Kevin Lee Jacobs

Gardening, Recipes & Home Décor Tips

November Giveaway: $50 Spending-Spree at Logees

BY Kevin Lee Jacobs | 78 Comments

Last updated on December 2nd, 2011

HERE AT A GARDEN FOR THE HOUSE, I rely on window gardens — including the one above, in my den — to chase away the winter blues. You might like to have such a garden in your own home. Of course you’ll need plants. And to help you acquire them, I’ve purchased a $50 gift certificate from Logee’s Greenhouses. Want a chance to win this spending-spree in a random drawing?

Above: The enchanting “Blue Sky Flower,” just one of many exotics I’ve purchased by mail-order from Logees, opens its sparkling burdens of blue starting in mid-December. It flourishes for me in an east window.

To enter this giveaway, you must do these three simple things:

1. Sign up for my weekly email newsletter (if you haven’t already). It will take you only a moment to subscribe to this newsletter which is completely SPAM-free.

2. Post a comment below, mentioning one or more of your favorite flowering houseplants. Mention also your email address (or just the first part of it). This will not only enable me to verify that you’ve subscribed to my newsletter, but it will make it easy for me to find you should Random.org select your comment as the winning one (I don’t select the winner).

3. Click the Facebook “Like” button below. You can join me on Facebook, too, if you wish.

Enter soon! This drawing ends on Saturday, November 12, 2011, at 11:59 PM EDT. I’ll use the little gadget at Random(dot)org to select a winner.

Not sure which houseplants appeal to you? Have a look at these flowering treasures — most of them fragrant — which flourish in my own winter windows. Then visit Logee’s on-line catalog.

Don’t miss anything at A Garden for the House…sign up for Kevin’s weekly newsletter.

Related Posts:
The “Thanksgiving” Cactus (Schlumbergera truncata)
The Perpetual Life of Pelargonium peltatum
The Spectacular, Re-Blooming Cyclamen
Tip-Toe through the (Species) Tulips
Thunbergia grandiflora – The Indoor-blooming “Blue Sky Flower”
Meet the Ever-Blooming Sweet Olive (Osmanthus fragrans)

Comments

  1. 1

    Anonymous says

    So far my houseplants are a window kitchen herb garden and hyacinth and narcissus which I force in winter. But pictures of your window gardens make me want to try more, and I'd love to win the GC! I subscribe to your newsletter and like you on FB.
    Thanks,
    Louise
    [email protected]

  2. 2

    LDoyle says

    Started my paperwhites this week, but need Plan C in case they don't make it. (Plan B involves drinking the remaining gin.)
    ldoyle@

  3. 3

    Eliza J says

    Still cleaning up from last weekends 14″ of snow and all the trees and branches that came down. So many people still don't have power a week later so I feel very lucky. Your contest sounds great ~ I would love a Meyer lemon plant and paperwhites, but the pictures on Logee's website are so beautiful, I would definitely have to give it some thought. Anything pretty and blooming inside right now would be a welcome sitye.

  4. 4

    Yvonne says

    Thanks for the contest Kevin – if I should win I might have a friend in the USA to pass on the certificate. I have Tri-colour Hoya I am trying to coax to flower – never has. Right now I have all the delicate plants from the garden filling up a large bay window. gaj4047

  5. 5

    naturegirl says

    I am an email subscriber and my email is in my profile. The flowering houseplants that I have now are African violets, a shamrock, a lipstick plant and a Christmas cactus. I'd love to have more, so it would be great to win. Thanks for the giveaway!

  6. 6

    kdkdkd says

    I am an email subscriber – kdkdcats at yahoo dot com. I don't have any flowering houseplants – just spider plants and some ferns. But I would LOVE to have a Holy Basil (Ocimum sanctum) and a Fire Fern (Oxalis hedysaroides ‘Rubra’)

  7. 7

    Cindy M says

    I am subscribed to your email updates, email writer61(at) yahoo(dot)Com
    My favorite houseplants are edible herbs and wheatgrass is a favorite of both cats we have. I like you on Facebook, FB name is Cindy Merrill.

