Spring and Autumn

Photos by Melina Duarte

In the northern hemisphere, people are beginning to bring their pot plants indoors. The pictures on this page show beautifully grown geraniums, African violets and hibiscus in Umeä, Sweden. It is amazing how tropical plants like hibiscus can bloom so well even in a country known for its low temperatures. However, when properly cared for, plants do surprise us. Good soil, sun and water make wonders...

Meanwhile, in the southern hemisphere, the opposite movement is going on, I mean, people are looking forward to springtime, and getting outdoors to start off the first steps to clean their gardens, prepare the soil, sow the first seeds.

If you are thinking of having a flowery garden next summer, you'd better begin now. Spring is a few days away only, and you may start thinking about or choosing which varieties you are going to grow this season.

Geraniums are a good choice as they are hardy enough to withstand transplanting while they have buds or flowers, but transplanting a flowering geranium when there is still a risk of a spring frost will kill the flowers. Check what Lisa Chinn has to say about planting and growing these beautiful flowers.

Springtime is Coming

 Flowers, flowers, flowers

Today, I must admit, I'm too lazy to write a regular post. So, I'm publishing this poem
by Julia A. Moore which describes precisely what we all long for at this time of the year in the southern hemisphere. Hope you will like it.





 Springtime is Coming

Julia A. Moore

Beautiful Spring is coming,
Ah, yes, will soon be here,
For the clear bright sun is shining
All human hearts to cheer.
One the brightest gems of nature
Is the orb that o'er us shines,
And o'er the wide creation,
It'll shine to the end of time.

The birds will soon be singing
On shrub and bough of trees,
Their notes will soon be ringing
Out, forth so merrily.
They love the merry spring time,
Those little birds we love,
They love the pleasant sunshine
That comes down from above.

We can hear them sweetly singing
From early morn, till night.
They make music in the woodland
Those little birds; so bright,
We should dearly love them,
Those little harmless things,
And when we hear their music,
We know that it is spring.