• Lily

    It will still take three more months before the lilies (lilium) start to bloom up here in the north. The first ones will be blooming in July.

    Noticed a lily pot in the local grocery store while shopping. It will bloom nicely in the balcony.

    This is again a flower which, after blooming, will find its way to the garden. It will grow and bloom there also in the forthcoming years.

  • Garden Grape-hyacinth

    The spring flowers are finally starting to bloom up here in the north.

    The week long warm period has done wonders to the nature. Though it will be cooler from now on, which is not a bad thing because the blooms last longer in the cold weather.

    Garden Grape-hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum) is blooming in my balcony but it will still take a week or so them to bloom in the garden.

  • Violet

    The violets (viola) are now in the stores.

    It seems that this year I was not able to select my favorite color.

    I just ended up buying all kinds of colors.

    This season the most popular colors seem to be different shades of violet, purple or blue.

    Black is a color you do not often see in a flower but it is gaining popularity.

    I guess I still need to buy few more colors to brighten my day. Luckily violets are not that expensive.

  • Westward

    The week has been warm and sunny up here in the north.

    Westward (Narcissus ‘Westward’) started to bloom in the balcony.

    For once I stayed calm and only bought few new daffodils this spring. Usually I end up buying many more.

  • Double Gold Medal

    We have been promised sunny days for the next week.

    The daffodils I have bought this year are starting to bloom in the balcony. Double Gold Medal (Narcissus ‘Double Gold Medal’) was something I simply could not resist.

    It will find its way to the summer cottage once it has bloomed and hopefully it will bloom again next year, if it makes through the winter.

  • Tete-a-Tete

    It will still take few more weeks before the daffodils start to bloom up here in the north.

    Tete-a-Tete Daffodil (Narcissus Tete-a-Tete) is always the first one to open its flowers.

    Bought one for the balcony and once it has bloomed will take it to the summer cottage and replant it. It will bloom nicely next year as well.

  • Violet

    Have not yet seen any new colors for violets (viola) this year.

    Bought this classic yellow violet to the balcony to brighten the day.

    I guess we will see the new color variants later when the spring weather warms up.

  • Pansy

    The first pansy (viola) found its way to my balcony during the weekend.

    I know it is a bit early for them because the nights might get too cold still but could not resist the temptation to have something blooming outside.

    It will be interesting to see what kind of colors there will be available this year. I usually go for the light colors since they stand out better in the shade.

  • Easter Cactus

    The spring is finally here and my Easter cactus (Rhipsalidopsis gaetneri) has started to bloom.

    It blooms once a year during the Easter time and that’s where the name comes.

    To have cactus to bloom twice a year I have planted to the same pot both Christmas and Easter cacti. The end result is nice because it delights you with the blooms more often.

  • Christmas Cactus

    Hope that you all have had a good holiday season and have managed to enjoy the Christmas!

    My Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) bloomed just before the holidays bringing a bit color to the gray winter we are having.

    It is one of those plants that requires very little and blooms nicely if you neglect it a bit before the blooming season.

    Have a very good new year 2021!