  9. 9

    lamberjam says

    Kevin, love the website – the soup kicked it into high gear – my friends were quite impressed to say the least – love to get some of those bowls and am now on the lookout at some of the fabulous shops here in Seattle for old china sets – must have – my favorite houseplant is the begonia listada that I have as well as my collection of African Violets –
    thanks again for sharing your life with us –

  10. 10

    Melissa P. says

    I love the look of orchids in the house but found it too hard to get them to rebloom. So now I rely on my gorgeous Christmas cactus to get me through the winter. Then after the holidays I can't wait to bring home a few potted primrose to remind me that spring is coming! (Then when it finally gets here I put them in the garden!)
    mjnjpilch

  11. 11

    Mcathy1 says

    Hi Kevin,

    I bring my lavender inside during the winter and it continues to bloom…and smells good too! I also love my lipstick plant and am “stiring awake” my amaryllis bulbs which are displayed up on my piano with a lovely south window.

  12. 12

    Erica says

    I brought in a large glass topped wrought iron garden table, placed it in the south east corner of my family room (surrounded by glass) and covered it with geraniums, kalanchoe, christmas cactus, and begonias so far. I'd also like to use some big planters with herbs and verbena which is still flowering outside. May try some african violets after I read your post. My elliptical is right behind the table so I get to be inspired while I attempt to keep in shape until next Spring, though here on Cape Cod it usually very nice until December. Erica4131

  13. 13

    Kathie Bryant says

    I just found your blog and subscribed to your newsletter. My favorite or one of my favorite blooming plants is my Christmas Cactus. My email is kabryant@

  14. 14

    c allen says

    i am subscribed to your email and i like you on fb as crystal l allen, i love the peace lilly indoors and the african violet, thanks clallen at ntin dot net

  15. 15

    dona says

    oh, how I would love to have a Christmas Cactus that actually blooms at Christmas. Not in Oct or Nov or Jan (like others I have had before), just on Christmas time.
    sharley

  16. 16

    plantgirl says

    Love Logees and this blog! Your window garden is beautiful- my indoor plants definitely help melt the winter blues!
    kateeladybug

  19. 19

    viva solar says

    I have an angel wing begonia that has been passed on from my grandfather and is at least 50 years old. It gets the most beautiful clusterrs of dark rose flowers.

  20. 20

    Anonymous says

    I am getting ready to build glass shelves in the kitchen for herbs. Looking forward to shopping for hanging grow lights to hang over them. I'll be reading your past posts to see what you say about lights. LOVE growing plants in the house. LOVE your blog. Happy Autumn! Robin (DoctoraRobie)

  21. 21

    JM Designs says

    JM Designs – being a landscape designer, I don't have a favorite indoor or outdoor plant, I simply love them all!

  23. 23

    dddiva says

    I am a subscriber discriminating_diva at yahoo and I like the post Sherry Conrad.

    We have a really funky cactus that gets some amazing blooms on it, and I forget what it is called, my daughter has a lucky something or other from Hawaii that blooms for about 3 mos then goes dormant for a while etc.

    For the most part we don't have a lot of flowering inside, more green, but I love having any type of plants.

  25. 25

    Kathy Stumpf says

    Kevin,
    I made your French Onion Soup and it was delicious! I am going to try the butternut squash soup recipe, too. Your gardens are gorgeous and I absolutely love your newsletter. I also have a Halloween cactus and would love to have any color amaryllis.
    Your fan,
    Kathy

  28. 28

    Anonymous says

    I'm a newsletter subscriber.
    FB friend (Margaret E. Smith)
    One of my favorite plants that I also love to keep inside is hyacinths.
    Thanks so much.
    rickpeggysmith(at)aol(dot)com

  35. 35

    Heather Labore says

    To narrow it down to one favorite is very difficult. I guess the front runner would be my Euphobia Milii. The small white flowers are so delicate and cheerful. Since it is such a non stop bloomer, it breaks up some of the winter dull drums around the house long after other plants have stopped blooming.

