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I love your cat, a very noble name too! The Hippeastrum is something special.

Yes it certainly is, I couldn't open the recycling bin lid earlier and outdoors is far too cold to be out so it's an 'Indoor Day' here ... keep lovely and warm Rose.

It is a long time since we have had a really cold winter Shirley.
A shock to the system !

An ice spike is a natural phenomenon where water trapped beneath a frozen surface is forced upwards through a small opening, freezing as it exits and creating a pointed ice formation that looks like an icicle growing vertically from the water source; this typically happens in small containers like bird baths when temperatures drop rapidly.

Great photo and what a beautiful bird.

That would be an interesting experiment...

Happy New Year, Jane. All the best in 2025.

It sounds like our soil and dry climate have similarities. Although, in your driest year is still not as dry as here. Also, you’re lucky your wet season is in summer, here it’s in winter (even though the very hot, dry Santa Ana winds happen from late September through April or sometimes into early May). Most people (from colder climates) cannot understand the Santa Ana’s and how it’s starts during late autumn and winter how it can get so hot in winter.

I read in the Los Angeles area crotons are more drought tolerant than in San Diego. It’s because their soil has more clay and is so much better than here.

Yes, especially when there’s so many flowers.

I’m not sure if this Medinilla species can grow outside here. I may have to experiment with one plant.

Happy New Year Jane! I hope you are soon recovered from your fall.

So sorry you have lost so many friends Seaburn.
I hope 2025 is better for you and will only have your garden to do!
I had to smile when Toria said " if you fancied it!"
They are lucky to have you and hope they appreciate what you have done for them.

A very Happy New Year to you and yours Karen x

happy New Year.

That is such a shame. I'd be tempted to use a fork at the furthest point away from the house. walk backwards and gently fork the dip up to even it out. then dont walk on it until the ground is nicely dried out.
Rolling it, even if you could/wanted to, would compress the soil all over and lead to drainage problems possibly.

happy new year to you too.
Our eldest used to live in Shropshire for a while. lovely county.

Happy New Year, Jane. We have lovely friends who live in Shropshire and simply love it. They have mentioned how beautiful it's been looking over Christmas.

Thank you, and Happy New Year to you Klahanie :)

Thank you Jane, and Happy new year to you as well, hoping for no more tripps, but only good things :)

Happy New Year Klahanie.

Amazing to see flowers coming straight from the stem like that!

This is how my plants looked in late summer.

https://gardinonursery.com/product/medinilla-gregori-hambali-4-pot/

Andy,this might be the first winter that we never had a single low temperature in the 30's. That's wild for the eastbay. At least so far so good. Long range is for lows only in the 40's.

Happy New Year, Klahanie!

Happy New Year to you and your family Karen.

Amazing bird.

Interesting.

SBG, I hope that 2025 will be much happier than the last year.I am wishing you all the best and looking forward to see your garden blooming again in a few months.

🥂 🥳 Here's to a fabulous new gardening year!

Sounds like you have done some hard work in Toria’s garden over the holiday period. I hope you still have some energy left to tackle your own. I managed about 3 hours in mine on 29th, just tidying really. I did feel better for it when I went in to eat. Being in all day does not agree with me. Anyway Best Wishes for 2025 & I hope no more losses from your friends & family.

Linda, thank you for your nice comment, I am wishing you all the best in 2025.

Wishing you all the best in 2025 Bushbernie.

A great photo and a beautiful bird Klahanie. Happy New Year to you and your family. x

So sorry to hear about all the loss you and your family experienced last year. I can understand why you're not necessarily looking back on 2024 with fondness.

I'm with you on that one. It was a particularly hard year for some members of my family as well, and I'm pleased that's all behind us now.

You've obviously made a huge improvement in Toria's and Dan's garden already and I'm sure they will appreciate the results greatly.

Best of luck with that! If the cross is successful, the result would be amazing.

Sounds like Krull is a tough, independent cat.

Exactly! That's why I often mention the soil type here and the lack of rain water for so much of the year.

Krull is a little frustrating - he wants to be outside all night, even when it rains.
I have been trying to cross the Hippeastrum with a double. Double hippies don't always produce pollen, but I have one that did, so hopefully in a few years there will be a result.

Oh yes, it receives lots of water. It’s in the middle of my pineapple apple patch.

I wished I had moved it during summer. It would be a lot bigger by now.

Wow! That’s impressive! I really don’t think this tree will ever grow outside in the SF Bay Area. It really doesn’t like even frost-free chilly weather.

Happy New Year 🎆! Have a terrific 2025!