Montauk Daisy's first bloom!!

Montauk Daisies start blooming after the first few cold nights, I've had them bloom until mid December as long as we don't get the dreaded "freezing rain" they can even do light snow.  So as someone who LOVES winter and despises summer (really garden fresh veggies are the only thing that allows me to survive summer) these flowers bode better weather ahead!

Flowers on the steps

Planters on the steps are filling in nicely!

Finished the plants in front.

How funky is that begonia??

Really love this corkscrew grass - but it needs it's own pot - it's the only plant that wants wet roots. Maybe someday if I have a water feature, I can get a bunch!

Will have to take a picture wen the geraniums actually bloom, and the 2nd from the top should end up with blue flowers.

Anyone who has seen my pictures in the last few years knows I'm in love with portulacas (the pink and white in this box and the pink on the top step in the previous picture) and whatever the name of those yellow and orange daisy like flowers.
 

Prophetic Rose Bush?

My already weird rosebush got all excited about the warm weather back in march and started leafing.  Then we had a snowstorm, hail, freezing rains and deep frosts at the beginning of the month.  I really thought this was the end of the bush - all the leaves died, shriveled and a plant without leaves can't make food from the sun.  I was sad but it fit the gloomy melancholy mood I was in. Now that spring seems to be here for real, new leaves are popping out. 

Hoping the same goes for my mood. (although work seems determined to keep me pissed off, and to top it off they've gone on a firing spree when we are shorthanded to start)

Bleeding Hearts

My bleeding hearts are blooming..echoing my own heart...

I guess spring is here

Harbinger's of cooler weather

If you've known me a while - you know I'm a winter person.  I love cold crisp air, love the way the light changes, love the early sunsets.  I love looking out in the evening and seeing Orion in the southern sky.  This time of year, the mums are all out in full force in the garden centers, but they aren't my favorite fall flowers.  Montauk daisies, have slightly leathery leaves, come back every year, and as long as we don't have an ice storm or a ton of rain - they will bloom into December.  So when my daisies start budding - I know it isn't long until the wonderful winter weather is back!