Overwintered Gerania Bouncing Back

I suppose the plural is geraniums but I can indulge myself. The green leaf one is 'pine scented' - strongly scented now. Other overwintered gerania are also starting to fill in. If you want instant flowers & good looking leaves, it's quicker to buy new ones. If you want to be frugal, or maintain a favorite variety, the overwintering is a good idea, and it's easy. The other scented-leaf gerania didn't survive as dried plants, but the cuttings took minimal window space and are also starting to grow now.

Tomatoes Are Planted Now

They are all settled in as of yesterday. The 'weeds' are cilantro and garlic, whcih should be done long before there are any tomatoes.

Bearded Irises In Bloom

Each year they become more impressive. The blue with blue & white falls was the earliest. The Yellow with brown falls is a 'rescue' - the tubers had been illegally discarded in the wild area where we walk the dogs. We 'discovered' the tubers lying in a plant-scrap-heap 2 years. We ago picked them up and replanted them here. They are about to bloom like crazy. If can locate the names of the others, I'll edit them into this entry. Several varieties are yet to bloom, which spreads the season out. The fragrance is something that I can't add to the blog. It's wonderful.

Addendum: I looked for the names of some of these irises. The yellow one is Sunny Disposition, which I suddenly remembered. (Why does my mind keep such trivial things and not important information?) Those were all from one tuber that I bought mail order about 4 years ago. Irises multiply! It's supposed to be a rebloomer. I also have Immortality which hasn't bloomed yet tihs year. It is also remontant, and did rebloom last summer. Jennifer Rebecca which has sickly leaves (and did last year) and is about to bloom; Liaison which is about to bloom; Edith Wolford is new (last summer, container plant) & doesn't look like it will bloom this year; China Moon is new (last summer, container plant) and almost blooming; Dusky Challenger was new (last summer, container plant) and almost blooming; Pink Attraction was new last fall (tubers only) and is about to bloom. It is also considered remontant.

Brugmansia

The leaves are starting to fill in. It's on a south facing deck. The leaves are a bit yellow. This is also the case for come of the ginkgos and a rose-of-sharon, so maybe it's the cold nights? A nutrient deficiency? I gave it a boost of fish emulsion. On the other hand, maybe I overdid the compost and organic vegetable food? However, according to this site (American Brugmansia and Datura Society), Brugmansias like heavy feeding and high nitrogen. I also noted on Gardenweb that some growers add Epson Salts - maybe next weekend if it's still lookin peaked. On the ohter hand, this may be 'killing with kindness' so maybe it should just get water and no food. Stay tuned....

Clivia

The "national flower" of Changchun, China (see this link). This one is about 8 years old, and blooms reliably once or twice annually. It's seedlings haven't bloomed yet, at about 6 years old.