Plant Nite @ Nu Café

Having done a couple Paint Nite's I thought we would try something a little different. Plant Nite is run by the same company as Paint Night and is a similar class style event where instead of painting a picture you build a unique terrarium of your own using supplied materials. Its a unique idea that we thought would be a fun evening activity.

We signed up for an event at our favorite coffee shop in town called Nu Café. They often have their Paint Nite classes on Monday's but this week the place morphed into a coffee shop garden with about 30 or so participants.  The three of us found a nice quiet table to make our home for the evening.

During check-in I asked if I could swap out the terrarium they provided with the pill shaped one that I had found ad really liked. The instructor told me I could make both if I liked and that she really liked the shape of the one I had found and wanted to know where so she could get some for a future class. Sadly I got it as a one off at Home Goods and it didn't give any indication of where it had come from.

As class began our instructor introduced herself at April Salter and her assistant for the night would be Jamie. She had us recite some simple instructions to have fun, not judge ourselves or the others around us and to drink and be merry.

On the table in large buckets was gravel and soil which would become the foundation for our garden. Each of us started by scooping 3-4 solo cups full of gravel into the base of our empty terrariums. She explained that we want to have the gravel sloped higher in the back and shallow near the opening.

Next we added soil evenly across the surface of the gravel creating about 1" of soil leaving a glass lip to catch anything from falling out. Once the soil and gravel was properly sloped and distributed April and Jamie came around with platters of small plants and advised us all to take 1 cluster of 3 plants. The two clusters I selected had donkey tail, jade tree, grey stonecrop, and mini aloe vera.

Once we were happy with out plans she instructed us to dig small holes about 1" in diameter and roughly that deep for each of the succulents we need to pot. Then we removed each succulent from its brown pot and shook off the majority of the soil it came with exposing the roots. We then carefully planted each succulent giving them sufficient space to grow in time.

It took me a little longer to get the donkey tail planted since the roots were very fine and the plant relatively tall. they just kind of flopped down which I didn't like.  Once everything was planted April and Jamie came around with tubs of colored rocks to cover the soil with and help keep the newly planted succulents in place. I went with a standard white rock so the green of the plants to add the color. I then placed some of the colored moss around the taller plants to keep them stable and upright.

They also came around with big golden nuggets which I placed inside the terrarium near the opening to add a buffer to prevent any soil from falling out. As class wrapped up we took a few pictures with our finished products and April and she handed out care cards to help us keep our new succulents alive. It was a fun experience and perhaps something I'll do again. Unlike the Paint Nite classes where the finished product would never get hung up in my house the terrariums are proudly placed in my window.

Lemon's, Lime's & Orange's

I had been thinking about getting a lemon tree for a while but never bought one because I was concerned that for the roughly $150 bucks was a lot to pay for a decent sized one online and also they are shipping concerns during the winter months that it might not make it. Since it was the late fall that I was thinking about it I opted to pass and forgot all about it.

While in Orlando checking out a gift shop I noticed that they were selling small lemon, lime and orange trees. There were very small for the $7 bucks each I decided I would pick up one of each and see how they would do. It took some effort to get them home in once piece without crushing them but they made it unscathed.

I planted them per their instructions and made sure to use soil specifically designed for citrus trees. I will keep you updated on how it goes and if I can manage to pollinate them myself and get them to bare fruit.

Nature Connects, Art with Lego Bricks at the Naples Botanical Garden

The Naples Botanical Garden was started in 1993 by 8 Naples residents. Comprised of over 170 acres in Old Naples it was transformed in 2008 into 6 cultivated gardens with 2.5 miles of walking trails and 90 acres of restored native preserve. Those 6 cultivated gardens represent unique environments.

"Nature Connects, Art with Lego Bricks" is a traveling exhibit of larger than life sculptures inspired by nature and built using over 500,000 Lego bricks that represents the complex and amazing network that interconnects all things that currently calls the Garden its home.
The exhibit features 27 award winning sculptures designed and created by the world’s first Lego certified professional Sean Kenney. From his studios in New York City with the help of several creative assistants Sean created this impressive
collection for us all to enjoy.


These 27 creations are spread throughout the parks 6 Gardens as a compliment to those environments. After leaving the visitor’s center and enter the gardens via the Palm Walk the first example is a mural wall where you can have your picture taken.

Named after the major benefactor of the Botanical Gardens the Kapnick Brazilian Garden includes flora from Brazil’s seven terrestrial ecosystems. The major attraction of the Brazilian Garden is the impressive waterfall. Atop the Water fall is a pool covered by 5 giant lily pads with a lotus bloom and a frog.


Next is the Caribbean Garden also named for the Kapkick family was designed to make you feel like you are on one of the Caribbean Islands. It includes a diverse landscape of lush tropical forests and exotic plants to dry forests and savannah’s of cactus and scrub. Along the Caribbean Lawn another of Sean Kenney’s creations can be found it is a lawnmower.

