Hi Bill, glad to see you were able to travel and bring back some beautiful flowers to share. Have any more - and what are they, assuming you know? And, yes, you should have stayed there.

Jane

Hi Jane. Thanks. These are:

#1. Callistemon "Little John" (Bottlebrush)

#2. Calliandra haematocephala (Powder puff)

#3. Echeveria variegata (Like our Hen & Chicks, but not hardy, and larger)

#4. Bauhinia purpurea (Ordhid tree)

I can't post more right now, but maybe later or tomorrow. IF I'm not shoveling snow....again!

The colors are blinding when you've been looking at snow all day! Thanks for the beautiful warm up.

Claire

Thanks Claire. I need to look at all my photos now and then myself, to get through all this winter!

Beautiful blooms, Bill! This is definitely the time of year for looking through summer garden photos and flower catalogues!

Just beautiful colors! Especially on a cold, white winter's day.

Thanks for all the positive replies. Here are a few more That I took in Tuscany on my last trip to Italy.

Gorgeous Iris, but I don't know the variety.

Wild poppy along the road

And more wildflowers and poppies at the base of an old olive tree

They were even growing wild in the ruins of the Roman Forum!

Love your photos, Bill! Especially the Iris and the Orchid tree. Lovely and a welcome sight in all this snow. Hope you are feeling better.

Claire, did you have to change your screen name with the Houzz move?

Thanks Ann. Recovered from first surgery from October. Waiting to see about the second one but I had to cancel my doctor's appointment because of the snow, so I have to wait until the middle of March. I shoveled plenty of snow so I suppose I'm doing OK for now!

I think you must be doing great, to be out shoveling, too! Sorry you've had to have surgery and need a second one, but a little time between, for your body to recover is a good thing. The older we get, the slower we heal, as far as I can tell. And getting into the hospitals after flu season is always a good thing too. I can't believe it is almost the middle of February already! I wonder when we will see bare ground again. lol Something to look forward to.

First of all... I haven't been here in so long that I was shocked to hear about the changes, via Jane (thanks, Jane). Your photos of Florida and Tuscany are very welcome, Bill. The iris and the poppy were two of my mom's favorite flowers. I've always been partial to Iris like the one you showed with darker falls (is that the right term?) and lighter on top.... I guess because those are the kinds my mother grew in her gardens. Hope everything is 100% for you, Bill, after your second surgery. Homegrowninthe 603, that's pretty much the view from our windows, too. Too much snow, though the folks up north would probably laugh at my comment. (I feel so badly for those in northern New England who are worried about damage to property and overwhelmed with shoveling.) I agree with PM2 .... it will be mighty nice to see the ground again. Does anyone have visits panned to flower shows?

Thanks Molie. Those first photos were in Palm Springs, California. We stayed at a villa in Siena in Tuscany, Italy, and they had a beautiful garden and grounds. This is another nice iris that was in bloom there.

I don't know when we'll see the ground again, but I suppose on the positive side I probably won't need to mow the lawn until at least June!

Those irises have such luscious warm colors, Bill! Susan's pic is more like what I'm seeing here.

PM2: I had to change my username because some other claire got to Houzz first. I had the option of claire_gw, but I decided to go with claireplymouth since that's my username on flickr and youtube and I'm trying to limit all these identities.

Claire

I like the new name and recognized you right away. :-) I understand about trying to manage too much online information, too. You almost need a spreadsheet to keep up with it. [g]

I don't have the names of the irises so I sent an E-mail with photos to an iris society in Florence, Italy. If they are able to identify them I will post the names.

Great, Bill, that you may get identification of the iris in Florence. Those butter yellow iris are spectacular!

What nice bright spots on a gloomy day! Thanks, Bill.

Thanks everyone. Here are some from Keukenhof Gardens in the Netherlands. I nay have posted some of these before, but at least it gives hope as to what a spring garden can look like. Who knows...with any luck we will actually have spring in a few months!

More beauties, Bill! It almost takes my mind off the blizzard they're warning about for Sat-Sun.

Claire

Claire, here in Providence they're saying 6-12 inches, but for you and the cape and Boston could be much more. We'll all get the wind and bitter cold though. This is one winter for the record books!

Update re: the two iris varieties. The iris society in Florence was unable to identify thenm, so I wrote to the villa where I stayed and took the photos. Unfortunately, they are closed until March 15th, so maybe they will send the names then, if they are able. Meanwhile, I think maybe I could post on the iris forum and also search the internet myself. Stay warm and safe everyone!

Thanks, Bill, for the update. I also hope all is well and warm with everyone.

I think it's nice to see something other than WHITE! Enough with the snow!

No offense, Homegrown, but I like Bill's photos better than yours (on this thread at least)! Tee hee! My house is wearing the same white winter fashions as yours! I keep whacking down the icicles and they keep growing back!

No offense taken, spedigrees. I'm with you! Just threw that one in to show why I appreciate the beautiful flowers so much.

Susan

It's wonderful to see all the warm colors when outdoors it's quite limited color-wise. I especially love that golden-yellow iris - such a luscious color.

I'm happy to share my photos. I think we all need a break from bleakness!
Here are a few more from Keukenhof Gardens.

Is there really a spring out there somewhere? Lovely pics of a fantasy world, Bill.
It's snowing again.

Claire

Claire, thanks! It just stopped here, although it was mostly the big, fluffy flakes since around 8AM. Maybe 2 inches total today. But that's 2 inches too many after all the previous stuff.

We didn't get any snow yesterday and the sun is out this morning. I can hardly believe that March is almost here. Can't wait! Wow, Bill, those colors are amazing! Can't imagine planting all those bulbs…lol.

Ann, we were told that they plant seven million bulbs by hand every year. It's one of the most beautiful gardens I have ever seen.

For those interested in those two iris photos that I posted here, which I took at the villa in Tuscany, I got a reply from the owners, and, unfortunately the gardeners said that they have been growing there for years, and they were not able to identify them. I will continue the search for an ID. Maybe the iris forum can help, and I'll also search online. It's a great pastime to help get through the winter!

Bill: I just found a good site for iris ID, the Historic Iris Preservation Society. Their photo gallery looks like a good way to spend at least part of the winter. If you set it for "view photos" you can just click on the name and see a picture.
http://www.historiciris.org/photos/1pics-topframe.html
Claire

Thanks Claire. I will send them the photos and I will look at theirs as well.