Gardening outside is not an option when my garden is covered in 15 cm of snow so I've opted for a spot of indoor gardening today.
First off I went to buy a nice bouquet of tulips. After I had turfed out the Christmas tree I felt in dire need of some floral therapy.
Gorgeous, are they not? I think so anyway, and they seem to get even more beautiful as time progresses.
I've put my tulips on a pedestal, literally, so that they are the first thing you see as soon as you enter the living room. You need this colour boost like a shot in the arm at this time of year.
I also bought this bright pink Azalea and some Hyacinths to brighten up the living room and kitchen. See?
Well, you will once Vita has made herself scarce.
It's not always easy to take pictures of plants and stuff when your home is filled to overflowing with cats that feel that they should be the centre of attention. Always! But I digress.
A lot of indoor gardening can be done in my kitchen as the windowsill is chock a block full of plants,
herbs,
bulbs,
and lettuces and rocket salad.
And then there's my conservatory, at this time of year better known as the jungle, for obvious reasons.
There are several Palms, one under planted with Agapanthus,
2 Olive trees,
1 Aloe Vera,
3 Citrus trees,
a collection of Orchids and several other plants that keep me busy indoor gardening during the bleak winter months. What with the watering, feeding, pruning, potting up and very much enjoying my indoor garden this gardener is kept busy and happy.
The citrus trees are starting to flower now and fill the conservatory with their heavenly scent. Isn't it simply wonderful that they bear flowers and fruits at the same time?
As soon as there are enough ripe citrus fruits I'll make marmalade with them. There's nothing better than to start a bleak winter's day in the light and airy conservatory with a fragrant cup of tea, some hot buttered toast covered lavishly with your own homemade marmalade. Mmmm. It's one of the very the best recipes for staving off those winter blues!copyright 2010 Y.E.W. Heuzen
37 comments:
Oh, how I want a conservatory! Someday I will get my wish. I have always wanted to grow lots of orchids and citrus. All those wonderful things that need a tropical environment
The tulips are stunning!
These tulips are sure to lift the spirits of any winter bound gardener. Excuse me while a brew a cup of tea...I will have to settle for some homemade, during summer, blackberry jam on my toast though. Yummm
The tulips are beautiful! I love the colors!
Now I'm ready for breakfast!
Ooh, marmalade, yummy!!!! I have a LOT of photos of James being in front of the camera, just like Vita! And, yes, the tulips are lovely. :) Do you have Aldis in The Netherlands? Apparently one can get very inexpensive bouquets there, though I haven't seen them in the recently-opened Ann Arbor Aldi!
I feel warmer and cheerier just seeing those gorgeous tulips in your header, Yolanda. Maybe I should change my header to something warmer, too. Like others, i long for a conservatory (and a hot tub) but things do manage to do relatively well in winter here despite the lack of one. Could always have more sunlight, but that's not in my control, alas!
Wow, you are an amazing gardener!
Love all your green ideas!
Hugs from Poland,
Rhonda
You must have nearly as many indoor plants as you have cats. Very impressive.
I am rubbish with indoor plants as I always forget to water them or give them odd lumpy diseases.
All our snow is a bit soggy now: either it has to go or we need to order in some fresh stuff.
Please not the latter...
Was trying to take in the plants, but was too distracted by how tidy your kitchen is. I now have bulb envy and feel like a domestic failure...
Those tulips are smashing! Seeing your windowsill makes me want to rip out my kitchen windows & install bigger ones with wider window ledges. My poor Kalachoe keeps falling off the windowsill into the sink.
I do love tulips! I bought some this past weekend for my get together, and they add the needed color at this time of year. I have a craft room right now filled to the brim with plants too!
Tulips and cats - I feel at home in your blog!
What wonderfully healthy houseplants you have, Yolanda. And those tulips are gorgeous.
Hi YE, those are the pretties tulips ever! The colors are so cheering. There was a display planting, many thousands, of the same color selections mixed at the Biltmore mansion in Asheville, North Carolina last year. I would not have thought to put those together, but someone was much smarter than I. Your indoor gardening, and cat catering service must keep you busy and happy over the winter. Your garden looks beautiful in the snow, if cold. Let us hope for an early spring, I am itching to get outdoors and play.
Frances
It's like a Zen garden in your House, Yolanda -- I can see how it brings you gardening peace, even when you have 15 cm of snow (Which was also beautiful, by the way!) I'd love to spend the day tucked inside there away from the cold, just like the plants are enjoying it!
