The Gardener's Eden

The delicate silk of a white tulip, luminous petals unfolding in morning light; freesia caught in a glowing rouge blush; the timeless, feminine allure of flowers, all beautifully captured here by artist Bill Dwight. Intoxicatingly fragrant and sensual to the touch, flowers can change a mood, stir a memory, calm the senses. The undeniable, transformative power of the blossom is revealed on a cold midwinter’s day. Thank you Bill Dwight, for a glorious prelude to spring…

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Photographs © 2010 Bill Dwight – All Rights Reserved

For further information about Bill’s photography, please visit the artist’s Facebook page: Bill Dwight

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All content on this site, (with noted exceptions), is the property of The Gardener’s Eden and may not be used or reproduced without written consent. Thank you.

Inspired? Give the gift of flowers for Valentine’s Day and beyond. Specials for readers of The Gardener’s Eden from our sponsors and affiliates…

20% off White Flower Farm Gift Certificates Over $50 for Valentine’s Day! Use Code AS309. Offer valid 1/30/10 to 2/14/10
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Tin Luminarias Glowing on the Winter Garden Path

A few years ago, I attended a beautiful winter party at a friend’s house. She took the time to make the night special, and I will always remember the warmth and glow of her house, lit from within by hundreds of candles, as I arrived on that cold evening. It was breathtaking.

I also like to surprise the people I care about with visual treats. Creating a memorable occasion needn’t be expensive or labor intensive, but it does require a bit of planning. When I have a group of friends over for dinner, or even for a more intimate tete-a-tete, I like to set the mood by illuminating the garden walkway as well as the house. In summer, when winds are lighter, it’s easy to simply set out votives or pillar candles for a pretty glow. But in autumn and winter, the wind easily extinguishes candles unless they are protected. Sometimes I will make ice-lanterns or rolled paper bags with sand to create traditional luminarias. But I am always on the lookout for something new.

While cleaning my basement last month, I found a stack of aluminum flashing leftover from the construction of my studio. I love playing around with sheet metal of all kinds, so I brought the stack upstairs and waited for inspiration to strike. Last week, while having dinner at a local Mexican restaurant, I noticed some pretty punched-tin stars hanging from the rafters. They gave me the idea for these easy-to-make tin luminarias. I put together 5 of them in less than an hour, (see directions below), and I think I will make an entire box to decorate the front walkway for my next party. Now I just need to invent an occasion and hope for clear weather! Pushed into the snow or gravel along a path, I think the lanterns are beautiful – glowing and sparkling like a starry sky…

Trio of Tin Luminarias

Materials list:

Aluminum flashing in 5″ x 7″ strips or a long roll, (available in hardware stores)

Galvanized steel wire (I used 24 gauge)

An awl, hole punch or another sharp, pointed object

Hammer

Scrap wood for work surface

Votive candles

Directions: (click to enlarge any photo)

Gather materials and select two pieces of aluminum flashing, (or one long piece). Punch holes evenly along the sides as shown, (I doubled up pieces for matching, evenly spaced holes. Then, randomly punch holes on the surface, (or in patterns or shapes). Stitch together two pieces of aluminum with steel wire as shown, (or if you are using a single cut piece from a roll, then make a tube shape and stitch together the sides). Roll the tube to connect the ends and stitch together the other side. After you have finished, twist the ends in a loop and tuck to the sides. Set outdoors, pushing the bottom into the soil, gravel or snow,  and fill with lit votive candles…

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Photo ⓒ Michaela at TGE

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Article and photographs © 2010 Michaela at The Gardener’s Eden

All content on this site, (with noted exceptions), is the property of The Gardener’s Eden and may not be used or reproduced without prior written consent. Inspired by something you see here? Great! Please give credit where credit is due. It’s a small world and link-love makes for fond friendships. Stealing makes for bad dreams…

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Wishing you all things Merry and Bright !

Happy Holidays !

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*Bright red cranberries and candles make a lovely, quick and natural centerpiece for the holiday table. To make one like mine, (I snapped the top photo last night while wrapping presents):  fill a shallow glass bowl, (midway to the top), with water. Add fresh cranberries to cover the surface, and float a few candles here and there. The cranberries can be rinsed and re-used later, (you can also scatter them outside for hungry birds…). Please be sure to keep an eye on candles, and never leave them in an unattended room. Have a warm, safe holiday !

