Looks like we're in for a sunny week, so I decided to spend some time today on getting my balcony prepared for the summer season. This involves liberating my hibernating plants from their winter covers, sweeping the floor, and bringing things like plastic floor mats, chair and parasols up from the basement storage room. My two boxes of strawberry plants had spent the winter under a bench next to the wall, in turn covered by a tarpaulin; and the clematis on the trellis was covered with a protective fiber cloth. They all show signs of having survived (once again); and hopefully the spring sun combined with watering will revive them further... :)
Oh yes, the Spring revival. Isn't it wonderful.
ReplyDeleteJC I'm always facinated that these plants manage to survive even on a balcony.
Deletecant wait to see them come to life again, until I met you and one other blogger, i had no idea plants could be store and would come back to life. the other blogger has a plant that she puts in a closet all winter, then out in her house and it always comes back
ReplyDeleteSandra I've often managed to keep the same strawberry plants for years, and the clematis still stems from the first one I bought some 20 years ago (renewed by cuttings a couple of times).
DeleteI hope they do well!
ReplyDeleteSo do I, Ginny!
DeleteI imagine it certainly gets cold enough there to kill most things in the garden, it's good they survived.
ReplyDeleteAmy these plants are both of the hardy type that do usually survive cold winters. I'm always amazed that they even manage it on my balcony though as they don't have much soil to grow in.
DeleteYou did what you could to make them survive, and your efforts have been rewarded :-)
ReplyDeleteNo late frost nights forecast for your area?
Meike, the risk for occasional frosty nights is not over yet but these plants are hardy (+ the brick walls of the building also absorbing the heat from the sun during the day).
DeleteI'm so glad to hear that your plants have survived.
ReplyDeleteUnless we have an exceptionally cold spell - down to 3 or 4ºC for several days, our gardens seem to remain much the same. I'm used to roses blooming in January and flowers on the Clematis, Jasmine and Bougainvillea all year round. The Passiflora has delighted me with beautiful pink flowers all winter. When we first came here, it all seemed so exotic, but there doesn't seem to be any great change in the seasons. One thing I miss is the spectacular autumn colours you get in Sweden, when the leaves change to those glorious golds and reds.
Thanks Carol. I think I'd probably miss the changing seasons if I went to live in another climate. And especially autumn such as you describe it :)
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