I have a lot of glass in my house...glass tables, glass shelves, large mirrors, french doors, glass entry, blah blah blah. Yesterday I decided to clean it all. There are two glass etageres in my den that are loaded down with plants which meant I had to remove the plants in order to clean the shelves they were sitting on. While deciding where to start on the shelves, I remembered that I had several plants that needed repotting so I shifted gears and began transplanting two Christmas cacti and an ivy. From transplanting I moved on to watering, trimming off dead leaves and other general plant maintenance. In a trice the cleaning of shelves was abandoned in favor of my plants.
Funny thing about repotting plants. Once you have completed the move from one pot to another, the plant seems to relax. I don't mean relax as in get droopy and sad (although that can happen at times). I mean relax as in a cessation of the tension of being crowded, similar to the feeling one has upon exiting a crowded train or elevator. I swear I can almost hear them sigh with relief.
The fact that these plants were in need of transplanting so early in the year is another indication to me that this year's spring will be abundant. Time will tell if my prediction proves to be correct.
Ballo ergo sum,
- Gitana, the Creative Diva
Monday, February 9, 2009
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Life Persists
For me, one of the joys of gardening is the incredible amount of information I receive from my plants. Yes, information. If you know how to "read" your plants you can learn a lot. The concept is the same as learning to "read" a person...you pick up on subtle clues that give you insight into information that may not be common knowledge.
It is winter now. Today, in fact, it is snowing, with forecasts promising 2 -3 inches of accumulation. I was out in my shed/greenhouse today, trying to get my snowblower started when I decided to clear out the dead remains of the plants that had flourished there during the warmer months. The scene was a depressing tangle of brittle vines, dessicated stems and dead leaves hanging from pots and sticking up from planters. As the snow fell outside and I cleared out the dead plants, I happened to casually glance at one pot standing in a corner, one of the few that had no dead plants needing to be cleaned out. There was nothing special about it, just a pot with dirt in it, but a little voice told me to take a closer look. There, in at least a half dozen places, were the nascent leaves of bulbs poking through the surface. Even here, in the midst of a winter storm, life persists. Spring, in all her glory, will once again fulfill her annual promise of color and beauty.
This was not the only sign of winter's eventual end. Last week I saw new greening in the sedum in my front garden. Just the fact that I had the urge to clear out the old growth at this early date (I usually do this in early to mid spring) is an indication to me that we may have if not an early spring than perhaps an abrupt spring, with the weather changing suddenly from cool to warm all at once.
My garden is a source of great pleasure. In the weeks and months ahead I will share with you the "conversations" I have with my plants and my interpretation of the information they share with me.
Ballo ergo sum,
- Gitana, the Creative Diva
It is winter now. Today, in fact, it is snowing, with forecasts promising 2 -3 inches of accumulation. I was out in my shed/greenhouse today, trying to get my snowblower started when I decided to clear out the dead remains of the plants that had flourished there during the warmer months. The scene was a depressing tangle of brittle vines, dessicated stems and dead leaves hanging from pots and sticking up from planters. As the snow fell outside and I cleared out the dead plants, I happened to casually glance at one pot standing in a corner, one of the few that had no dead plants needing to be cleaned out. There was nothing special about it, just a pot with dirt in it, but a little voice told me to take a closer look. There, in at least a half dozen places, were the nascent leaves of bulbs poking through the surface. Even here, in the midst of a winter storm, life persists. Spring, in all her glory, will once again fulfill her annual promise of color and beauty.
This was not the only sign of winter's eventual end. Last week I saw new greening in the sedum in my front garden. Just the fact that I had the urge to clear out the old growth at this early date (I usually do this in early to mid spring) is an indication to me that we may have if not an early spring than perhaps an abrupt spring, with the weather changing suddenly from cool to warm all at once.
My garden is a source of great pleasure. In the weeks and months ahead I will share with you the "conversations" I have with my plants and my interpretation of the information they share with me.
Ballo ergo sum,
- Gitana, the Creative Diva
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