Garden Bloggers Bloom Day: 01.15.09

HE SAID: Since there is nary a blossom in our literal back yard, I thought I'd take this opportunity — Garden Bloggers Bloom Day — to share some of the riches of our our figurative back yard: Bolz Conservatory at Olbrich Botanical Gardens. We are blessed with an award-winning public garden here in Madison, one that Linda and I try to enjoy as often as possible: as visitors, as volunteers, as speakers and as students. 

SHE SAID: Listen to him?! I let my gardening partner/husband/photographer do a couple of guest posts and now he's ready to take over. I have to admit, however, his photos prove that — even in January — everything at Olbrich is in the pink:

Begonia 'Black Coffee'

Mormodes sp. (Mormodes)

Aechmea fasciata (Bromeliad)

Anthurium 'Lady Jane' (Anthurium)

Acalypha hispida (Chenille plant)

Fuchsia speciosa (Fuchsia)

Euphorbia punicea (Jamaican Poinsettia)

Neoregelia 'Lavender' (Blushing Bromeliad)

Tillandsia syanea 'Pink Quill' (Tillandsia)

SHE SAID: Though we have to go indoors to a place like Bolz Conservatory at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison to see flowers like the ones above, I like to imagine all of you who garden in temperate or tropical climates actually growing some of these plants. The reality for us is that it is dangerously cold here today and no one will venture out who doesn't have to. It's -20 degrees/-28.9C at 7 a.m. and all the schools are closed.

Comments

[joco]

Makes me shiver even more, looking at all that snow on your roads.

I too had no choice but to go virtual.The yellow winter jasmine was getting tired and windblown, so I ignored it.Just as well you had a botanical greenhouse locally. That Pink Quill looks fascinating.

Best wishes from another 'Her Indoors'.

[Dreamybee]

How wonderful that you have such a wonderful place to go to in the winter! Thanks for sharing your beautiful pictures.

[LINDA FROM EACH LITTLE WORLD]

Joco and Dreamybee — We are very lucky to have such a wonderful public garden in our town. In winter, the Conservatory is a very popular place!

[Sarah Laurence]

I'll stop complaining about the weather! It's getting up to 9 in Maine if it started below zero. Just my son's Nordic race was cancelled. I'm off to wrap up to ski the dog.

Lovely GBBD post! I'm glad you came in out of the cold. You have warmed me up too.

[LINDA FROM EACH LITTLE WORLD]

Thanks for stopping by, Sarah. I'm off to the dentist; can't believe the appointment I made in July turned out to be on what's probably going to be one of the coldest days of the year!

[Mr. McGregor's Daughter]

Okay, I guess I'm glad I don't live in Madison. (I frequently have Madison envy.) You're actually colder than we are. School is cancelled here in Chicagoland also. Not even those beautiful tropical flowers could lure me outside today. Great photos, I especially like the Euphorbia shot.

[Les]

I hope it is real nice in the summer there. It would have to be to put up with that cold. Some of your cold is headed this way and the general populus is on a freak out.

[LINDA FROM EACH LITTLE WORLD]

MMcGD — Hey, we all have Chicago envy now that you are the coolest place in the country by virtue of being Obama's hometown! This weather really is a bit much. Spring can't come too soon.

[LINDA FROM EACH LITTLE WORLD]

Les — it is nice in the summer but then we will be complaining about mosquitoes or humidity or something!

[Prairierose]

How lucky you are to have a Botanical Garden so near you! I enjoyed seeing all these blooms today. Madison is a lovely city; I will have to remember the next time I'm there to visit the Gardens.

I read your previous post and enjoyed the basketball "sculpture" in cement:) Thanks for visiting me, and I apologize for complaining about Illinois weather--yours sounds even worse!

[Sue]

What pretty blooms! I think the second pic is my favorite. I'm so glad it's January, and not November!

[LINDA FROM EACH LITTLE WORLD]

Olbrich is wonderful but you can also visit Allen Centennial Gardens on the UW campus and the UW-Arboretum. I should have links to all of them under Resources on my blog.

I actually saved the metal part of the basketball setup, painted it and had it (on its side) in the garden for a few years. Finally decided it didn't really work!

[LINDA FROM EACH LITTLE WORLD]

Sue — I'm with you; I'm glad we're on the downside of winter. I like that second photo and the Fuchsia the best.

[Grace Peterson]

Hi Thanks for the visit to my blog. Your flowers are beautiful. I have a fuchsia speciosa that, until I brought it inside looked stunning. Now, not quite. But it's alive.

Stay warm. Just the though of those temperatures makes me shiver.

[LINDA FROM EACH LITTLE WORLD]

Fuchsias are definitely annuals or house plants here. The few house plants I have, have all been moved to temporary spots away from the windows for these few really cold days. Just too cold near the windows for tender things.

[Daniel Mount]

I shouldn't admit this but i miss the blistering cold of Wisconsin. Sometimes winter flowers seem a sorry replacement for a cold front and a warm house. So much beauty in all that white. D.

[LINDA FROM EACH LITTLE WORLD]

Today I am glad to be inside where it's warm, but I like having four distinct seasons. And by the time we get our first snowfalls I'm always as excited as a kid. A friend of mine likes to say that our winters keep the riffraff out of Wisconsin!

[Garden Bloggers]

Nice pics. I especially liked the Fuchsia speciosa.

Thanks for the tour.

[LINDA FROM EACH LITTLE WORLD]

That Fuchsia does seem to be a favorite. It's such a dramatic form.