They're heeeere!

Plant food!

I've always been interested in plants, but for the past couple of months my interest has exploded.  I attribute it to the long, cold winter we've been having here in NYC, and it has me yearning for green.   It started with terrariums, but has quickly evolved into a carnivorous plant obsession.  I've been reading books about their cultivation, and decided to try my hand at growing them (I especially recommend The Savage Garden).  Sure, like many inquisitive children I begged my parents for a Venus Flytrap, and then promptly killed it.  But this time, armed with the advice of the experts, I hope to have more success.

So finally late one night, at around 2am, I couldn't wait any longer.  Adam and I carefully studied the California Carnivores website for plants that were suitable for growing on the windowsill and selected four different plants - a Venus flytrap, sundew, American pitcher plant, and tropical pitcher plant.  After a frustrating ordeal with my local post office (the plants sat in their warehouse for 5 days), they're now safely sitting on my windowsill.  So far they seem to be adjusting to their new home very well, and have even had their first meal!  Wish me (and especially them) luck!

Sundew (Drosera aliciae)

Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) coming out of dormancy

Tropical pitcher plant (Nepenthes ventricosa 'red')

American pitcher plant (Sarracenia) coming out of dormancy

Unfurl

Today Adam and I went to the New York Botanical Garden for their big orchid show.  Perhaps I've been to one too many of these, but I found it underwhelming.  Most of the plants on display were big, showy and very common.  I tend to prefer the miniature orchids in all their diverse, alien glory.  I'll take a pleurothallid over a phalaenopsis any day.  However, the NYBG Conservatory is one of my favorite places in the world.  The ferns, the mosses, the palms - it's heaven!  Throw in some tree frogs and perhaps a kitchen and I found my next apartment.
I took photos of some of my favorite plants, both old and new, and upon their review I noticed a theme:

I guess I like spirals, too.

The highlight of the day for me was the carnivorous plant display.  For the past several weeks I've been reading everything I can about growing them in the home.  I recently placed an order for four plants, and am not-so-patiently waiting for them to arrive (they seem to have gotten lost in the mail).  So I was incredibly eager to see the plants at NYBG, and I was not disappointed.  Their collection is magnificent! I only hope that I'm able to grow mine half as well.

My terrarium obsession

For the past couple of months I have been obsessed - obsessed! - with terrariums.  Well, actually I've been fascinated by them since I was a teenager, and my mother recently reminded me that I made several back in the day.  But I blame this current wave of obsession on Paula Hayes and her breathtaking miniature landscapes contained within equally-magnificent hand-blown glass vessels.  This woman has cost me untold hours of my life spent staring in fascination at my computer screen.

Apparently I'm not alone.  A quick Google search will show that terrariums are very "in" right now - who knew? So, in the imitation-is-the-sincerest-form-of-flattery vein, I decided to make my own.  While I was able to gather plenty of how-to information online, I decided to sign up for a workshop at Sprout Home with my boyfriend, Adam  (it was free - why not?).  They had a nice selection of vessels in a wide range of price points (I was also told I could bring my own), and a good selection of plants.  I made a very simple terrarium using Baby's Tears and a small fern, and covered the remaining surface with some dried sheet moss and rocks.  It was ok, but I wasn't completely satisfied with it yet.

So I studied my terrarium - what works?  What doesn't?  What would make it better?  I decided the Baby's Tears worked, the fern didn't (out of proportion to the vessel), and live moss would make it better (dried moss is cheating anyway, so out it went).  I found the Etsy store of Teresa, who sells an assortment of live moss and other goodies.  I purchased her moss and lichen terrarium kit, and asked her to send some moss-covered rocks as well which I saw advertised on her website.  I spent the next few days eager for my package to arrive.  Finally, a few days later I had a wonderful assortment of moss and lichen, and Adam and I spend the evening designing the layout.  We had a little more than we needed, so I picked up a small apothecary jar and made another one.  They've been growing for a few weeks now and I'm happy to say they seem to be doing great.  I credit my staring at them and randomly shouting "grow!"  (I swear, it works!)

Pillow moss, Spanish moss

Fern moss, Reindeer moss (lichen), Mood moss

First post

Welcome to my new blog!  I intend on using this space to write about the things that I find my hands and mind occupied by: ceramics, knitting, plants, and whatever else strikes my interest at any given time.  I'll do my best to keep up with this, but I'm making no promises...