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All photos copyright 2009, Michaela at The Gardener’s Eden

All content on this site, (with noted exceptions), is the property of The Gardener’s Eden and may not be used or reproduced without express, written permission. Inspired by something you see here? Please give credit where credit is due. It’s a small world and link-love makes for fond friendships. Stealing makes for bad dreams…

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A tiny Phalaenopsis orchid , (‘The White Moth’) , displayed in an open terrarium lined with pea stone/charcoal mix, and filled with a bed of bark, sphagnum and sheet moss…

Last week in ‘Terrariums Part One‘, I went over basic instructions demonstrating how terrariums are constructed, and introducing terrarium-newcomers to the beautiful, fascinating world of miniature conservatories. Starting with a simple terrarium, such as the native plant design I featured last week, is a good idea if you have never experimented with terrariums before, or if you are working with young children. However if you have already had some success with basic terrariums and houseplants, and you want to experiment with more unusual tropical plants or something a bit more challenging, you may be ready to move on to some less-typical interpretations of this indoor display method. Whether you go with a classic or a more modern design, keep in mind that a homemade terrarium is both an economical and memorable gift, and there is still plenty of time to come up with something truly special before Christmas…

Open bowl-style terrarium and a blown-glass bulb amid pink polka dot plant, (Hypoestes phyllostachya), purple velvet plant, (Gynura aurantiaca), and golden hair grass (Deschampsia flexuosa ‘Tatra gold’) All plants featured here are from: The Old School House Plantery

Begin by letting your imagination run wild. There are as many kinds of terrariums as there are people creating them. Terrariums may be open or closed, short and wide or tall and narrow. They may be made of solid glass, acrylic or plastic, or they can be combined with other materials, such as wood or steel. Some tiny greenhouses are smaller than lemons; others take up entire rooms. I have seen absolutely stunning, miniature conservatories made from recycled or even antique glass containers, and I have been amazed by more modern, architectural terrariums constructed from sheets of clear acrylic. Some designers like to add tiny collectibles, such as doll furniture or figurines to their designs. Other creative adornments might include itty-bitty flower pots, toy cars, prisms or glass balls. It is endless. The plants contained within terrariums also vary wildly. Naturally, your choices are limited by a wide variety of situational conditions and circumstances; including plant availability, budget, design, mature specimen size in relation to container, as well as ease of maintenance. There are also cultural requirements to consider; a few of which include humidity preferences, drainage and soil structure and chemistry.

Many plants will thrive within a moist, humid terrarium environment. In fact some, including many of my favorite orchids, actually perform better in my dry, winter home when contained within glass. The tiny moth orchid, (Phalaeonopsis), pictured at the top of this post, ($9 at Home Depot), is happily growing in a mixture of bark and sphagnum moss. Drainage is provided by a mix of pea stone and charcoal at the bottom of the container. Phalaeonopsis thrive in warm, moist conditions. Elevated humidity is provided by a tall, wide glass vase, (found at Target for $12), which holds water and reduces evaporation.

On the other hand many plants, including most alpines, cacti, succulents and herbs, tend to wither and rot in low light and dampness. But given the right container and growing conditions, some of these plants may be grown in glass planters as well. Of course, more exacting personalities might argue that wide-mouthed, glass pedestal bowls do not technically qualify as a terrariums. I encourage you to expand on these old-fashioned definitions, and to explore the concept of the modern terrarium. Although succulents are not good candidates for closed conservatories, they do make fantastic additions to open glass bowls – particularly the urn-shaped vessels intended for candy and fruit display….

A modern interpretation of the classic terrarium: non-traditional, dramatic succulents contained within a delicate glass pedestal bowl. All featured plants : The Old School House Plantery…

I created a lovely succulent bowl, similar to the one above, to give as a holiday gift this year. I liked it so much that I ended up making this one for myself. I selected a glass pedestal bowl intended for fruit display, ($9 at Target), and lined the bottom and sides with polished black stone, both for practical drainage and decorative drama. The center well was slowly filled with a good potting mix and plants. Designing a terrarium or glass planter is no different from any other garden design project. Color, texture, shape, structural density and form always come into play when designing with plants. I wanted to make this classic shaped bowl a bit modern. Many succulents have bold, geometric shapes, so they seemed like the perfect choice. I love the contrast of these thick-fleshed, colorful plants against the clear, delicate glass. For my vertical element I chose stately snake plant, (Sanseveria trifasiata ‘Laurentii’), and for the mounded, central feature, I chose one large and another small Mexian rose, (Echeveria ‘Pearl’). The trio of plants is softened by the trailing, delicate beauty of variegated elephant bush, (Portulacaria afra variegata). Perhaps stalwarts of terrarium design will brush this combination off as merely a conventional planting. But I think this modern terrarium-hybrid lies somewhere between, and defies hard-line definitions.

