30 November 2007

The Garden




This little pot should be in the garden, under the pergola along with the other shade loving plants that I adore.

But I brought him in just for this photo.

The pot did have a cutting of one of my favourite tree's, the Indian Bean Tree which stands next to the Koi pond. Then the Moss started to grow and eventually cover the top of this pot completely and the little tree seemed to disappear. So out came the tree cutting and the Moss has been allowed to grow quite happily.

Here is a recipe from Google on how to grow Moss.

Basic Recipe and Guidelines
Nice Looking Moss On Your Garden Planters Takes A LONG Time To Grow
Repeat these steps for each of the liquid ingredients listed:
Gather a clump of moss (remove as much dirt from the moss as possible)
Add moss into a blender (a good ratio is 1 part moss to 4 parts liquid)
Add LIQUID INGREDIENT (see options listed below)
Blend thoroughly to pulverize the moss
Spread the soupy mixture onto your object with a brush wherever you want the moss to grow
Liquid Ingredient Options
One can of beer + 1 tsp - 2 tsp sugar: or
1 cup buttermilk; or
1 cup yogurt

This is another favourite. The Tree Fern, Dicksonia antarctica.

I am lucky to have 3 of these specimens, a small and medium which are in pots and a quite tall one, 3 foot which stands on the ground near the pond. I have just cut the large one back to the crown so decided now was not a good time to photograph it. The Tree Fern is a beautiful plant and Tree Ferns in particular are useful for adding structure and instant impact to a garden or courtyard.


This one is just beginning to look a bit tired. So I will cut him back to just above the crown and put the leaves that I have cut over the crown to protect from frost. The colder or more exposed gardens would also need to wrap him in a protective fleece.


This pot is covered with Baby Tears, Helxine Soleirolii.

This is supposed to be an indoor plant but can be seen growing outside in gardens quite happily.

It does seem to prefer shade but can tolerate a little sun. It is very easy to grow and be used for ground cover. I have pushed little bit in between the rocks around my pond and close to the waterfall where it has grown very rapidly and looks wonderful. Again this is not the best time to see my plant. In the spring and summer it looks stunning.

I would love to show you more but you will have to wait until the Spring!


6 comments:

Joanna said...

I love moss, I have never thought of growing it before. Maybe you could make shapes out of chicken wire and grow it over. ALthough that might not hold the moisture it needs. I was admiring some of the moss in the woods nearby on old fallen tree trunks, so green and velvety

Ragged Roses said...

I love all those plants, perhaps moss is my favourite as it's so romantic! I'm going to plant a tree fern at the top of our garden in the spring I think!
Kim x

Country Cottage Chic said...

That really looks pretty & very different to the usual pot plant.

Locket Pocket said...

Thanks for visiting my blog! Love the idea of grow-your-own moss! Lucy x

Louise said...

Your little moss pot looks familiar, I have one almost identical but in green, but unfortunately I have no saucer, is yours Brannam? I have never heard of scientifically growing moss, I seem to get enough in the garden growing around rocks and on the paving slabs in the damp area, in fact enough to get quite slippery if you are not careful under foot! You have lots of world influences going on in your garden, some Japanese with the moss and low growing baby tears and then travelling further around the world to Australia with the lovely tree ferns. It is nice to see some of your favourite plants, I do love my garden, looks like you do to. x

Sandi McBride said...

I know the buttermilk and moss works. You know the land it grows on is actually 0 % nutritionally. Lichen and Mosses love that. That's why lichen on trees doesn't harm the tree at all. I miss my Koi pond from the old house most of all...I had to sell them (I had 10 in a 1500 gallon pond) and it was like selling my children. When I say I sat down and cried as they were driven away, believe it!The smallest was 15 inches long, the largest was 20 inches...they were all from 10 years old and up. Don't have the health to care for one like I cared for that one, so we are going to put in a small pond for goldfish this spring. Your plants are so lovely, bet you have green fingers!