Pink Sunshine

 Icy white with a bit of raspberry drizzle, right!?

Harlequin Streptocarpus Cape Primrose

I confess that the ones with purples and blues in them are my favorites.

 

Purple Blanket Stitch Streptocarpus

Isn't it cool how the colors in so many flowers highlight their veins?  One person remarked that the edges of this one looked like it had been blanket stitched.

 

I Have Realized Almost All Have Seven Stripes

As I attempt to tell them apart and not post the same one twice, I have come to realize that all visible throat patterns have a pattern of seven.  Two, three, two.

Bear in mind as I post these, that I need to decide which ones to keep and then propagate from leaf cuttings.  Breaking my wrist in July was a huge set back, because there are hundreds of itty bitty ones that have been waiting all summer for me to tease them apart and transplant them.  At the moment, it is so hot, they'd fry from the shock.  I hope to begin soon though.  As room in the greenhouse for the winter will be a premium and who gets to stay and who has to make it outdoors remains to be seen.  

And not forgetting the fuchsia cuttings!

  I really like this one!

 

Blooming in the Sunshine

This beauty has sunlight on her petals because I really do grow them outdoors where they get morning and or late afternoon sun. 

One After Another

 Even I have been amazed at the range of colors and patterns which have been opening up all year from the microscopic seed I sowed in May of 2019.

And again, all of these can also be found on Instagram under various hashtags such as #floweringshadeplants  💜😀

Saturday Morning Blue on White

 I submitted this one to be the cover for a groups cover photo, but they went with a marbled purple.  I have never really been into the marbled look...  But I do like this!

Blue Sunshine

 Don't forget that all of these have already also been posted to Instagram under the hashtags for #streptocarpus #capeprimrose #gesnariads #floweringshadeplants #floweringhouse plants etc.  And almost all of the photos I take are of the ones growing outdoors where they either get a bit of morning sun or late afternoon sun.

They are ALL my favorites!

Streptocarpus Are Doing Great!

   So far so good!  The greenhouse is NOT heated and although I had wanted to heat it for some of the other plants I am over-wintering in it, I am kind of glad that it doesn't have any heat.
   Why?  Because I want the streptocarpus to be weather hardy.  Just like the upright fuchsias I had hoped to be growing in there instead, I want my plants to be strong enough to endure outdoor conditions. 
  Most flowering plants you see in the garden centers this time of year have been grown in heated greenhouses and then thrown out into the cold of the garden centers they are shipped to.  Most nurseries are not concerned if those plants survive or not because they figure you'll just come back for more sooner.
  That is one reason why they have begun to market fuchsias as "annuals" when in fact, they can live for over 100 years.  If you toss them out every year, they make more money that way.
  But I digress...
  It does get down into the high 30's here and can also freeze at times.  So it is still possible I might see damage.  But so far so good!  I even spotted one that had put out a flower spike yesterday when I was filling orders for the west coast states.  So I brought it in and planted it up with a few others.
  And I bought insulated protective sleeves for shipping the plants.  So far, everyone has been very pleased with the plants on arrival.  Maybe, just maybe, Streptocarpus just might be the means by which I can afford to finally salvage my struggling upright fuchsia collection.
  A girl can hope.  It's been over 8 years now since I made the mistake of moving the nursery here and had all of the stock freeze to ground level and then had the deer mow them down when they tried to come back up.  Then it took a few years to afford to be able to build a deer proof enclosure and move the survivors into it.  Meanwhile, with no income from the nursery, it was necessary to work many jobs and put a lot of time into the lavender instead.
  I can't wait to see all the colors and forms these Streptocarpus will be!
  They look great growing under big upright fuchsias!