but I want to see Jean's raised beds and how the plantings are progressing, too.

Still warm outside here, and stayed above 50 last night, too. Feels a lot more like Florida, humidity and all. One more warm night, then back to the 'duck and cover' routine for the nights.

Big pink brug still pumping out buds, Shooting Stars, blue Porterweed brings in zebra longwings, white Begonia smells heavenly in the mornings.

Just moved some things back out this morning before leaving.

Is anyone else growing Vulcan Wedding Bromeliad?


"Live Long and Prosper"!

David - did you see me wave at you this AM????? I guess 17 was closed for a parade so I had to take a back road down to Rich Ave (to the quilt shop). I was not far from you.

I NEED that bromeliad!!!!! Not sure what type I have but they are blooming away even in all this COLD weather. I will get a pic.

I know some of the other threads will remove non-topic pics so was wary of posting any quilt pics here. I do have some made of floral fabrics!!!!!

You should have stopped by! I was digging out a bunch of stuff on my ugly corner so I can make the neighborhood proud this Spring.

Iwas creating fantasy plants with flowers around the yard today with the Powderpuffs. My crazy self.

Heres fantasy Pittosporum and a couple others...

Now, do we get to help you name some of those? I kind of like the Abutilettuce in the last picture . . . And the Alligator Puffs, hoo boy, better not let any Gator fans see that.

Vulcanis prosperalotulous??

Little Polly Alocasia usually long gone by now, and Philo Gloriosum ditto. Shows how warm the ground still is, and how protected they are under the oak canopy.

Abutilettuce it is! Yes! You are right on with that name, and am looking forward to see some of the strange hybrids coming up in your gardens to Elaine. (Should we start a "Fantastical Florida Flora" thread? Would anyone play? )

I'll try to see if I can create a more appropriate hybrid for the Gator fans on the Alligator K. blooms.

I have never worked with Alocasias and want to out back. Love the Philo. G. too.

What would this one be called? I need a name for tommorrow...

Trandescaria hibiabutilarious? common name, Hibutawort? ?

Those "new" plants are indeed unique!!!!! I never would have thought to rearrange the blooms & create new varieties!!!!!

Abutiliscus, Hibiscutilon? Cutie for short? Hmm, must be getting late . . .

Ok, enough with the silliness. I need to go buy some fuzzy plants, obviously.

I like it! its sitting on a Spiderwort called 'Moses in a boat'? or something like that.

I really think this could be Winter Fun! Create one from your gardens for me to help name too sometime;... It will be uniquely yours and a once in a lifetime creation!

Thank you Jean. Wheres that Quilt picture? I know it has a flower in it somewhere, even if its the pattern.

This is my favorite Fantasy Flower from here today...

I've picked some pieces that are bright & make me think of "warmer days". Sure nothing this bright in my yard right now.

This is a custom wall hanging from a couple years ago. The pattern is based on a block named "Bird of Paradise" and there is a BoP in the quilting in the center of the piece.



Another I designed. The center is a panel but I added some applique around the edges so it moves into the border. This was made for a young lady who really wanted a parrot but whose parents said "no way"!!!!



Another of my designs and this one was donated to St Jude's Childrens Hospital as part of a fund raiser. The children post a theme & then the quilter does a quilt based on that. This theme was a field of butterflies.

And my Field of Sunflowers................................

Wow!..................WOW!

Jean, when you said you were a quilter I knew your work would be excellent, but these masterpieces are absolute art. I love them all and the Parrots are fantastic, but am especially drawn to the Sunflowers! Did I say WOW!

Thank you David. You design outdoors & I'm better at designing with fabric.
The sunflower quilt was a pattern I found on-line. I really liked the lattice effect btwn the big blocks. This quilt went to my cousin who collects sunflowers & had asked me for a table runner!!!! I've never made a table runner so she got this quilt. She gets many compliments on it.

I need to track down the photo of the ric-rac floral I have. It is a happy quilt.

Did I mention I also transfer photos to fabric? Have some of my gardens fm MD. I should work on that on these COLD winter days when I'm stuck indoors. Maybe I need to get the originals from the Creations above & do something!!!!!!

Very beautiful; what a talented quilter you are!

Has anyone heard of/used "Camel multi purpose bag clips"? Think the clips for chip bags on steroids. Can carry a 40 lb bag of whatever & they ratchet closed for a good seal. I ordered some for not only my bags of fertilizer but bird food. If they work as good as advertised they will be worth it.

There is still some color in the garden.



The tulips are on the sun porch.



And Pumpkin was enjoying sitting in the sunbeam.

Nice pictures and great Camellia! Pumpkin?

Here we go again with this rediculous weather. Its not gonna give up till it gets us good yet.

Oh, Pumpkin looks like a sweetie, Jean. I've had two ginger cats, both so mellow and lovely. Nice bromeliad bloom there, too.

Those Camel clips sound like the bomb! Let us know how they work? I've just been using bulldog clips from Office Depot, but they rust and come apart quite quickly if I don't fetch them indoors before summer.

Yep, we just need to hope that the wind keeps blowing a bit to prevent frost settling, I think. We even have freeze warnings inland in Sarasota County for tonight! That's pretty rare. Tents were still up in my back yard until just now. I left them half on, to protect from the wind on the north side.