Somewhere in the back of my head I have a sort of vague, confused notion that the Australian aboriginals (or is the New Zealand ones?) have a concept they call the 'dreamtime'. Not sure if they mean winter, or the state of hibernation, or a drugged state.... or worse, but I like the idea of being in a dream-like floating state while nasty stuff passes by around you. (In a healthy way, of course.) A good way to pass the 'down' days of January.
I may be coming out of it now, though. There are fat flower buds on many of my potted Amaryllis in the plant shed, buds on several of the Clivias, new growth on the geranium cuttings, and, SEEDS ARRIVED in the mail.
The sun is shining, it isn't as cold as it has been, things are moving in the plant shed, maybe I'll survive winter after all.
And speaking of dreamtime, some of the seeds that came are for Meconopsis 'Lingholm'. There is a small area near my marsh, fairly flat, fairly open, high enough not to be water-sogged, but low enough to stay damp a foot or so down even in summer, that might, just might, suit the fabled Blue Poppy. It is right on my Marsh Trail, with the Trillium Slope to the uphill side, and already has some huge Interrupted Ferns, a few plants of Lobelia cardinalis which did very well last year, and a ground cover of Foamflower, Bunchberry and Goldthread. Mind you, that white cedar which seems determined to fall down over the path to the ferns will have to come out, as will a few dozen small Maples, but that can be arranged. I understand that Meconopsis seeds need a cool place to germinate and grow and I figure the windowsill in the Studio will be just the ticket.
A flat of possible Meconopsis plants should be good for some happy dreaming. And 5-6 weeks from now, when I'll have to concede that maybe they really won't come up, it'll be close enough to spring that I'll have other things to dream about.
Ah, dreamtime.
Hope you have success with your seeds of Mecanopsis Lingholm. I started to grow them a few years ago now and it has been a steep learning curve. Sometimes the seeds haven't been viable, I have found the best way is to buy 1 plant and then to save the seed, keeping it in the fridge until needed. I sowed mine a couple of weeks ago, and put them in the garden to get frosted, will bring them in soon when hopefully they will then sprout and we can start another lot of seedlings off to add to the plants we already have.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you are having success with the plants at least! That's an achievement right there.
ReplyDeleteI did purchase one plant once but it wasn't sturdy and it didn't survive the winter. I have tried seeds before too but they succumbed to damping-off. These new seeds came from Plant World Seeds. We'll see what happens!