Some fun new color to add to my garden… a new Bergenia plant from my Cousin Kim. I’ve never tried one of these before… but I’m in!!! I mean… I’m riding high after my success with my hellebores. How much harder can these be?!!! HA!!!

I’m SO excited that these hellebores have started blooming in my garden! They are first ones to ever survive a Chicago winter in my garden. Sure, it could also be the lack of care, or dogs & kids walking on them?… yes, I get a LOT of that! And not to gloat… or jinx myself… but they are looking very happy & healthy right now!!!

After my trip to Hausermann Orchids a couple weeks ago, I came home with this little beauty too! I’ve never tried growing a Lady Slipper Orchid before… which just opened & is STUNNING!!! The sales guy said it’s not any harder than caring for phaelaneopsis orchids… which I’m okay with… so, fingers crossed!!!

Uncovered something green in my garden this morning! After removing a layer of “dead leaf mulch”… it was great to find this surprise going on underneath! I think it might be my first hellebore plant that survived the winter! I think?… nothing is labeled, so I’m kinda guessing here. But at this point… green is GREEN!!!

While the palm trees, the Fern Room, the glass Chihuly installation & the Spring flower show are all very eye-catching… I’m always drawn to the Cactus Room full of crazy-cool textures, colors & patterns. Amazed by how the tough terrain & arid conditions can have all of these amazing plants, flowers & new Spring growth all under one glass roof at the Garfield Park Conservatory.

Yesterday afternoon was a great time to play hooky! With my college friends Kel & Kelly in town with some kids… and the Mimi too! They asked if I could join them at the Garfield Park Conservatory. Turns out… I COULD!!! So we had a great time touring the greenhouses seeing lots of beautiful plants & flowers under the landmark conservatory glass ceilings.

Making me even more anxious for Spring to finally catch-up & make some plants start growing in my yard!!! I’m tired of gray & brown… I want some GREEN in my life!!!

And while the floral beauty was indoors, Spring is in the air & it was perfect for a stroll through the mostly dormant gardens at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Sure, there was still snow on the ground… but that’s just Spring in Chicago! I was just happy to be outside playing in nature again!

And while the Orchid Show was the main reason I went to the Chicago Botanic Garden… you still can’t miss the arid cactus room. So many cool textures, patterns & symmetry going on in there. Impressive every time!

Not quite sure what plant this was… but I think it was my favorite one there! Not part of the Orchid Show per se… but this huge vine is growing up & over a large doorway with these humongous dangling clusters of flowers… in the coolest color ever. A greenish-bluish-seafoamyish color I felt I might have never even seen before?!!!

Two days ago it was literally snowing in Chicago. Today it’s warm & sunny… like 70-degrees… and I have “green things” coming through in my garden! Spring officially begins in two days… and we have a forecast for more snow & rain! Welcome to Springtime in Chicago!!!