Hardy Cactus

People are often amazed when they tour the gardens, that we have a good collection of cactus growing here.  Most are Opuntias, many types of which are perfectly hardy here and grow and bloom easily. They're not crazy about being covered with a foot of snow or ice, and sometimes look a bit bedraggled in the spring, but they survive and bloom.

 Some of the other we grow are also perfectly hardy, but can't tolerate the  wet winters.  Our solution is to put used, and no longer good for fish, aquariums over them.  It lets in the light and keeps the rain off.  They thrive this way.  In fall and spring we just need to prop one end up a bit with a rock to keep them from getting too hot.  Even cactus, those heat lovers, don't want too much of a good thing.

I know it's hard to see the cactus inside, so here's what it looked like last summer.

And since these snowdrops (lots of them now) are just about the only other thing blooming right now, I think I'll continue the tour of the cactus collection tomorrow.  You con't get flowers much cheerier and bright than those on cactus.  Weeding can be a challenge, but well worth it.