This year, I resolve to not ignore my garden blog...
Teaching has rather eaten into my creative time - I guess the nurturing of 100 young human lives a year has the potential to take away some of the energy I used to have for nurturing 100+ plant lives. On the plus side, I learned that a college biology lab is the perfect place to overwinter more delicate plants, and I may well have what is getting on for the largest Impatiens niamniamensis in the UK (dare you to prove me wrong...) on account of this.
Jurassic Park has rather looked after itself. I haven't bought too many plants this year, possibly because I have so many specialist criteria for plants - when you have every single fern species sold by the majority of garden centres then nursery visits are much more fruitful (and sadly quite rare at the moment). Possibly suffering some garden centre ennui, I'm looking more towards kit and hardware than new plants.
Despite getting down to -7.8°C, I don't seem to have lost very much yet, but I won't unfleece everything for another two months at least. You will be pleased to know, however, that I continue my talent for killing anything of the genus Blechnum, and Blechnum gibbum is not nearly as hardy as one might think (i.e. not at all).
My parents bought me a tripod for Christmas, so I was out in Kew Gardens today trying out the macro with a rare steady hand.
If nothing else, I hope I'll be able to bring you at least the odd Wordless Wednesday of cool close-up stuff from Jurassic Park. Because that's new and original and nothing like anyone does on garden blogs, isn't it?
Teaching has rather eaten into my creative time - I guess the nurturing of 100 young human lives a year has the potential to take away some of the energy I used to have for nurturing 100+ plant lives. On the plus side, I learned that a college biology lab is the perfect place to overwinter more delicate plants, and I may well have what is getting on for the largest Impatiens niamniamensis in the UK (dare you to prove me wrong...) on account of this.
Jurassic Park has rather looked after itself. I haven't bought too many plants this year, possibly because I have so many specialist criteria for plants - when you have every single fern species sold by the majority of garden centres then nursery visits are much more fruitful (and sadly quite rare at the moment). Possibly suffering some garden centre ennui, I'm looking more towards kit and hardware than new plants.
Despite getting down to -7.8°C, I don't seem to have lost very much yet, but I won't unfleece everything for another two months at least. You will be pleased to know, however, that I continue my talent for killing anything of the genus Blechnum, and Blechnum gibbum is not nearly as hardy as one might think (i.e. not at all).
My parents bought me a tripod for Christmas, so I was out in Kew Gardens today trying out the macro with a rare steady hand.
If nothing else, I hope I'll be able to bring you at least the odd Wordless Wednesday of cool close-up stuff from Jurassic Park. Because that's new and original and nothing like anyone does on garden blogs, isn't it?
Looking forward to more posts this year, and more great pictures.
ReplyDeleteDo you have a small fishtank? Because there's several aquatic mosses and ferns that you could try out Riccia fluitans, Java Fern Microsorum pteropterus, Indian Fern Ceratopteris thalictroides, and so on. You wouldn't need a large tank- the tiny ones they sell for torturing goldfish would be fine as long as you didn't want anything other than plants in it.
ReplyDeleteOoh, that would be quite good. I don't have a fish tank, but I'm sure I can plan for that eventuality... I do periodically get some floating ferns, which are absolutely not hardy, but as they're a fiver a clump it doesn't really matter.
ReplyDeleteI have two parrot plants :-) have you got more? I find they are okay in cool but not cold areas but if the leaves touch the window glass they drop off and they like light but can get too much. Hate drying out. Bit prone to white fly and love really good feeds. Mine go a bit leggy though.
ReplyDeleteHooray for NYRs! Loving your morsels on Twitter, but the real deal's here :)
ReplyDeleteI thought I left a comment but I must have dreamed it. Meant to say: gorgeous hamamelis - and nice to see you back! Happy new year
ReplyDeleteWhat a welcome back! :)
ReplyDeleteSleepwalker, I only have the one, and yes, it is going a bit leggy. It's not been prone to whitefly in the biology lab, and it's certainly fairly cool, but it does dry out a lot (I predict one very wilted plant when I get back in tomorrow).
It's not one I'd necessarily have chosen myself, but it was a cutting from some friends, and the flowers are really quite something.
A 40cm cube would cost you about £40 if that, and would give you enough space to grow most things. If you're not having any animal life (shrimp, snails, etc) you won't need a filter, and if its indoors you won't need a heater either. Just a good light on a 12 hour timer. Most of the ferns tend to be quite easy to grow too, they don't need CO2 or fancy substrates either.
ReplyDeleteAnd you must never ignore your garden blog indeed ;)
ReplyDeleteAt least your B. gibbum was sold as such, mine was sold as B. discolor so I planted it out...dead of course!
It is good to see this blog active again. I had wondered about whether I would see more entries here. I have been having lots of fun with my potted plants too and I am interested to read more abou tothers experiences with patio and houseplant specimens.
ReplyDelete