Of course, before you begin assembling your glass container plantings, there are a few things to keep in mind. Knowing something about your plant’s natural environment and cultural preference is the key to horticultural success under any circumstances. You can find this information by looking the plant up online or in an encyclopedia, (see library page for good reference books). If you provide a plant with what it wants and needs, odds are much better that it will reward you with lasting beauty and long life. But remember that half the fun of gardening, inside or out, is experimentation. This is an art as well as a science, so have fun and be creative. If your plantings start to look a bit lack-luster, you can always re-configure your arrangements and/or swap containers. I move plants around all the time!

I will be back with more terrarium resources, tips and ideas, as well as other indoor gardening projects soon. In the meantime, some great ideas for terrariums and indoor-plants may be found in Tova Martin’s fabulous new book The New Terrarium: Creating Beautiful Displays for Plants and Nature, and/or Diana Yakeley’s beautifully photographed title, Indoor Gardening. Together with a gift certificate from a local greenhouse, either of these books would make an unexpected, much appreciated gift for novice and expert gardeners alike.

All plants pictured are from : The Old School House Plantery

Article and photographs copyright 2009, Michaela at The Gardener’s Eden. All content on this site, (with noted exceptions), is the property of The Gardener’s Eden and may not be used or reproduced without express written permission. Inspired by something you see here? Please give credit where credit is due. It’s a small world and link-love makes for fond friendships. Stealing makes for bad dreams…

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A seasonal terrarium filled with North American forest plants…

I am very fortunate to live and work surrounded by gardens. Even in winter, nature is part of my everyday life. But not everyone is so lucky. Some of us have friends and family members working in city high rises, crowded into sterile offices or lifeless cubicles. As gardeners, I’d like to think that we can alter this situation, especially around the holidays, by bringing a little bit of nature into these people’s lives. A few years back a friend of mine gave a magical, mist-covered terrarium as a birthday gift to a mutual acquaintance. This gorgeous garden-behind-glass, filled with ferns and moss, inspired me to create one for a nature-lover I know; one sadly trapped inside a concrete jungle.

I have loved building mini-greenhouses ever since grade school, when they were a big fad with my friends. Although terrariums disappeared for awhile, I am happy to report that this indoor gardening trend has returned – and with a vengeance ! Terrariums are all the rage right now. The popular craft and decorating blog Design * Sponge has been running spots on glass covered terrarium ornaments and even haunted ‘terror-ariums’ for months, and suddenly it seems that tiny greenhouses are turning up everywhere from trendy restaurants and hotel lobbies to libraries and classrooms. With the surge in terrarium popularity, you might think that keeping plants beneath glass is a new idea. But small-scale, glass covered gardens have gone in and out of fashion for centuries. The Victorians were particularly elaborate, designing exquisite table-top greenhouses and free-standing conservatories in miniature, (usually fashioned from plate glass and forged iron). These days, we are seeing everything from itty-bitty, hanging glass-globe-gardens to enormous, sculptural terrariums; masterful works of art and horticultural science.

Creating a basic terrarium is very simple, and it’s a fun project for kids and adults alike. All you need to begin is a glass jar with a lid, a bag of pea gravel, sphagnum moss, potting soil, a spray-bottle filled with water, and a selection of rocks, bark, sticks and plants. Holiday conservatories, filled with birch bark, native moss, ferns and partridge berry look particularly lovely centered on a dining table or grouped together on a mantel. Terrarium design is limited only by your own imagination! For inspiration, I love Tovah Martin’s book, The New Terrrarium, pictured below…

The New Terrarium: Creating Beautiful Displays for Plants and Nature

To build a terrarium like the one I made, (pictured at the top of this article), begin by locating a clear glass container with a lid. The smaller one pictured here is an Anchor Hocking 3 quart, glass kitchen canister. You can find these at Target or order them through the various links below. If you are planting your first terrarium, or if you are working with school-aged children, I recommend starting with simple containers or jars. If you are making a holiday gift, or feeling more adventurous, then by all means get more creative with antique apothecary jars, glass cake domes, or specialty terrarium containers.

