The indoor garden grows!

High 35 F
Low  22 F
 
More snow and ice arrived today but I have been busy at the desk and plan on re-potting these small treasures picked up on a recent trip to a local greenhouse.  This time of year drags incessantly on and the indoor garden provides a bit of relief from the two tone colors of the outdoor landscape.  I have to say that I do love begonias.  Angel wing begonias, Rex begonias and the other hybrid crosses with beautiful foliage and interesting flowers.  Begonia flowers are messy, one drawback but many varieties flower so prolifically that it is a small price to pay at this time of year.   This begonia is called 'Tea Rose' and it is in a four inch hanging pot.  The parentage includes B. nitida odorata which indicates that it should be fragrant.  Mine doesn't seem to have any fragrance but it does need a good haircut which will provide some cuttings for the garden containers in a couple of months. An added bonus is the glossy foliage.
 I have always wanted to try a bougainvillea and this is the one I picked up.   This plant is in a tiny two inch pot and is begging for transplant.  I can only hope it thrives. I know it can  be a bug magnet for mealy bugs and white fly.  I am optimistic.  I did purchase another begonia, this Rex begonia called Looking Glass.  Who needs flowers when you have foliage like this one.  The last little plant acquired is this Abutilon 'Dwarf Red'.  I could have chosen one already in flower but this one was squat and fat with many promising buds. These plants are added to the ever growing collection.  One of my other favorite begonias is this one named 'Art Hode'.  It has big, textured leaves with red hairs covering the  surface and the base of the leaf.  It is an easy grower.  It does flower with a cluster of white blooms on a long stem.  They drop like confetti all over the floor.  What's a bit of petal patter on the floor?  It matches all that blond hair from Tucker!