"GREENHOUSES" and STAND-UPPITY GARDENS COVER

I know I call these little things my greenhouses, I mean, that is their function, but it does sound quite grandiose for such little things. However, they keep my geraniums, some impatiens, even coleus

cuttings and most important cuttings or even potted strobilanthes(those purple leaves) over the winter. Also, this year, I am keeping the FoxTail fern out here- it did NOT like it in the house and is real messy when it drops all over the place... I also grow the cat's grass in here in the winter and keep a pot of chives growing for my twice baked potatoes.

This year I kept 2 Stand-up gardens busy. The older one had Yellow Wax Beans in it on one side, Italian Flat beans on the other half. The newest garden had Yellow Wax and then plain green string beans, but it also held a bell pepper plant that furnished half the neighborhood, and I kept Black Basil, a few lavender plants, some strobilanthes, and used it to start cuttings of Wandering Jew and a few other plants people wanted. It was a busy spot for being only 4'x4'! It is right next to the carport, so it was very handy for parking other potted plants either newly dug or to be planted. That also made it very easy to care for!

As many of you know, I get politically involved here as many of my friends and former students run for office (AND WIN!!!!! GO RALPH!!! Virginia's next governor) so I often end up with a quantity of 4x4 and 4x8 political signs stashed between the barns.

These signs have MANY uses once the elections are over. I am a firm believer in Recycling or Reusing - or Repurposing materials rather than helping to build our mini-mountain landfill here on the flat shore. The 4x8 treated cardboard signs come in great for garden covers and last for years. Best of all, they are free - unless you count your donation to Ralph's campaign, or whoever... then they become very expensive covers! LOL! And yes, I have signs from the 'other side' I use, too.

Anyway, here are a few shots of the mini-greenhouses and my heating system - a galvanized bucket of bricks and a light bulb in a brooder lamp... you can buy thermometers that you can read inside the house to monitor the temp in the greenhouse - or 'cat warmer' or any space you need to keep from freezing.

The Cat houses are on top of the greenhouse. The heating pad wires are protected with coiled wire to keep critters from chewing the electrical wires. Currently I am only heating the big bottom box - now that Spook is gone. But Hoover still insists on eating in the top box which we now call her Dining room. If she is hungry, she goes up there and sits and waits. Food magically arrives. Dogs have owners, Cats have staff. I am the official CO here... that stands for Can Opener.

Oh, the blue material in this last picture is insulation foam. I have learned to love it. When the temps go really low, I can cover the side walls and doors to the greenhouses with that blue foam.

 I also use  large quantities of it in building scenery at the Train Station. Great stuff!!!!

YULE TIDE- CHRISTMAS CAMELLIA

Several of you asked about Yule Tide. She has been here for 30 years, but in this particular location only 23 years. Floyd helped me move her when she quickly outgrew her spot beside the house and carport. The flowers are small and often the bush goes unnoticed. It tends toward the spindly side compared to the other camellias here. It has been especially beautiful this year. Here are some pictures taken Nov. 8th, 2017 - just before the BIG freeze this fall.

 

Yes, Yule Tide is taller than the power lines.

Small flower, never bigger than 3 inches across, but just the purest red to contrast with the bright yellow stamens.
I hope you enjoyed my garden!

HOOVER AND FALL CAMELLIAS AND AZALEAS before the deep freeze hit! (Front Yard)

 

Last Wednesday, the hand writing was on the wall, tho it was hard to believe. We have not even had a frost yet but the weather people were telling us it was going to be down in the 20s by Saturday morning! Really???? The yard was beautiful. Several camellias were in full serious bloom. These are huge camellias now, well over 15 feet, a couple over 20 feet tall and diameters on some of them of over 10 feet. Many of them have been trimmed back for years.

For the first time ever, Hoover decided to follow me around the yard close enough that she was not hidden. Her coloring makes for a perfect natural camouflage. She has always followed me around but has managed to stay out of sight. But not now… perhaps because her buddy Spook is gone so she is lonesome. 

Anyway, I thought you might enjoy seeing the flowers from Wednesday that are now drooping in the cold, the ground covered in red, pink and purple petals. I have never seen Yule Tide look this good. It is huge. It was a first Christmas-in-my-new-house gift from Sabra when I moved in- 1987, I think. It has been moved twice. Yule Tide is not a thick bush, but tall with a 10 foot diameter. The flowers are small but the red color is rich.

My “birthday” camellias have filled the bushes. I have one on each side of the house.

Several pink camellias are in bloom. These are some of the fall azaleas out by the street. These flowers are large for azaleas, the spring only variety being much smaller.

This is only a fraction of what is in bloom here now. And, as usual, Blogger will not allow me to place them where I want them... so, sorry for such a sloppy looking post. Enjoy the flowers anyway!!!!!