Sunday, February 6, 2011

Cactus House for Mosaic Monday

 

Allan Gardens Conservatory is a great place to visit at any time of the year but especially now in the blah months without colour.    The six greenhouses making up 16,000 square feet of seasonal plants, trees and shrubs is a feast for the eyes and mind.    My favourite greenhouse is the cactus house.   It is filled with lots of colour and texture and shape and it usually the warmest of the greenhouses.    I find that I take more pictures in that one greenhouse than the others.  

Cactus house mosaic

You might spy my error in the mosaic.  It is Allan Gardens and not Allan’s Gardens.   I am most interested in the barrel cactus as they have a wooly mat on the top of them and fine spines that stand straight up.  For colour there is kalanchoe plants of red and yellow. Giant yucca’s occupy the beds and from the rafters are lots of hanging baskets with Christmas cactus and other types of succulents.    Botanical gardens and Conservatories are a great place to spend the afternoon just enjoying the sights or take your camera to practice getting those macro shots.   

My thanks to Mary for hosting Mosaic Monday.   Have a great week.   Valerie

27 comments:

A Garden of Threads said...

I used some of my photos for MM. Great shots, had a wonderful time. Love the mosaic. Take care.

Rosie Nixon Fluerty said...

Oh that's so lovely a mosiac Valerie. I think cacti are so fascinating to look at and so diverse from the really spiney ones to the Kalanchoe and then there are those strange looking japanese type grafted ones and the ones I never liked as a child that hang like cats tails from a hanging basket. I see one in your mosiaic - I got attacked by one of those as a child.LOL

Rosie

Linda said...

What a great way to spend a winter day. Those cactus are amazing.

eileeninmd said...

Beautiful mosaic, the cactus and flowers are pretty. Wonderful and it looks like you had a great time at the gardens.

Mary said...

Oh what fun! I would love to visit something like that!

A Bit of the Blarney said...

Such lovely succulent plants. My dad used to keep a garden of succulent. They were his favorites.! Thanks for the memories! Cathy

ellen b. said...

Cactus is so interesting! I'm glad you found something to discover...

Dreamgoddess said...

How pretty!

Judith @ Lavender Cottage said...

Great shots of the cacti Val. There is a lady here that grows quite a few varieties and puts them all outside for the summer.
Judith

Vee said...

Wonderful colors and textures with cactuses. I can't grow themself so would have to visit them in a greenhouse. I admit that I was surprised that these are in Toronto. :D

Snap said...

I love cactus and succulents. Allan Gardens looks like a wonderful spot to explore.

podso said...

I enjoyed your mosaic...thank you!

Unknown said...

So pretty and prickly! : ) They made me think of heat on this cold winters night. What a great collage. Love it! : )

Jill Harrison said...

thankyou for your lovely comment on my blog. How wonderful it must be to go to a conservatory and be able to enjoy the plants any time of year - thankyou for sharing these wondrous plants with us. I don't have one near where I live.

Carol said...

What a great way to spend the day! Your shots are gorgeous!

Pondside said...

Some of the cacti look like creatures from another planet!

Unknown said...

Oh I love the cacti. I have only seen them when in Texas to visit our son. I have had a Yucca for a long time. A great job on the mosaic. We are all itching for spring. Blessings Valerie.
QMM

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

Very nice photos and they make a beautiful mosaic! I've always loved seeing these in conservatories...very interesting and unusual! Happy Monday! ♥

Karen said...

What a fun mosaic, love all the cactus varieties.

Thoughtfully Blended Hearts said...

My daughter has a love of succulents and I have always tried to foster that love...I just have a black thumb when it comes to them...I can grow anything else...I love your photos and you must have had an amazing day!!!
Have a wonderful week!!!

Glenda/MidSouth said...

Thanks for sharing them with us. I have managed to kill (I guess from over watering) a few pots of cactus over the years, so gave up.

Anja said...

What an amazing plant a cactus is. I tried to enlarge your MM, but it didn't work. Nevertheless very nice mosaic!

Sheila said...

The experience of being able to walk through gardens at this time of year would be wonderful. I have a small collection of cactus plants. When we lived in the Okanagan there were cacti growing on the mountain behind our house. I dug up two tiny plants when we moved and though they have stayed tiny they are still alive after 20 years.

Georgianna said...

I would really love to visit this place with my camera, Val! I don't know that much about succulents but the variety is astounding! Thank you for the tour and have a super week. – g

EG CameraGirl said...

hat a great place to go and feel like spring MIGHT be on its way! I love the bright colours.

Anonymous said...

Great Mosaic. Wonderful job.

GratefulPrayerThankfulHeart said...

A fantastic mosaic with great photos of cactus. Such variety. I can see why this is your favorite greenhouse.

Kindly, Lorraine

Hoping You Have a Blessed Easter