Happy New Year to my garden muses' readers

It's almost over...

I'm sending out a big thank you to all my readers who subscribe to my little blog (or stumbled upon it while searching for porn, sigh...) 

It's that time of the year again where we reflect on the good, the bad and the ugly experiences over the last twelve months.  (There were many more in the "good" category for me, thankfully.) 

Counting off the days...

I think we tend to learn a lot more about ourselves, our character, with the latter two types of scenarios. And as self-actualizing humans (and gardeners!), we should strive to be continuously learning and evolving into better beings with better gardens. Well, this could justify all the pottering around yard we do, often to our spouse's/partner's consternation.

Anyway, enough with the armchair philosophy. I wish everyone (anyone?) reading this a wonderful 2013. The world didn't end last week so all this "extra time" is pure upside!

By Paul Jung, author of "garden muses: a Toronto gardening blog"Google Google Find us on Google+ Find us on Google+

Allan Gardens Conservatory Christmas Flower Show 2012

'Tis the Season for Poinsettias and More!

Living in downtown Toronto has its pros and cons, gardening-wise, but I'm lucky to have a public conservatory within a 10 minute walk from home. I've visited the Allan Gardens Conservatory before with readers in a post called "In need of some colour, quick!" It's such a nice place, especially in winter, when you need to be surrounded by living green stuff. The staff change plantings throughout the year to keep things interesting and, currently, the 2012 Christmas Flower Show is on exhibit. Here are some highlights from my visit last week.

(Just a note of caution before we begin. If you're allergic to poinsettias like this person claims to be, you may want to skip this post!)

Thank you, dear reader, for visiting me for the first time or regularly throughout 2012. I've had a terrific year personally and professionally. I hope you did as well.

Have a safe and wonderful holiday season (Christmas for me)!

The smell of paperwhites is a love/hate thing.  "Cloying" seems an appropriate description for some!

Hellebores and cyclamen elicit thoughts of spring

A nice drift of pink cyclamen

"Prelude" amaryllis (Hippeastrum)  
Allan Gardens Conservatory Christmas Flower Show 2012 

"Mocha" amaryllis (Hippeastrum)
Allan Gardens Conservatory Christmas Flower Show 2012 

"Temptation" amaryllis (Hippeastrum)  
Allan Gardens Conservatory Christmas Flower Show 2012

A living Victorian fireplace, rug and chairs!  See the closeups below.

I was lazy so click and enlarge this photo for more info on how Victorians celebrated Christmas in their houses.

The living rug with kalanchoe and echeveria

More kalanchoe, echeveria and hypoestes,  the polka dot plant, forming the mantle and hearth

Closeup of part of the rug. Someone is patient and detail-oriented!

Not your typical modern Christmas tree (I like the citrus slices.)

Poinsettias, like most annuals, do so much better in drifts. The white poinsettias contrast so nicely with the dark purple oxalis. The silver Helichrysum ties it all together.

The poinsettias are the visitors as the umbrella  and banana trees are the permanent members  in this part of the greenhouse

The poinsettia, Euphorbia pulcherrima, is native to Mexico and Central America, so it isn't out of place next to these tropical neighbours.

My favourite colour combination in the conservatory! The dark purple of the Cordyline makes the off-white poinsettia even brighter and the variegated version ties the two together. Soft, muted and a little sinister.

The power of layers!