New Years Cactus

After watering these for a few weeks they are blooming. Christmas Cactii that I have on the kitchen windowledge. They don’t all flower at the same time. There has been a progression that started with a dark pink one before Christmas, then a pale white/pink coming up to new year and now these two. I’m not sure whether the light levels affect the flowering. I know I have one that won’t flower till sometime around Easter (if it’s an early Easter). I realise some people don’t like plants in the house, but to me it’s more about adding greenery to your life. The Cactii cheer me up. X

Amaryllis

It’s great how these bulbs become dormant after flowering, eventually the old leaves die down… Then they spring back into life when you water them about this time of year. Little and often is my way of doing it. Water but don’t drench. The bulbs swell, then suddenly a couple of leaves sprout, growing rapidly with a flower spike. I have kept one bulb for ten years. Each time it grows bigger. But don’t be eager to put it in a larger pot. It takes a few years, it likes being crammed in a pot. I only move them into the next size up pot. My oldest has grown a secondary bulb that also flowers….

Flowers in January

Slightly withered, but seen on my walk today. These daisy type flowers brightened my day. They are in the top of a wall and sheltered slightly under a bush.

I should have collected some of the seeds. I think it’s an Osteospermum, a plant from South Africa, partly because of the leaf shape? They look bigger than Asters? The colours are lovely with their deep yellow centres. If you know what they are please let me know?