Cruelty to plants.....

This winter I decided to shut off the heating in the conservatory to save energy and money. The plan has worked in those respects, but unfortunately my dear plants have suffered. Some to the point of no return. I should have kept a closer eye on them apart from occasional watering – sigh. I shall be more careful next year.

The really hardy plants like cyclamen are doing well, and the geraniums don’t mind the cold as long as protected from frost so they are doing OK too. However others have needed resuscitating and moving into a warmer environment. I *did* manage to rescue the “Money Plant” (Crassula Ovata) – a lovely large specimen which has been suffering in the same way as our money markets and dropped most of it’s leaves. I think I have stabilised the shedding now that I’ve moved it into the sitting room. I started to get slightly superstitious about it’s fate and whether this would be reflected in my bank balance!! Fortunately I have several “offspring” from the main plant which seem to be healthy and growing!


Ironically my Umbrella plants (schefflera arboricola) are doing extremely well despite one leaning up against the window. They usually like temperatures over 60 degrees F and it’s certainly been well below THAT out there! The Dragon's Tongue no longer has any fire and as for the Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamina, plain and variegated) – well they’ve been sobbing their hearts out…..

However now that the days are getting longer and I shall be spending more time in the conservatory I have put the heating back on low – it’s underfloor heating so very efficient – as long as it’s not a northerly wind in which case most of the heat goes out through the windows – even though they are double glazed. But I love the view and light in this room and use it as my main sitting room from mid-March to end of September. Spring is here I feel ……… Button is yet to be acquainted with this room. I suspect she will enjoy sitting on the window sills, watching the birdies and planning her strategy for entrapment – sigh.

This is the panoramic view I have from the conservatory. THIS is one of the reasons I bought the house!