Spring Flowers and Seedlings

The end of March, spring is felt everywhere here. Even Clivia blossomed on the windowsill. Bright orange-yellow bells of Clivia delight the eyes. I hope it will bloom for at least two weeks.

As I've written in the previous post, I grow 'Indian Spear' hot pepper seedlings. Every day I water them, move the other side to the window and turn the light on at the evening.

Here they are, with first leaves and after one week. 

 





















I love growing gladioli, although I know many of gardeners ignore them. Gladioli flowers appear in mid-July and bloom until September. I've read the tall and narrow flower stalks of gladioli were named so because they resembled swords of gladiators. I do not know how much this is true.
These are gladioli bulbs that I dug up last year and stored in a cool place in winter. In March I have pushed them into small pots and new sprouts already grow. Later in May gladioli seedlings will be transported to the garden and replanted to the tubs.

I also have Eastern lily bulbs. I love their scent in the garden, especially at the morning. Unfortunately Eastern lily doesn't winter well in my climate and I need to dig lily out in autumn and store it in a cool place at home. So now Eastern lilies are doing well on a windowsill.

Here are the pink and white lilies.

 






















Calla bulb does as Eastern lily, winters at home and grows and blooms in a garden pot in summer. I see Calla is OK it means it had been stored well too.

There are cuttings of two Pelargonia varieties - Zonal and Royal - on the windowsill. I have seven pots of overwintered Pelargonia therefore I have pruned many cuttings to root them and then to plant in garden hanging baskets. 
All these plants - Gladioli, Pelargonia, Calla, Lilies and also Begonia will be transported to my garden in Saint Petersburg suburbs as soon as the weather is warm enough.

What are you doing in these spring days?