Garden Pic Wednesday: Hardy Cyclamen

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One of the fun things about gardening is the little surprises--like finding things that just plant themselves. Like this Hardy Cyclamen. 
I didn't even know what it was. I just noticed a pair of these pretty variegated heart-shaped leaves growing in this location a couple years ago. It was just a pair of leaves at first. Just there, green all year along. Then this year, year it seemed to take off and suddenly is now blooming!
Upon looking it up, I learned this is a Hardy Cyclamen.  It's a kind of a woodsy, shade-loving plant hardy to frost that can winter through fairly cold temps.
It's an attractive fushia-pink. The petals fold back, kind of like a woman's hair in the wind, and the stamens are actually facing the fence.



There are many kinds of Cyclamen. The kind commonly sold by in flower shops is called, "Florist Cyclamen," which is an indoor flowering plant.  If you have one of those, you should look up best care practices for Florist Cyclamen.

Also here's a picture of a perky yellow & orange bouquet of Walmart flowers I bought last weekend brightening up my kitchen for Valentines Day!
Cremones, button mums, alstromeria, daisy mums and a yellow lily that is still working on opening!


Stop back for Friday Finds!

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