try. Keep you warm on those cold prairie nights ;o)
All your blooms count and they are all beautiful.I didn’t realize Lytton was so small. Is he a toy lab?Enjoy.
Hi Kate, Even in the dead of winter you have a lot of growing and blooming going on. My garden is currently surving on its own – lots of oxalis coming up!
You’re so lucky! u got some lovely flowers to enjoy inside. I love that Bougainvillea. I brought mine inside but no flowers. By the way my son was just there for the BRIT 2008 tournament and was very impressed with the hometown people and how organized was the BRIT.
That orchid is exquisite. I also love the dried roses. I used to have a flower press as a girl and I had some lovely rose petals which I kept in a hardbound copy of ‘The Secret Garden.’ I still have the petals and the book but the flower press has been misplaced over time. Your dried roses reminded me how lovely it was to press flowers!
Lovely to see the flowers – and Lyutton:) Our winter has been mild if rather wet so there have been odd blooms in the garden all the time. Now the first snowdrops are flowering and it’s lovely to see them.
I am so in love with your orchid, they are the most exquisite flowers. Thank you for bringing bright colors and lovely pictures into this freezing winter day.
Love the dried roses, dear Kate. They have such a magical, otherworldly look about them, and still hold the memory of the giver, as you say.Your house plants are dreamy too, with lovely pastel colours of blue, pink and violet…such gentle hues 🙂
Thank you, Kate, for providing a luxurious glimpse of your indoor garden. It is glorious!And that quote about “molding one’s inner life.” I believe that nurturing beautiful things–such as your flowers–does in fact mold the inner life. Thanks for the big breath of fresh air!
I’ve tagged you in a Household Tips Meme, I’d love to hear how you get all those flowers to grow so beautifully!
Welcome to your first Garden Bloggers Bloom Day (I’ve only done 2)! You have such gorgeous indoor blooms for a Sask winter, especially that orchid that I too am in love with! Loved that quote by Etty Hillasum.PS: I dropped by day after GBBD but couldn’t leave a message — trying again today :)Diane at Sand to GlassDiane’s Flickr photos
Only someone as creative as you, Kate, would choose a Saskatchewan January for her first blooming day post… and then manage to pull it off beautifully. If you can get Bougainvillea to bloom now, there’s no stopping you come spring! Annie at the Transplantable Rose