Wednesday, April 15, 2020

Like a Giant Greenhouse


As long as we're talking about windows, here's another one -- our front window, in our dining room. Like the kitchen windowsill I showed you yesterday, this has grown steadily more cluttered over the years, mostly with plants. This window has an eastern exposure and it gets great morning light. (Here's a photo from almost three years ago -- it looks so bare!)

Isn't that tall fiddle-leaf fig crazy? We're going to have to trim it at some point -- like the dracaena in the bedroom and the avocado and yucca in the living room, it's almost up to the ceiling. And we have high ceilings! I shudder to think how we're going to maneuver all these plants if and when we need to move.


Here's our back door, looking out onto the garden from the living room. You can see the avocado on the left and the yucca peeking into the frame on the right. We've pruned that avocado once already and now it's even bigger than before.

Do you see Olga out there on the lawn? She's become obsessed with the ivy-covered elder tree at the back of our property. It's pretty jungly back there, and I suspect some critters are nesting in that tree. She just lies on the grass and stares and stares, with periodic forays to sniff around its base.


Anyway, back to the dining room -- we keep five of our orchids there, and they've been very happy in the bright morning light, blooming again and again. All but one of them is flowering this year. That's one above, and I showed you another already. The rest haven't fully opened.

We have four other orchids in the living room, and two of those are flowering:



Despite the tropical ambience in the house, our weather has become a bit wintry again. I walked the dog early yesterday morning wearing shorts and a sweatshirt, expecting it to be balmy like it was all weekend, and I got cold. I looked at the temperature on my phone and it was 42ยบ F! I needed a coat!

I did get some things done work-wise yesterday, so that felt good. Not as fulfilling as going to work, but it's something.

20 comments:

Frances said...

I have got 3 orchids flowering at the moment. One of them has been in flower for at least 2 months I think! They are all different colours. My home is like yours in respect of having plants everywhere...the bigger the better!I am really into succulents too.....they are so easy, and easy to propagate too.

Yorkshire Pudding said...

It is a good job that Dave is also a plant nut or you guys would be in jeopardy.

P.S. When living in England it is the law that you should use English spelling. Hence - manoeuvre. "Maneuver" looks like a mis-spelling from "The Diary of Donald Trump - aged 73 and 3/4"

Moving with Mitchell said...

I regularly go to our favorite local greenhouse/garden center to get my fix. Now i don't need it. Your house is my fix. Amazing! And what a change in that living room window over these three years.

Sabine said...

What gorgeous orchids you have! We struggled for many years with our massive avocado and our conscience because it was clearly too big and produced nothing but more leaves and it was ugly as hell. When we got rid of it on a whim - into the garden compost - it was such a relief.

Mary said...

My thought at seeing your first picture was: Jack's Beanstalk is in your front room. :)

How lovely to have so much beauty around the house with all the flowering orchids and other plants--especially during these days when we need nature's beauty.

Ms. Moon said...

What beauty plants bring into the house! You've truly created a peaceful and lovely sanctuary, Steve.

Susan said...

I love the view into the garden - with all that greenery inside, you are certainly breathing healthy air!

Anonymous said...

Your house looks so beautiful with all those plants. And the view out the backdoor is lush and lovely. Nice to see your orchids blooming. I've never seen a yellow orchid before. April must be orchid month!

The Padre said...

Olga , What A Sweetheart

Red said...

Yes, I was thinking, "what are these guys going to do when they move?" I haven't moved for 50 years. I have way too much junk.

ellen abbott said...

I've never tried to grow orchids but maybe I will. yours are so pretty. I love the views of your windows and your garden doors.

Sharon said...

Your house looks so warm with all those plants around. I'm very impressed by the orchids. I have never been successful in getting orchids to bloom again. The views from both your front and back are very pleasant.

Catalyst said...

I think all of your plants, both inside and out, give you a wonderful sense of living in a forest or in the tropics, while right in the center of a huge city. It's amazing, really.

Back to yesterday's post, I think a photo or, better yet, a short video of Dave doing one of his Zoom classes might be interesting. If he's dressed, that is.

Edna B said...

Your plants are stunning. I've never grown orchids. Many years I could grow plants and had them in all my windows. Not so much nowadays. Olga's antics bring a smile to my face. She's so adorable. You stay safe and have a wonderful day, hugs, Edna B.

e said...

Wow but those orchids are lovely, and Olga is always a charmer.

The Bug said...

That view out of your back door just makes my heart happy :)

jenny_o said...

With Olga obsessed by whatever's in that corner of the garden, it will at least reduce the need for you to think of things to keep her occupied in these days of "one walk per day" :)

Debi said...

Hi Steve,I have been reading and enjoying your post for the last couple of years..I found you via Briony.I just want so say how must I enjoy your post,xx

e said...

I've made no changes to my Blogger settings so do not know why you cannot see comments. Sorry.

Steve Reed said...

Frances: Yeah, the great thing about orchids is they hang around. The blooms last for ages.

YP: Aren't there a lot of completely unnecessary vowels in that British spelling?!

Mitchell: Happy to share! Although you guys have that amazing balcony with some pretty nice plants of your own.

Sabine: Ha! Yeah, some plants become a bit tyrannical. We'll need to prune this one back again soon, I think.

Mary: It DOES look Jack-like!

Ms Moon: Plants make a huge difference, don't they? A house with no plants looks so sterile to me.

Susan: I'd like to think so! Especially in winter when we can't open the windows much.

Robin: They send out flower stalks in winter, which seems so strange to me, and then they bloom around this time.

Padre: Ever the watchdog!

Red: I wish we owned this place and moving wasn't on our horizon at all. I'd love to be in one place for good.

Ellen: People think they're hard but actually they're incredibly easy. The less attention you pay to them (within reason) the better!

Sharon: All I do is keep ours in bright but mostly indirect light and water them once a week -- slightly more while they're blooming. And never let them stand in water. That's it!

Catalyst: I honestly don't feel like we're in a very urban environment. Even our neighborhood is pretty suburban-looking, with streets lined with houses.

Edna: Yeah, whatever happened to your goldfish plant?

E: Thanks! I don't know what's going on with the comments. It may have been a transient problem, or something with my browser. I'll let you know.

Bug: Mine too! We love the purple flowers of the honesty by the door.

Jenny-O: Well, that's true, but I'm a little afraid she'll kill whatever is nesting back there. Hopefully it's high in the tree!

Debi: Thanks so much! Great to hear from a new commenter! I'm glad you're out there!