Given any opportunity, nature will exploit holes in the system. Plants will always find ways to present themselves, whether or not the gardener was consulted.
This Heartleaf skullcap, Scuttelaria ovata, is emerging from its warm season dormancy and in ground-cover fashion around the base of the ceramic tree guy. Additionally, a sprig of the skullcap greenery has grown up and out of the craggy pottery bark and now accompanies the grey ceramic bird who has been tree guy’s main buddy.
In another part of the garden, a strand of Purple heart, Setcrasea pallida, snaked its way up a whimsical ceramic sprout (for lack of a better term). A bouquet of pink and purple tops the sprout, adding a floral flourish which is lacking in its less adorned partners.
May your garden thrive and your breakthroughs be the fun and charming kind. Wishing all a happy and healthy 2022.
My Gardener Says... 
The plant had a long way to go up the ceramic sprout. It is amazing what plants can do. Have your temperatures dropped? The new year is starting with a bang. I saw 3 juvenile Bald Eagles yesterday. They were romping through the sky diving with each other. I haven’t seen any for a while, so it was a treat.
LikeLike
Wow–so great that you saw the eagles, that really is a treat!
We were at about 78 yesterday and I awoke to 26! Texas weather. 🙂 My paranoia about burst pipes and wilted, frozen plants paid off for once though. The prediction was that we’d get between 30 and 28 and that wouldn’t hit 32 until about 5am, then it would drop, Cold, but of somewhat short duration. My bird baths were all frozen when I went outside at 7am; I’m guessing we hit freezing well before 5am. I’d covered a few things, just in case, and I’m glad I did. It’s supposed to be 25 tonight. I’m ready! How cold is it where you are?
LikeLiked by 1 person
It got down to about 29 briefly. Heading to 53 today and 76 by Wednesday. I covered some plants and moved my potted warm weather plants.
LikeLike
Love the whimsy… nature always finds a way. Happy 2022 to you!
LikeLike
Nature is resilient, to be sure!
LikeLike
That lityle tree guy is adorable…with attitude.
LikeLike
Yeah, he’s a funny little dude!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your mention of purple heart stopped me for a minute. There’s a very expensive wood called purple heart that’s often used for special items on boats: wheels, bar inlays, and such. For a minute I thought you really were fancying up your new garden!
The plant coming up through the spout reminded me of a sunflower I watched a couple of years ago. As we all know, highway construction projects can take a while, and there was an orange traffic cone that got abandoned or lost at a local intersection. A sunflower plant poked through the top, and kept adding flowers. One day while stopped at a traffic light I looked at it and realized someone had made the top hole larger, to accomodate more flowers. Sometimes life is great!
LikeLike
Well, there’s plenty of wood in the garden, but I don’t think any of it is particularly expensive. 🙂
That’s a great story! I love it that someone actually went to that much trouble, but then, I think flowers are worth that effort. Don’t you?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Of course I do! I’ve seen some of the mowing crews working the power line easements leave plots of blooming flowers, too. I hope their bosses don’t get after them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your plants are as whimsical as your garden sculptures! Happy New Year Tina
LikeLike
Thanks, Allison–a happy and healthy new year for you and yours!
LikeLike
The wood man is an awesome feature of your garden. Can’t help but smile. 🙂
LikeLike
He’s a cutey!
LikeLiked by 1 person