    [email protected]

  36. 36

    Anonymous says

    I love my amaryllis, my anytime-between-Thanksgiving-and-New-Year's cactus, my African violets, my clivia and my paperwhite narcissus. Visiting Logee's is on my wish list; I love their catalog. It's really nice of you to offer this gift certificate, and as always, your plant window pictures are enviably beautiful. AliceF

  37. 37

    charlene says

    Since I live in Texas all my plants are for the most part outside. we've got a little bit of cold headed this way so my more delicate plants are coming inside. I have 2 Jade Vines and a Queens Tears that I would hate to lose. They are both babies, and I can't wait to see them bloom. Logees has so many plants that I would love to have.
    [email protected]

  38. 38

    Jane Mihalich says

    I love my ginger, lemons, lime, Christmas cactus, hibiscus, begonias, scented geraniums, and albutilon ! The colors and fragrance get me through the long col winter and make it feel like spring inside! Also love those winter trips to Logees for rejuvenation !
    Jane.mihalich

  39. 39

    Rita Petkaitis says

    Logee's is a place I go when I get the winter blues. Such a Zen atmoshere. I can never get enough of their plants. Some of my favorite purchases is the Meyers Lemon, Banana, serveral varieties of the Hoya, Lipstick plant, and the ZZ Plant, which is huge now. I have one of those portable greenhouses, which needs to be filled.
    reetpeet1@

  40. 40

    Anonymous says

    Favorite flowering houseplant is Phalaenopsis. I struggle with low light in my home but I am able to have this plant bloom once or twice a year. The blooms last very long. Redcvcc@

  41. 41

    Marie Laser says

    My favorite is lovely pink begonia that my mother gave me cutting of a while back. I think it is the perfect shade of pink! Love your blog. Thanks! My email is marie.laser@…

  43. 43

    cvjenn says

    The only house plants that are currently in the house are various orchids. I used to have many, but they grew, and grew, and GREW. So now I have many tubbed diva plants that I had to devise a greenhouse for. A LARGE one. Many of them (most) started out as small plants that I got from Logee's.

  44. 44

    Cathy Walsh says

    My favorite winter garden is a collection of Streptocarpus. I love them so much!!!!! I have 5 bay windows in my home and each one is a collection of streps in a different color pallet. I have had great luck propagating them from cuttings and spend the winter doing so. It is comforting being able to continue to grow things in the dreary winter months!
    I subscribe to your newsletter and like you on FB.
    Thank you so much ! I started my collection when I lived in Dayville CT and enjoyed visiting your greenhouse often. Miss that!
    Cathy Walsh
    imcathy@h

  45. 45

    mcbc79 says

    I am lucky to have a south facing large window, so I have it crowded with hibiscus, passiflora, gardenia, albutilon, epiphylum oxypetalum, just to name a few of the many plants I have purchased from Logees over the years. The trick is keeping them healthy and bug free over the winter!
    mcbc79
    Holliston, MA

  48. 48

    Ron Naumann([email protected]) says

    From Ct. and now live just south of Housto.I have many plants/flowers from Logee's. Just installed shelves across my living room,kitchen and bedroom windows and have started cuttings from a number of passion flowers and am hoping they will bloom over the winter as they have all summer,doordog55,Pearland,TX.

  49. 49

    theannestone says

    theannestone
    My lemon tree is my favorite. You not only get great fragrant flowers but the fruit to enjoy also.

  50. 50

    fuda@ says

    I don't have much luck with flowering house plants but, I have managed to keep a pretty light purple African Violet going since last winter! I am quite proud of that. I was also amazed a couple years ago when my huge Jade plant was full of flowers one winter. I didn't even know Jades flowered!
    fuda@fairpoint

  51. 51

    nancielester says

    For over 30 years I have seen “Dorothy” my grandmothers christmas cactus bloom(magenta) starting in November and blooming again in late winter. I remember seeing it bloom in my grandmothers sunporch as far back as I can remember(50+ years). I inherited it 34 years ago and have given away numerous clippings! Long live Dorothy!

