Hearts in the Garden

By Debra Lee Baldwin – Posted in: Garden Adventures

Have you noticed your garden has been sending you Valentines? Once you start looking for heart shapes, you’ll see them everywhere. In addition to the flapjack plant (Kalanchoe luciae) above, here are a few Valentines from my garden (and others) to yours.

Anthuriums have bright, heart-shaped bracts and green, heart-shaped leaves.

The taro plant (colocasia), from Polynesia, likes ample water. Its edible roots are used to make poi.

Never mind the flowers—I think the leaves of this cyclamen are the prettiest part of the plant.

Not all the pads on this spineless cactus are hearts. Most are ovals or teardrops.

Would you be pleased if someone gave you these? I would!

This puts a different spin on the phrase “purple heart,” doesn’t it?

I’ll bet you’ve grown this common houseplant with an odd common name: pothos.

This is a waxflower (hoya) vine. Were it in bloom, I doubt you’d notice the leaves. Its ball-shaped clusters of flowers appear made of wax.

Ever notice that most ivies have leaves that are more or less heart-shaped?

This is an oxalis leaf.

And now for some heart-shaped garden embellishments…

These pavers make square or round ones seem dull indeed.

Simple yet sweet: Form a metal band into a heart and hang it on a garden wall.

I saw this sign in a garden and took a photo of it because it’s so cheerful. Not that it matters, but there were no cherries for sale nor cherry trees nearby.

And finally, a Valentine of echeverias, aeoniums and sempervivums from me to you (from Succulent Container Gardens).

My goal is to share the beauty of waterwise, easy-care succulents in gardens, containers and landscapes via blog posts, newsletters, public speaking and workshops, photos, videos, merchandise, and social media (Facebook and Pinterest). My books: Designing with Succulents, Succulent Container Gardens, and Succulents Simplified. www.debraleebaldwin.com

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Debra Lee Baldwin

Award-winning garden photojournalist Debra Lee Baldwin authored Designing with Succulents, Succulent Container Gardens, and Succulents Simplified, all Timber Press bestsellers. Her goal is to enhance others' enjoyment and awareness of waterwise plants and gardens by showcasing the beauty and design potential of succulents via books, articles, newsletters, photos, videos, social media and more. Debra and husband Jeff live in the foothills north of San Diego. She grew up in Southern California on an avocado ranch, speaks conversational Spanish, and at age 18 graduated magna cum laude from USIU with a degree in English Literature. Her hobbies include thrifting, birding and watercolor painting. Debra's YouTube channel has had over 3,000,000 views.

Debra Lee Baldwin

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12 comments… add one

lotusleaf February 10, 2010, 8:51 am

What a nice idea! I found many ‘hearts’ in my garden, including the bleeding heart blossoms. Thanks for the idea. The echeverias are very pretty.

Ah, bleeding hearts. The ultimate hearts-in-the-garden. I can’t grow them, unfortunately—too hot and dry here. But echeverias, yes…in pots. Debra

Matti February 10, 2010, 9:44 am

Each on their own is a fun coincidence, but to see them all together as you have presented…is magical! Thanks. Matti

Hi, Matti — Hey, speaking of coincidences, I just posted a comment on your blog after your post on the found object you planted with succulents and mounted on a garden wall. Great idea! Debra

Lisa at Greenbow February 10, 2010, 9:59 am

I love finding hearts in the garden. Thank you for the valentine. Happy day to you too.

Hi, Lisa — And these are Southern CA plants. There must be many more. Debra

Nicole February 10, 2010, 10:23 am

Cool post-now you have looking in my garden…

I’m pleased, Nicole. I love helping people appreciate their gardens in fresh new ways. Debra

Hilda February 10, 2010, 10:52 am

Debra, your photo essays are always amazing. Thanks for this one — it made my morning coffee-and-blog-reading routine seem extra special today.

Hi, Hilda — It was fun pulling it together. I went back through several years of photos looking for hearts, and also went out looking for them. I think what surprised me the most were all the heart-shaped cactus I found. Prickly, keep-away hearts—an intriguing contradiction. Debra

Carol February 10, 2010, 11:02 am

Wonderful heart sightings! Beautiful light filled photographs … a great parade! May your life be loved filled every day! Lovely, lovely post! Carol

Thank you, Carol. Same to you! Debra

Blackswampgirl Kim February 10, 2010, 11:28 am

I love all of the “hearts” in your garden… but none as much as the kalanchoe photo. The underplanting on that is fantastic–I think that I’m going to NOT plant my ‘Amazon Sunset’ in containers anymore!

Kalanchoe luciae is stunning. There are more photos of it in the landscape on the Garden Design page of my website (http://www.debraleebaldwin.com/SucculentGardenDesign.htm). I could do a photo essay just on that particular plant! Debra

Darla February 10, 2010, 11:42 am

This was very nice indeed. It’s true when you start noticing shapes in the garden you see them everywhere….I did circles today..

But (ever notice?) what you won’t find a lot of in the garden are perfectly straight lines, unless they’re man-made. Debra

greenhouse February 10, 2010, 12:41 pm

All Valentines/hearts in your garden looks very beautiful and attractive . Thanks for the posts

My pleasure ;+) Debra

Mr. McGregor's Daughter February 10, 2010, 4:39 pm

I’ve been thinking about hearts in the garden too. As my garden is buried under a lot of snow, I’ve had to rely on photos from last summer to remind me. I’ll look anew in the spring, when I can see everything again.

Yes, no hearts in a snowy garden. In my overpopulated part of the country, roses are already breaking dormancy. Debra