Fall Plant Swap

Yesterday I went to a plant swap organized by a local nonprofit (thanks Brave Harvest). Everyone brought potted plants or cuttings to trade, and the organizer provided pots, potting soil, and rooting hormone. I wish I had taken more photos of the event in action, but honestly I was having too much fun geeking out with other people who love plants as much as I do.

Here's a pic of my new babies. I decided to keep put them in my bathroom so that I can keep an eye on them. This spot is more protected from my dogs and kids, and it's the most humid environment I have in my home.

I got cuttings of two different cassias -- one with large leaves (Cassia alata) and one with small leaves (Cassia bicapsularis). I cut back the foliage on the larger cassia after this photo was taken, to help prevent it from drying out before it forms good roots. I also snagged Lady Margaret passion flower (Passiflora x Lady Margaret) and Turk's cap (Malvaviscus pendiflorus), all of these from the same generous gardener. My friend Erin also gave me a small, spiky, vase-shaped aloe and some twee  succulents that remind me of little tongues (or even lateral lithops, given the patterning). She said they're some type of Gasteria spp.

Cross your fingers that these babies all make it!

(The little plant on the windowsill is a

Lovely spring

We have had one of the loveliest springs that I've ever seen. I guess it's because we had a consistent stretch of consistent cold and then a gradual warming up, rather than the cold/hot/cold that we've had in other years.

The fragrance coming from the orange blossoms has been off the charts. I wish that this picture could be scratch and sniff so that you could smell the flowers firsthand!

All of the flowering trees and shrubs are blooming their hearts out. I just adore this Chionanthus virginicus outside my husband's office.




And now the herbaceous plants are revving up to bloom. Here's one of the soap aloes that we planted last spring along the street.





For those of you living farther north, hang in there -- hopefully spring won't be too far off!

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