  52. 52

    Debra says

    Thanks once again, Kevin, for your understandable delivery of gardening info. Who WOULDN't want to win a $50 certificate to a plant place? ArtistryFarm

  53. 53

    Anonymous says

    I wish I was better at following directions…
    John – (pippinswrath)
    I would have to say my favorite plant is my Burana cross dendrobium Orchid. I'm pretty sure the person who got it for me found it at a grocery store and isn't enything overly exotic, however, it has survived moving three trips (twice to different states) and continues to grow and bloom bigger every year. Amongst the many other Orchids and tropicals I grow in my room it always has a special place… mostly because its bigger than they are 😀

  54. 54

    Anonymous says

    I live in Florida so my plants are all outside. My favorite plants are the Tahitian red ginger, the Gardenia and Plumeria.

  55. 55

    Anonymous says

    Hi, scottish lass here (part of my e-mail address. I used to have over 100 houseplants, including blooming phalaenopsis and cattleya orchids, clivia, bromeliads, African violets, streptocarpus, Christmas cactus. I lost them all in a fire some years ago. I have just started growing plants indoors again (though I am an avid outdoor gardener). I now have 7 orchids (phals and dendrobiums).

    Julie

  56. 56

    BrownPackof5 says

    I love to see my spiderwort in bloom. I also take great pleasure in the blooms of my prayer plant. tjandginny at msn dot com I look forward to reading your updates on your FB page.

  57. 57

    Anonymous says

    Glad to know I'm not the only one that loves plants in the winter. I personally love the jungle like feel my house takes on. Especially with a fire going and a blIzzard outside.

    [email protected]

  58. 58

    Kathleen says

    My favorite plant is my new pregnant onion plant, which a friend recently shared with me after I admired his all summer. It's already got two long, blooming stamen, as well as several babies, and is so much fun! Inspired by you Kevin, I'm talking my husband into building a window garden, on which I will grow bulbs and herbs. Thanks! [email protected]

  60. 60

    amy_olmsted@ says

    Just found your blog through Logee's website and it's looking pretty great! My favorite houseplants for winter bloom are the orchids, I've got a few in bloom now and afew more that will be blooming soon. My Christmas Cactus is it's most glorious right now and I'm waiting on my seed grown Clivia plants to come into bloom next Feb. I also keep a light stand in the livingroom for all the seed pots I will be tending when the orders arrive in the winter.

  61. 61

    Erica C. says

    I'm an email subscriber, liked this post and your profile on facebook 🙂 I don't really have any experience with plants, but looking at the Logees site, I like the Fire Lily 'Good Hope'!
    ericacarnes(at)gmail(dot)com

  66. 66

    Deborah says

    I'm already subscribed to your newsletter with my gmail email account asthenight. I'd love to get a Tillandsia Ionantha Ball and an Australian Beach Cherry. I clicked the like button (Deborah Rosen).

  67. 67

    liz! says

    My favorite flowering plant right now is my meyer lemon tree-when it blooms it's absolutely LADEN with blooms that fill the room with their scent. Then, when they start to set fruit, my tiny 18″ tree sets so much fruit it would fall over without the aid of my thinning the crop and the window sill to prop it up. I just made a lemon merangue pie from the fruit so full of my months of loving glances you could taste it's bright sunny thanks.
    squishtliz@

  69. 69

    aisling says

    I'm an email subscriber and love your posts! I don't have any flowering house plants right now, but I'm overflowing with aloes. I need to get out and get some narcissus bulbs soon. I like you on Facebook and have liked this post. mcgillrmcgill(at)charter(dot)net

  72. 72

    brich2222 says

    We have several african violets in our house!

    subscribe to you via email with ardy22 at earthlink dot net

    like you fb, richard hicks

    brich22 at earthlink dot net

  78. 78

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    Thank you all for entering! Random (dot) org selected the comment # belonging to jane mihalich, who has been notified by email.

    Stay tuned for next month's giveaway!

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