Thank you hc mcdole.....I never say this, but I'm anxious for spring...we got 2" of snow today...and a lovely Nor'easter coming next week.

We had a thin layer of snow/sleet in January so that should be it for the year (I hope). We are being teased with warm/cold weather. Seems like things are blooming earlier and earlier each year. We may get down to freezing this weekend for our lows but it usually bounces back to the 50's to the 70's. Too cold to move tender plants outdoors but I've moved the hardier ones I started such as Astilbes, Hostas, Peonies, and daylilies.

Camellias are a little early this year but not by much.

My Scarlet Storm flowering quince is a show stopper

My two oldest camellias are getting very large.

Here is the one that faces the street

and the larger one behind it with double red blooms

This one is squeezed between the first two giants. Guess I didn't realize how big they'd get when we planted them.

Kerria last week just getting going.

a lot of the daffodils are already over but some are just starting to bloom

and a hitch hiker who is still finding his way around the basement.

Oh you're killing me!! Quince is one of my most favorite shrubs.

Wow, just wow your Camellias are so pretty...and so big. I had no idea you could grow them outside in zone 7..Love the pink one..and your visitor is quite cute. He knows where to hang out.

Oh, btw, it's 8* this morning. typical New England spring.

I have four different flowering quinces - 3 in the Storm series - Scarlet which is the biggest and showiest, Orange, and Pink (the puniest but also gets more shade than the other two). The fourth one is rather aggressive so I have to snip it back at least twice a year - almost old fashioned except it along with the Storms have no thorns.

Camellias do very good in the Atlanta area and in south Georgia is the headquarters of the American Camellia Society. Never been there but maybe one day I will have to go take a gander. HA!

I have 3 different frogs in the basement this year and probably 4 to 5 anoles (small green to brown lizards). I am sure they hitchhike on the plants I bring in for winter but I never see them even picking out leaf litter and other debris and spraying with Neem oil a few days before bringing indoors.

Please keep that 8 degree weather up there? I don't think we had single digit temps this winter but we did hit the teens a few times. My biggest concern is the hostas leafing out and my big leaf hydrangeas are budding out now.

This old fashioned quince was just getting started good on Feb 2

Hellebores same dayd

The quince a month later (March 1)

another one of my "uninvited" guests.

a different one in another room

a small orange tan frog in my bromeliad (haven't seen it in a couple of weeks)

Then this frog took up residence in one of my begonia pots. GRRR!

haha...too cute. sneaky little devils...well, I'm sure they'll take care of any insects you might get.

They can eat all the insects they can find! Thought they might starve to death but they don't seem too skinny...

Sorry to be off-topic, but, wow, I wasn’t expecting to see pictures of camellias in the begonia forum. Those camellias look really amazing! Your pictures make me really jealous of your climate. I am trying to grow camellias here, as well, but I only have limited success. As a result, I am currently growing many begonias that have camellia-like flowers. Oh well.

Hi vvasabi,

Got to talking about weather with Debra and the differences around the country which led to the outdoor blooming plants in the yard... Got to have some variety in gardening.

You will probably have better luck in growing tuberous begonias than me. It's too hot and humid here for growing those types of begonias!

Looking pretty good .. put on lots of new leaves..I have found it likes circulating air (which is not a problem in my house as I have every ceiling fan on all the time) and I run a room sized humidifier in this room every day...and this particular plant likes some sun, but not an all day thing....I move him back every few days.