tiny greens and big bananas

The first lettuce seeds did not sprout. I think they were too old. What did sprout were a variety of chrysanthemum that is grown for its edible leaves. I re-sowed the lettuce area with some "Hotshot" mustard greens mix ( from High Mowing Seeds ) they started sprouting within 2 days ! I'm going to have to do some thinning and potting up within the week.
I whacked back the biggest banana tree in the pot...an invasive ( and almost impossible to get rid of ! ) White Impatiens has been making life tough for the 3' plant. its edges were browning and it was looking a bit chlorotic. But the 3 little ones will live on and grow into a fantastic little grove outside this summer...this year I am going to put them in the ground, just for the summer...first they must be pried out from the pot, and I hope to tease out the Impatiens then...without killing the banana ! today's picture is of a banana tree I saw at the Ala Moana Center in Hawaii back in December of 06.

Winter Impatiens

This guy blooms merrily all winter long. I've brought them in for the winter before, and wonder why they arent as popular as Amaryllis and Paperwhites for indoor winter gardening. You can even multiply them as they grow...just start more from the cuttings that you've got to thin out now and then !

greens in the bedroom window

This is the first entry into what I hope will be a fun way to keep track of and ruminate on experiences with plants and their allies ( bugs and all ). this first picture was taken last summer in our Fenced Garden area...it's a Tiger Swallowtail caterpillar dining on parsley. I never did find any chrysalis. So I don't know if a bird ate it, or the magic happened unseen by me.
Two weeks ago I started what I hope to be a bed of lettuce. A clear plastic clamshell that held purchased lettuce a few months ago is serving as the seed-starter bed. The warm, sunny South-facing window of our bedroom is where the lettuce seedlings share their first days with a 4 year-old potted banana tree and a pot-bound Impatiens brought in to bring cheer throughout the winter.