Hey Jodi,
It all looks wonderful! I love that you're sharing. I have to get my camera out to the gardens soon.
Was at Wmart about a month ago and someone grabbed the last sprek right in front of me! I'll be sure to get them early next year. They were so cheap too!!
Happy gardening! and thanks for sharing.

How nice more enchanting pix from your garden. Thanks for the close up of Hot Cocoa - it is beautiful.

I gaze at the pollen on your Spreklia - what would I give for it with my other scapes about to open

Thanks, Chaz! I was very surprised to see the packages of Sprekelia at Home Depot, or maybe it was Menards... which ever store I got them from... and at such a low price, too! The unfortunate thing is... most of these bulbs had already tried to flower in the packages, so I only got the two blooms out of the four bulbs I bought. Honestly, I didn't expect any of them to bloom this year, so I'm very pleased with them! Now I know what I can include in your care package! Heehee! Got one with your name on it, so don't worry about searching them down! :-)

Thank you, Abby! Hot Cocoa is proving to be quite the beauty! I wish I could accurately capture that cocoa dipped color with the camera... I can't even describe the color accurately! It's definitely a wonderful addition to the gardens! As for the Sprekelia pollen... if it were still blooming, I'd collect some and send it to you... but I'm afraid it's over for this season. If you need some next bloom season, I'd be happy to share!

I was a bit disappointed that I didn't have any of my own hippis in bloom when I got the Sprekelia... I'd dearly love to try a cross! You just never know what will take and produce seeds! Imagine the possibilities!

Jodi,
Sprekelia is a very cool looking flower !!
Don't think it will grow in the ground here for Me :(
Olga,

My spreks have sprouted but I don't see any blooms this year. You photos are always delightful Jodi!

Thanks, Olga and Cindee! Sprekelia is native to Mexico, although I'm not sure what part, and I don't know how chilly of a winter it could handle...

I'm hoping for better results next year, so maybe we'll both have nice flowers then, Cindee!

Last year I selfed some sprek seeds. They took nicely but were very thin and fragile so the didn't handle rain or water very well.

Speaking of selfing Sprekelia... (say that three times really fast!)... I pollinated both Sprekelia blooms, and it looks like they may have taken nicely! A slight swelling has begun, indicating that seed pods are trying to form! I'm hopeful that seeds will be forthcoming... I'd love to give growing some from seed a try! I'll keep you updated, Cindee, and if there are seeds, I'd be happy to send you some so you can give it another try!

Jodi, I have plenty plants so don't need any seeds. I would suggest bottom watering, tho,. When the plants sprouted they were about 1/3 the thickness of regular ami seedlings. They look like teeny, tiny blades of grass!! Good luck, sweetie.

Well... since I know they'll never keep until next spring, I'll start whatever seeds there are as soon as they're ready to harvest... hopefully, they will sprout and be big enough to grow well on a windowsill this coming winter!

One of these days, Cindee, I'll find the perfect thing to send you that you don't already have! I'm not sure what that might be right now, but I'm sure I'll find it eventually!

Jodi, just keep sending your friendship and smiles my way. That's something I can never get enough of! Wish you were closer so we could visit. We'd get into soooo much trouble! lol

I think you're right, Cindee! Even though it would be a lot of fun to live close enough to visit... I think we're probably better off living far apart! We'd get in WAYYY too much trouble if we hit the town together!! LOL!

Smiles and friendship I have plenty of... and I'm only too glad to share those! :-)

I'm incredibly sad... and mad... to report that some insect has literally eaten the beginning seed pods off of my Sprekelia bulbs! I swear, if I ever find that bug... well, it won't be a pretty sight, I can guarantee that much!

This latest disappointment means that none of my bulbs are going anywhere near the gardens, or even close to the door that leads outside! I'm not in the mood to lose any of my precious bulbs to any type of critter, be it insect or furry type on 4 legs!

Lights! I need good lights! I'll have to sacrifice some of my bulb purchases of this coming fall to invest in lights... but I'd rather do that, than lose any plants to whatever tragedies the great outdoors may have waiting!

I can only hope that my seedlings will fare better than the Sprekelia pods...

Jodi, I am so sorry. When I had my bulbs all outside they really suffered. Having the more special ones in pots on my screened patio makes a HUGE difference in their overall health. I do still have 2 outside beds of NOIDS, Red Lions and common cheapies I got on sale. Snails and slugs will go to them before anything else. Dennis keeps a systemic treatment on our yard, and luckily that passes over into the 2 beds to keep them somewhat controlled. I am sorry about your spreks.

Thanks, Cindee... it just makes me so mad... those Sprekelia flowers just recently bloomed, and I ran out to pollinate, knowing how cool it would be to try growing some from seed... and just as they were swelling... CRUNCH! Bad bugs!