

The plants are covered the third time this winter.
We have used every blanket, throw rug, painters tarp, cardboard box, plastic bin and 5 gallon bucket to cover delicate outdoor plants.
An entire tent was made to cover my tomato plants just starting to get ping pong sized fruit. The Asian Hollyhock, now about 20 inches high is hiding safely under a 5 gallon bucket. I am trying to save some Pentas so the butterflies have something when the freeze is over. A volunteer tomato is covered by an empty paint can. Christmas Palms( Adonidia merrillii ) resemble the shepherds in the Christmas story with their blue sheets billowing in the wind,
A trip to the office store yielded a great big box of office clips, much stronger we learned than clothes pins from the dollar store!
We had decided to cover the plants after our movie date to see the Little Fockers, (not enough Dustin Hoffman if you ask me and way to much sex and punching) anyway as we drove behind the K-Mart store we noticed the Dumpster FULL of poinsettias. Someone probably decided since it was AFTER Christmas they would just toss them . Hubby graciously turned the car around and we filled our trunk with the beauties. I promised Hubby I would keep them inside awhile so we wouldn't have to cover the new dumpster dividends we acquired.
Once at home I watered them and set them out as a decorative touch. Being of Russian decent I still have Russian Christmas in January to stay decorated for!
As for my outdoor plants I am thrilled to see the old garden roses and double knockouts blooming their heads off and laughing at the cold. I am sure my native plant lovers won't be happy but I am thinking of planting more. After all my poor native firebush is a frazzled mess!
Don't worry though I continue to add natives to my habitat with more native plants then you can imagine but it is still nice to have a rose or throw away poinsettia to smile at!