At the start of the year I planned to photograph plants in flower on a weekly basis. This patently never materialised (the same fate happened to many of my other projects!) - I will have another go next year so please bear with me!
Below are a few late flowers in the big greenhouse. These here are all members of the Mesembryanthemum family.
With the nights getting chilly, and the days shorter, I have some decisions to make. Which plants get the ax, and which will I try to overwinter? I have limited real estate inside so I pick the candidates carefully. In this area, Halloween is my drop dead date of when I need to get everything in, as the temperature can really drop fast after that date.
Our design department field trip to the Succulent Garden Extravaganza was super fun. The folks over at Succulent Gardens put on a real nice shindig. We enjoyed the presentations, our fellow succulent lovers, and good barbecue - and we all came back with lots of new plants for our gardens. Here's a collage of some of our favorites from the day.
Looking for a quick weekend project to spruce up your patio, deck or even you front porch? Container gardening is a great, easy project to do just that. Whether you are sprucing up some pots you already have, planning to buy new containers or creating a specific container garden, you will be pleased with your results.
Have some boring clay pots?
Gardening in the city is populair,more and more citizens realize how important green can be for your environment and your own well-being.
It's a good feeling to have yourself surrounded with living green,plants are fun to grow and to look at. And don't forget how important your little garden can be for the Bio-diversity . Limited space can be a problem for Urban-gardeners but must be seen as a challenge,Urban-Gardeners are famous for their space-solutions.
If you have enough natural light in your kitchen, you can grow an herb garden. Growing a variety of herbs you use on a semi-regular basis can be both easy and incredibly satisfying. All you need to grow an indoor herb garden in your kitchen is good light.
In years past, I attempted growing rosemary in my kitchen, but being a city dweller, I rarely ever lived in a place that received enough daylight to keep it alive.
Mason Jar Terrariums
Terrariums can cost you up to $160, but this solution costs only a few dollars and is perfect for a centerpiece or mantel:
1. Take your Mason jar and put rocks in the bottom of it. 2. Add charcoal (this prevents bacteria). 3. Add a layer of soil (potting soil is recommended, as it’s bug free). 4. Add succulents (plants that need very little water).
Our local garden store extraordinaire, Terrain, offers terrarium classes on Thursday nights. Everyone loves a good terrarium (right?), so I thought why not check it out and take full advantage of these suburban offerings. My friend met me there so this was also a nice chance just to visit with her and chat about things other than where to put Curious George down for a nap and what are our choices for snack.
Oh gosh, how I love the idea of planting seeds in eggs shells. It is such an organic and natural way of starting a small garden in your own home. The eggs shells make for some inexpensive "pots" that can support seed growth at the earliest stages. Totally loving how this looks and how easy it is to do!
What do you think?
The Simple Basics of Pruning -- pruning as an art form.
Growing a plant is one thing. Shaping plants well is an art form and adds another dimension. Here is an article that tells you what happens when you prune. This information applies to just about any kind of shrub or tree. I am asked lots of questions about pruning. This article will be the first of a series on pruning practices and techniques.
We found this wonderful succulent filled fountain at the local Buddhist temple, it's a really fun idea and in water conscious California, very smart too.
At the very top were the 'String of Pearls' senecio rowleyanus variety, giving the impression of actual drops of water cascading down the fountain, how clever!
It seemed like the whole thing had been recently put together and we didn't expect to find it among the redwoods.
Potted succulents create a distinct look. Two large pots placed beside the entrance draw attention to the differences in textures and colors. They require minimal attention yet create a colorful addition to this deck. The rocks beside the tall pot also add to the natural, uncomplicated look of this arrangement. A great idea to try if you have a wooden, brick or cement deck such as this one.
Blue senecio contrasts very well with other succulents in this simple arrangement, I haven't had great success with this plant but looks great here!
I've seen more and more of these arrangements during the last years, they are very popular and at the same time they must be very convenient and economical for the store owner.
These were outside a local coffee shop, and it was a great contrast to the restaurant beside it, which had plenty if planters outside too, but all of their plants were sadly dead.
Succulent that has been enhanced. What a rare, and has a higher value. I also want.
Want to spruce up your succulents and get that green thumb going? Here is an easy DIY for book planters thanks to Russell Brown.
Supplies:
1 Vintage book.
2-3 small succulents. Any more than that will get really heavy.
Little bit of potting soil
1 exacto knife
Parchment paper or plastic bag
White glue
Dry moss or ground cover
Instructions:
I've been dying to create a terrarium since a friend of mine created a really pretty one and posted a photo on Facebook. It's taken me awhile to actually get down to making one though. Why? It took me four different trips to garden centers to find succulents that I really liked. I wanted a particular shape.
It figures, though, the one I really wanted, is really delicate and a bunch of the leaves fell off as I put it in the glass container.
This is a question I am commonly asked. I am the first to admit that I am 'no' expert on these wonderful plants, but I did learn something remarkable about them last year in a college Biology class at my local extension college. Mainly, the enzymes, proteins, and processes of the cells that are key to photosynthesis in succulents are actually radically different from the ones in 'regular' plants.
Even though our house is awash in a sea of hyper-tuffa'ed goodness, I still can't help but appreciate a fine bit of potted design once in a while. This one might need to find a home in our modern house sometime soon, yup?
This is called the "City Planter" and is available at Potted in Los Angeles. (or online!)
What I find so beautiful is the use of negative space, as well as subtle texture and coloration. Bravo!
