How does your gothic garden grow?

Myself, I only got orchids now-days A few green plants I still have left, who haven't died or was left behind when moving from home, but I got... around 10 orchids :blush:

Most I've found, and got quite a few when my grand-mom moved and didn't have the place for them, so there's not many of them I've actually bought. Mostly because I don't want any more Phalaenopsis, the most common ones, and the other kinds can be either harder to take care or or expensive... usually both. But those I got now seem pretty happy, and I hope they will bloom soon again ^^

Right now, it's the perfect planting season, so every weekend my mum is out in the garden weeding and planting things. With the water restrictions now easing, we've been able to plan a nice veggie patch for this year. I'd be out there helping her...but I have to study for my upcoming exams...

Ahh..I wanted to buy a bunch of 'Queen of the Night' tulips, but we don't really have a garden at the moment, as the back's a building site. :huh: I also read that tulips generally only last one or two years, because they flower less and less as each year comes around.

Envy wrote:

I also read that tulips generally only last one or two years, because they flower less and less as each year comes around.

I've never heard that about tulips. My mom has lots of them, and they all seem to flower year after year with no problems.

Once the flower dies for the year, you should leave it, and also the stem and leaves, to wither, rather than cutting them down right away. It doesn't look very pretty, but the bulb will take nutrients from the decomposing plant matter to strengthen itself for the next year's bloom. As far as I know, that applies to pretty much all plants.

Oh..That's new to me..

I'm tempted to buy some bulbs but..Bah. The lack of a garden annoys me. I'd have to keep things potted..

I wonder if I'd be allowed to take potted plants with me to university..Would sure brighten up the little box-rooms you're given for first year..

Do tulip bulbs survive through frosty winters? :woohoo: It may be a stupid question as I know they're planted around Oct-Nov to flower about Apr-May, but I guess I'm just scared I'd spend money and time on planting some bulbs only to have them killed off by the weather.

I think tulips are quite hardy... we get -25 Celsius and colder in the winters here, and as far as I know, my mom doesn't do anything special to protect her tulips. They're her favourite flower, so if they needed any special fussing I'm sure she'd do it. I wouldn't plant them in a pot outside though. Being in the ground gives the bulbs some insulation over the winter, but they'd likely get too cold and freeze in a pot. Not sure if they'd survive in a pot inside or not...

As far as taking plants to university... once you know where you're going, it certainly wouldn't hurt to ask if you're allowed.