American Holly Tree Provides a Winter Feast
Posted: January 19, 2026 Filed under: Gardening | Tags: American Holly Tree, nature photography, Robins 4 Comments
This very large American Holly Tree was already on the property when we moved in. The landscaper, who also prepared the site for building, made sure the beautiful tree was carefully protected.
By the fall, the tree was loaded with red berries.
I was expecting Cedar Waxwings to arrive and strip the tree, but instead, a large flock of Robins in the area has spent the last several weeks feasting on the berries.
More Snow
Posted: January 18, 2026 Filed under: Gardening | Tags: snow 11 Comments
As promised, I’m posting photos of snow. After living in a warm climate for over 40 years, it is a big change to see snow.
We were told that it rarely snows in this area anymore, and here is another “big” storm. It isn’t as much as I remember when I was growing up. There is just enough to be pretty.
We can get out of the driveway, so maybe shoveling snow won’t be necessary.
Winter Blooms
Posted: January 12, 2026 Filed under: Gardening | Tags: indoor garden, Year-round gardening 18 Comments
Some of the plants that I moved to the basement are houseplants, but they lived outside at my old house.
I was pleasantly surprised to see the Peacock Ginger blooming. It would probably make a nice houseplant.
To my amazement, the Shrimp plants are blooming. Hmmm, I wonder if I can count this as year-round gardening?
Indoor Gardening
Posted: January 5, 2026 Filed under: Gardening | Tags: inddor gardening 17 Comments
I finally completed the grow lights setup. I have three different kinds, and I’m not entirely happy with the setup. I would be glad to receive suggestions that have worked for readers involving better setups (as I did this in a hurry) and the best kind of pots to use.
It was suggested that I use a Zevo flying insect catcher. It worked. Back at my last house, I put the plants in the garage for the cold days, where bugs were not a concern, but it is a different story inside the house. Time will tell if my plants will be able to adapt to their new indoor environment.
Plants on the Move to the Basement
Posted: December 29, 2025 Filed under: Gardening | Tags: inside gardening, recyclling 20 Comments
The next major task was relocating the plants to the basement. This basement does not have a walk-in entrance. So each box of plants had to be carried down steep steps. As my leg has been bothering me, the Under Gardener had to do it.
I ordered a plant stand with grow lights. People of a certain age are constantly told to do puzzles and other brain exercises. I find just navigating through the day is enough. This plant stand came with minimal directions and unclear pictures. It took a great deal of mental effort to figure out that puzzle. Other frustrating puzzles were locating directions for the new house appliances. First, find the QRL reader on the phone. Next, take a treasure hunt to find the model and serial number on the appliance. After many vocabulary-building bad words, some of the appliance mysteries are solved. The rest are just a matter of pushing buttons and hoping for the best. And to add to the frustration, my phone updated, and the Ikea cabinets arrived with pictures only.
Back to plants.
It is not visible in the photo, but I placed the Staghorn Fern in the top of my old raised lettuce planter. Another side note, I do keep everything that I think I can use again, and others call it trash, the enlightened call it recycling. The fern likes to be sprinkled (rained on), and it was worked out perfectly.
As I could not find a sprinkling can, I made one from a detergent bottle. I punched holes in the top, and the best bottle has a lid like the one above with the lower lip. They are great for kids as they only allow a measured amount of water out at a time, preventing plants from being drowned by small children.
PS Since moving the plants inside, we have had two snowstorms and one ice storm. No outside gardening for me.
Longwood Garden’s Christmas
Posted: December 22, 2025 Filed under: Gardening | Tags: Longwood Gardens 25 Comments
Our new house is near the famous Longwood Gardens, which was started by the duPont family. Every Christmas, the gardeners make incredible displays with plants. An added bonus for me is that the displays are in humid conservatories, giving me a chance to get rehydrated. Yes, I do miss the humidity. We started the tour in an indoor space where concerts are performed. It also included trees decorated by different community organizations.
The Conservatory had a mix of tropical plants and Christmas trees.
The garden teams make very creative displays with plants.
This tree is made from bromeliads and was one of my favorites with the silvery green plants and blue ornaments.
I did not see information on how many individual plants were used to make the tree or the exact name of them. Maybe the Shrub Queen can help me identify them. I will have more posts from Longwood, as there is not a single blooming plant in my new cold-weather property.
Snow!
Posted: December 15, 2025 Filed under: Gardening | Tags: American Holly Tree, snow 19 Comments
The first snow of the year came on Sunday morning, dropping nearly 6 inches. This was an early snow for the area, and we were told it hardly snowed in this part of the state anymore. Luckily, we bought a shovel and salt before the event. Something we did not need on the Gulf Coast.
The Holly tree was transformed by the snow, and a few red berries were peeking out.
The snow was wet and decorated every tree, creating a winter wonderland.
A Needed Break
Posted: December 8, 2025 Filed under: Gardening | Tags: My Kitchen Window 17 Comments
All I have to say is moving is hard work. I don’t think I will have the yard and house finished until spring. Meanwhile, I’ll rest and watch the house behind me being built.
Pots, Trellises, Equipment and Yard Art
Posted: December 1, 2025 Filed under: Gardening 23 Comments
The Radio Flyer wagon was put into service, unpacking all the garden pots and moving them to the patio before finding them a place in the garage.
Did I really have plants in all those pots?
Most of these trellises and shepherd hooks for feeders were more or less permanent in my former garden. I did not realize how many I had.
The garden equipment is filling up the garage. I am considering a garden shed, but I’ll see how organized I can get the garage.
The Dancing Girl statue made the move, even though she did not do well in her initial shipment, and this is actually the second one that arrived broken. They did not charge me for her, so I attempted to repair her broken fingers.
The chiminea successfully survived being moved, put in storage, moved across the country, and unpacked. A bit of Texas in my new home.
Reunion, The Last Load
Posted: November 24, 2025 Filed under: Gardening | Tags: Moving plants 17 Comments
All of my plants are finally reunited after I picked up the last load of the five boxes that I had overnighted to my daughter. The plan was that she would have the plants for a few weeks, which turned into months.
I was gifted a big, beautiful mum as a housewarming gift. A new plant to add to my collection.
Automatic Gardening & Real Gluten Free Food 