The Children’s garden is a carefree example of colorful flowers, vegetables, and butterflies with a tree house and babbling streams. Kids and adults alike can enjoy the jets of water or orient themselves with the huge in-ground compass. Here can be found the majority of the Lego creations.

In Judy’s Herb Garden you can find a garden worker tilling the soil, Golden Finches enjoying a birdfeeder. In the Butterfly gardens a Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly can be found. The most impressive display is the American Bumblebee flying majestically through the Tree house. Even farther in to the Children’s garden you can find a Fox stealthy hunting a Rabbit as he munches on some of the vegetation.

The Water Garden is at the heart of the Botanical Gardens. It is a river of grass and is filled with water lilies, lotuses and papyrus. A boardwalk transects the water garden and often serves as a stage as it did on the day of our visit. We were treated to the sound of music from the performing Jazz in the Garden Trio. It is surrounded by the Great Lawn and is a popular spot for visitors to lay out a blanket and have a picnic. Along the boardwalk flying over the water is the Common Green Darner Dragonfly.

The Asian Garden is a collection of tropical and subtropical plants including rice paddies, coconut groves and rubber plants. It includes a Balinese Shrine, the Candi Suka Ruin and a Thai Riverside Pavilion.  The Jumping Koi can be found in the serene Japanese tea Garden here.

The Florida Garden’s major element is the Great Circle which is reminiscent of the numerous pot lakes that can be seen all over southwest Florida. It is planted with many of the indigenous plants including bougainvillea and silver palmetto. It is also home to four impressive exhibits. As you walk in you can’t help but see the Hummingbird and Flower floating effortlessly as it drinks the nectar. Behind him are a Bison and Calf grazing in the grass. As you approach the more forested section you find a fallen acorn now germinating hoping to one day grow big and strong. Along the way out you find a oversized Rose so beautiful it’s hard to not want to lean in and see it if smells as sweet as it is large.

 

After a long day enjoying Nature Connects with Lego’s along the 2.5 miles of paths meandering through the impressive Botanical Garden we decided to head back to the Welcome Center before leaving. It is here that the final example can be found. A Delicate Moth Orchid stands proudly for everyone to appreciate the intricate detail up close.

Four Leaf Clover

While enjoying some time with the family at the lake house I was sitting in the grass down
by the water with one of our cats and happened to notice something special. Right there in front of me was the elusive four leaf clover. It was well hidden amongst a batch of other three leaf clover. 

The four leaf clover is a universally accepted symbol of good luck with its origin ages old. According to legend, Eve carried a four leaf clover from the Garden of Eden. Popular belief is that the four leaves symbolize Faith, Love, Hope & Luck.

According to Wikipedia the odds of finding a four leave clover are 1 in 10,000 and they are considered by most to bring good luck to the person who finds it. 

"The clovers also occupied a position in the cultural life of early peoples. White clover (T. repens L.) in particular was held in high esteem by the early Celts of Wales as a charm against evil spirits." Clover Science and Technology". N.L. Taylor, 1985.

Druids held the 4 leaf clover in high esteem and considered them a sign of luck. In 1620, Sir John Melton wrote: "If a man walking in the fields find any four-leaved grass, he shall in a small while after find some good thing.

The mystique of the four leaf clover continues today, since finding a real four leaf clover is still a rare occurrence and omen of good luck I plan to enjoy myself and live life to the fullest. I also plan to dry it between the pages of a book and hold onto the luck as long as possible.

Task 53 - Plant a Vegetable Garden.

(53) Plant a Vegetable Garden

After a conversation with one of the nice ladies at work about gardening she kinda snickered that I had planted my tomato garden only recently and told me that she had started her's in february. This tells you a little about my gardening skills.

She was kind enough to have given me some of her plants and I have been continuing to grow them for the past month. They have shot up exponentially and mine have barely grown. They have also started to flower. I am amazed at how they are growing compared to my store bought tomato plants. My herb garden is also growing nicely and i have chive and parsley in addition to the basil.

Task 53 - Plant a Vegetable Garden.

(53) Plant a Vegetable Garden

First signs of life in my vegetable garden the summer squash are starting to find their way and I have some green leaves coming from my tomato and basil plants. Let’s see what I end up with.

Task 53 - Plant a Vegetable Garden.

(53) Plant a Vegetable Garden

While out an about this weekend I ended up at the Christmas Tree Shop. They have a surprizingly interesting selection of things to grow. Everything from strawberries to tomatos to cucumbers and a herb grow kit from Buzzy. I thought this might be just the ticket to finishing Task 53. Lets see what the crop will yeild as the summer goes by.  I will keep you updated on the progress as they grow.