Author: Nancy Morrow

Categories
Interesting Tidbits Memphis Gardens

Winter Perennials in Memphis Are Exquisite Surprises in Brown and Bare Gardens 

Memphis is a wonderful location for gardeners.  With some planning, over time, we can have beautiful foliage and blooms every day (and nights) of the year.

   

Golden Oregano is happy all year long and really pops in Janury.  Mine grows beside my front path
  

  Above, the wallflower just hunkers down in the snow, waiting for the sun to warm it up again. Wallflowers are unappreciated by Memphis gardeners, I think because they almost disappear in our summer heat and, like winter bulbs, can get damaged as we shift and plant while they are dormant.  Plant where they get really good drainage and bright winter sun for years of blooming when most other plants are sleeping.
  Above, day after snow, around 34 degrees and the wallflower is beaming back at the winter sunny sky.  Enlarge the photo to see all the buds clustered in the tops of the stems.  

Also in bottom of photo is little snapdragon.  He will grow whenever temps get above about 50 and sun shines, then draw in and slumber when it gets really cold.  I love snapdragons but they get sickly in our humid summers if not in pots.  Planted around walkways in our climate, they give a great show from late spring through early summer and the drier bed conditions might help escape the mildew that tags a lot of bedding plants
  

  Wallflower cluster of flower buds starting to open
  Carnations, dianthus, pinks, all have lovely silver foliage in the winter and will be in full scented bloom in April through hot weather. Violas in left corner are shivering after the snow, but a few hours of warm sun will make all the difference you need for happy faces smiling up at you
 

Verbena Bonariensis is a wonderful butterfly plant.  A rambling perennial, it grows large then subsides, throughout the year.  It will start blooming in late March or early April on small, almost tentative early stalks that grow hearty as the heat rises.  Three foot waving spikes of purple flowers feed the bees and hummers as it rambles through your flower beds by seeds and runners. 

 I’ll have some at my annual Almost Mothers Day Plant Sale and Faire this May.  Follow this page for notice of sales and events, and please post questions or comments

Categories
Build Your Own Terry Interesting Tidbits Terrarium Care

WARNING!  This is NOT a terrarium!

Every few months I will see displays of items purporting to be terrariums which are actually only a glass pot, no top and no drainage, jammed with tropical plants that will be dead in weeks unless they are lifted out and put into more suitable living quarters. Usually these are in grocery store floral departments, or in a hardware store by the front door where they get blasted with cold air every time the door opens.  Poor little fellows, my heart aches to see them.

Take a look at this example:


A rubber tree, a parlor fern, and an alocasia.  All beautiful plants, but they get REALLY big, and are so jammed together in this tiny tube that they are battling to the death for the very limited resources available to them.  The sweet little tillandsias ionantha mexicana huddled at the bottom might outlast them, if he doesn’t dry out first.  There is no top, so it will have to be misted and watered frequently, but there is no drainage, so the roots will most likely rot if the upper part of the plant lives long enough.


Another comment mistake is using succulents. At least there is no top on this glass container, but no drainage is a bad thing for succulents.  Many people cover their succulent plantings, only to have the high moisture quickly rot the plant.  Check out this post How Not to Plant a Terrarium for in depth discussion on caring for succulents.

The whole point of a terrarium is to provide a high moisture environment for plants that grow in tropical and temperate rainforests, or along streambeds and waterfalls.

I’ve spent many years growing tropical plants, and have been building terrariums for quite a while now.  I have several that are around three years old, and still happy and green.  Or pink or purple or red, I like colorful leaves … So if you want a Green Mansion terrarium, talk to the Plant Lady!

Categories
Build Your Own Terry Interesting Tidbits philadelphia flower show

2015 Was a Lot of Fun, Bring It On 2016!

   
I went to Longwood Gardens in March when I went to the Philadelphia Flower Show.  Gorgeous snowy Bucks County, home of Andrew Wyeth and family

 
This conservatory was a welcome retreat from the snow.  My glasses almost end frosted when the humid air hit the frozen lenses!

   

This is one of many spectacular zoned connected greenhouses covering four acres. They have wonderful small concerts in a music room off this one.  I saw the lovely Anat Coen and really liked her drummer, Jonathan Friedman

 
I met a lot of great and interesting people, like Daniel and Gabriel. Their father, David, brought them to build terries for Christmas.
 
I think they had fun; I know I did.

   
Debbie came to get a little friend for her sister, and brought the incomparable Olive with her.

 
Going to spend the weekend planting for my show in February.

   
 
So this little guy is definitely ready for a new home.  He is from some exotic plant cuttings I got from my new rocking friend Todd.

Fill your hearts with love today. It may not be all you need but it sure helps.

xox  Nancy

Categories
Interesting Tidbits

Christmas Photoshoot

Such tiny jewels. Thanks and Happy New Year. My resolution/goal for 2015 was to work smarter, not harder, and I feel pretty good about my follow through. I think more of the same for 2016.