Purple, that is very cool! I love the spider plant colony. I think asparagus fern is also perennial in your zone, maybe? Many Hippeastrum are, too.

Around here, houseplant survival surprises are fairly infrequent. Some annuals -- dusty miller and the large-leaved vinca (V. major?) -- survive the winter in protected areas. My understanding is that a number of "tender" plants can survive the cold we get, here, but not the wet soil and the stress of repeated freeze-thaw cycles. I know gardeners in colder zones than mine who overwinter far less hardy plants -- successfully -- outside in the ground -- because they have sandy soil and consistent cold (rather than the drastic fluctuations we tend to get around here). Reliable snow cover does wonders, too, as an insulator. (Don't have that around here.)

I moved, this summer, and I now have a dry-all-the-time area against the south wall of the building. I planted agapanthus and crinum there, just to see if maybe they'll make it through all the freeze-thaw cycles. After reading your post, I'm inspired to plant a small division of aspidistra in the ground by the north wall of the building, again, just to see.

Thanks for the interesting post!

Amanda

nice accident! very pretty! :)

Thanks, Lamora (on my Mom's behalf!)

Amanda, yes asparagus fern is perennial here, usually. My Mom has them but I've seen her sprouts and don't like that plant enough to weed out babies. There is a red Amaryllis/Hippeastrum (no idea which is which) in my yard that was here when I moved in. I usually only have red on leaves, not flowers, but it's such a novelty to me that it has never crossed my mind to get rid of it. It's OK if there's a clash of colors for a couple weeks in April, and I'm probably the only one who notices that it "doesn't match." ...Well actually, it does match the climbing red rose WAY on the other side of the house that was also here when I moved in, and they bloom at about the same time.

You should try your Apidistra if you don't mind losing it if it doesn't make it. Do you have a south or west wall where you could try it? I would be more confident in those locations, up against the basement wall (if there is one.)

That is a great accident purple. I have put my spider plant babies in my annual garden where I want a short grass look but you know they do not last the winter in my area. LOL