On Saturday February 26, my husband and I made a visit to Ott’s Exotic Flowers, prompted by a visit some friends had made to this same place earlier in the week. Once the idea of seeing a whole lot of greenery in winter is in your head, you have to go and find it, and give yourself a little taste of spring, don’t you?
But before we stopped in, we decided to do an art drop-off in the nearby Plank Road trailhead park area of the Perkiomen Trail. The trail passes by right in front of Ott’s. I decided to leave a flower painting in honor of spring and flowers:
We decided to set it on a picnic table under the shelter.
All right. Let’s hope someone in need of bright colors and a flower burst will come upon it and take it home.
Next, we went right over to visit with the flowers. At this time of year, there isn’t a lot of bright color from spring and summer flowers; we are a little early for that.
We did see this nice display of cyclamens. They are a winter indoor flower and popular for those gray months.
We did see these lemons. Yes, they are lemons, and they are called Ponderosa. Not surprising, that name, is it?
There were a lot of cacti to look at. I think there are no more of these than usual, but without the more showy and colorful summer annuals and perennials to compete with, they really stand out. I like the look of the individual plants and also how the rows of pots made patterns.
I also liked this airy starburst:
And I also enjoyed this display of purply plants. I like their look, and I also like that they remind me of our neighbors in our previous house, who had a plant like this in their kitchen window.
And, to top off the visit, we saw the resident cat!
Sometimes You Get So Confused 
Well what a great activity and appropriate artwork for the day. There is something to be said for the lack of color in winter because it really makes one appreciate when it does arrive. Fortunately there are places like Ott’s in the meantime. Succulents have always interested me. Someday I will make a terrarium. But probably not anytime son.
I have made a couple of cactus gardens in open clay dishes, when Andrew was young. Very easy to do. I have made terrariums in the past, LONG ago, and I am thinking of trying again this summer. I need to find the right container.
What a great tail that cat has. I’m sure that painting will brighten someone’s day! (K)
You are right about the cat. He (she?) is one furry little creature and so totally accepting in a very blase way! of all the worship and compliments he gets.