Your post definitely is a cure for the winter blues. I can't wait for my tulips to bloom - I can't remember what colours I planted but I will be happy if they are half as pretty as yours.
Give Mr Jeeves a big hug for me. Spook has deserted me in favour of my furry hot water bottle - very fickle. When I can get out of the house I will buy him his own.
Beautiful...I think I love tulips best as cut flowers. YE, the lilac wall is fantastic...talk about a spirit lifter. gail
Wow, what an array of plants to keep you company in the winter. The tulips are just gorgeous. Spring cannot come soon enough.
Love your tulips - so delicate and great to see some colour when everything outside seems mostly white... take care Miranda
I made marmalade a long time ago when I lived somewhere that there was plenty of citrus available. Nothing beats the home made variety!
I so envy you your conservatory. I want one so bad I can taste it. Instead, I have a jungle under lights in both dining room and living room. Maybe sometime. . .
What beautiful spring colours in the tulips! And I'm amazed at all your pot-plants. Today is a grey day in Sydney of ~25 C after overnight rain; a nice rest for our plants after a few days over 30 C.
Unrelated to gardening: the passing of Miep Gies was reported by our national broadcaster with the respect that such a gallant lady deserved. Rest in Peace.
Ooh, what a wonderful shot of color in the arm. I needed that so much. Only my amaryllis are blooming right now, but they're enough. Everyone else is primed and ready. Now, where can I buy some tulips? Hmm.~~Dee
How in the world do you keep all those kitties from eating the plants? I bring fake flowers into the house and the cats want to eat them. One of them even licked the fake Christmas tree incessantly until we stopped putting up a tree. You are SO lucky!
Lovely, I really must make more effort with indor plants! Flighty xx
I knew as soon as I stumbled across your site and added to your list of followers that we were kindred spirits. As I wrote on my blog this morning, when faced with the decision of what to grace my weekend party lunch table with [when Iris reticulata 'Harmony' failed to show], what could be better than hand tied bunches of palest pink and deepest purple tulips. Your picture is almost what the florist delivered to me!
What a fabulous mix of colours! What a tonic it is this time of year to have a few early bloomers indoors. If you promise not to tell anyone, I have a basket of hyacinths blooming in the front room at the moment! the scent is heavenly!
Your tulips are exquisite Yolanda.... wonderful colours!
I love your conservatory and you have so many plants to enjoy there. Our conservatory is in the process of being painted. I have already bought new white wooden blinds from Ikea..... longing to get it all rearranged and sorted now. It got so cold in there over Christmas & New Year whilst we were away.... unfortunately I have lost a few plants I left too close to the windows.... these severe conditions have caught so many folk out.
Marion
Happy New Year, Yolanda...may this year bring you much jouy in your garden and with all the kitties and Taz :)
http://ourlittlecornerofparadise.blogspot.com/2010/01/importance-of-finding-beauty-in-light.html
Wonderful tropical indoors! Your house must be the most sought after veritable tropical resort in Dutchland. And that such beautiful Tulips exist only in dreams in tropics is another story.
What gorgeous photos Yolanda! I love the contrast of snowy outdoors with all the lovely pastels indoors. The tulips are beautiful, and I LOVE that lavender fireplace brick. So pretty! It reminds me of the color my bedroom was painted when I was a teenager. It's one of my favorite colors.
The conservatory must be such a wonderful place this time of year. When winter gets to be too much, it's your own little piece of summer in there.
Gorgeous display of indoor wonder! Colourful, fragrant and just perfect ~
You have a wonderful indoor garden. The tulips are indeed a much needed injection of colour - they are very beautiful
K
Indoor gardening, that's the only thing one can do at the moment (here too) and therefor my kitchen sills look similar to yours. Instead of tulips I have my first colorful primulas on the table which enjoy me. As snow is now slowly disappearing, we will soon have a glimpse of the coming Spring (at least I hope!).
Have a good time!
Barbara
Your conservatory posts always make me want one, Yolanda Elizabet, but never more so than this year when so much that usually lives outdoors here in Austin has frozen.
What wisdom you've displayed in creating such a beautiful indoor world.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Your tulips are beautiful! I'm envious of your conservatory. You've got such lovely, healthy plants growing there! I'll bet it smells heavenly and the cats love it, too. :-)
You're not really into indoor gardening, are you? :) It's not too obvious at all. I definitely like your tulips and the way you make the plant arrangements look so perfectly neat and colorful. It makes me think of having indoor gardening as well.
amazing gardener
Thanks for the post mate you have written it very well.
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