First Post of the New Year 2016 - Outside and Inside

Happy New Year 2016!  This is an entry into my garden journal on the status of both outdoor and indoor gardens this year.

We started cleaning up the vegetable garden so that we could mix in compost in a few weeks.  We'll be planting the cool season garden in mid-February. 

We let some broccoli go to flower.  We have lots of bees now because it has been so warm.

That is a red Knock Out rose behind the vegetable garden.  It is in full bloom.

 

The oregano is going gangbusters now too.

We planted cauliflower last fall and some of them are now finally putting on heads.

The trailing rosemary is also in full bloom and attracting lots of bees!

We have had such a warm winter.  The climbing roses are in bloom!

This antique rose in the front yard has several blooms on it along with all the rose hips.

The Old Blush antique rose is also in full bloom.

It is incredible that the asparagus fern is still going strong, even in January.

Since it is wintertime I made several terrariums so I would have a bit of green in the house.

I took the lid off the terrarium so it would be easier to see inside.  However, I keep these terrariums totally enclosed and never have to add water.  I make sure that the base has a thick layer of gravel to allow for good drainage.  I also add a layer of charcoal to keep the soil sweet.

I collect minerals and fossils and decided to include this picture since it shows some of my rock collection.

I also bought a new plant that is in the African Violet family.  Episcia - otherwise known as the flame violet.