Now, just follow the simple steps below…

Step one: Purchase pea gravel or aquarium stone, sphagnum moss, (for native plants I also recommend peat moss), and good, dry potting soil, (you can get all of these things at a local home store like Home Depot). Collect decorative materials such as stones, bark, twigs, and pine cones from nature or purchase these types of items from a craft store. Select and buy small plants from a local greenhouse/florist or through online resources. Cover the table top with newspaper before you begin – this is a messy project !

Step two: Fill the bottom of the glass container with about an inch of pea stone gravel. This is important for drainage, but you really only need a bit to cover the bottom. You can get more creative, as you gain experience…

Step Three: Add a layer of sphagnum moss, (sometimes called sheet moss), to hold in the soil and retain moisture. This is optional, but I find it helps the terrarium remain neat. You can also add horticultural charcoal to keep the jar fresh, but it isn’t necessary, (I skipped this for my holiday terrariums)…

Step Four: Add potting soil,(and peat moss if you are planting acid-loving natives like ferns and moss). Make a mound so that the plants in the center will be visible from all sides…

Step Five: Add bark bits here and there, and wet down the contents of the jar thoroughly with a water-filled spray mister, like the one shown above. Let the contents settle for a few minutes and then add your plants. For my native terrarium, I added club moss,(Lycopodium), partridge berry, (Mitchella), and a forest moss called Dicranella. I also scattered tiny pine cones and birch bark in the jar to make the woodsy scene more realistic. Mist your terrarium thoroughly after planting and cover with the glass lid. Check your plants over the next few days and water with your mister if they seem dry.

You are finished ! Terrariums need very little maintenance. They are the perfect project for new indoor-gardeners. All you need to do is check on them once a month or so, and add water if necessary. Once terrariums are established, they can go months without any attention at all. Humidity and condensation inside the jar will generally keep things alive and well.

Below I have pasted some jar photos to give you some container ideas. But if you have the time, let your creative mind be your guide. Once you begin, you may find yourself catching terrarium-mania. I know I have. In fact, I am headed to my local greenhouse tomorrow for some tropical inspiration. Next week I will share what I find for my larger table-top terrarium. You can go wild with all kinds of plants from African violets and orchids to exotic ferns and moss. I will be back with more terrarium plants, containers and ideas soon…

Container ideas and links…

This glass cake cover with a dome lid, ($39.99 from Target),  makes a beautiful terrarium…

Luigi Bormioli Michelangelo Cake Plate with Dome

This one from Anchor Hocking at Amazon has a more open lip, and the price is a bit lower, ($24.99, free shipping). A Low ceiling like this means you will be limited to tiny plants, such as moss and miniature ferns…

Anchor Hocking Presence Cake Dome Set

Set of 4, 1 Gallon Terrarium Jars from Anchor Hocking at Amazon, $39.96

Anchor Hocking 1-Gallon Terrarium, Pack of 4

Apothecary jars make lovely terrariums. They are available in many sizes. You can seek them out in antique shops or buy them new. I found these sets from Anchor Hocking company at Amazon.com. I also spotted lots of cool, inexpensive jars at Target and the local grocery store.

Small sized set of six $23.94 with free shipping…

Anchor Hocking 95596 12-Ounce Clear-Glass Apothecary Jars with Lids, Set of 6

Or larger sized set of four $27.96 with free shipping…

Anchor Hocking 40-Ounce Apothecary Jar with Glass Cover, Pack of 4

A 3-Quart clear jar will make a nice sized terrarium. The top lid makes for easy maintenance…

Anchor Hocking 3-Quart Heritage Hill Jar with Glass Lid

There is a huge selection available through Amazon…

Glass Jars with Lids at Amazon

Terrarium Kit with Partridge Berry and Moss

Of course if you are running short of time over the holiday season, or say you want to send a fun horticultural project to a far away youngster, this easy kit may be a good gift choice for you…

Partridge Berry Bowl Terrarium Kit – Great Gift! – Easy

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Article and photographs, (with the exception of linked products), copyright 2009, Michaela at The Gardener’s Eden. All content on this site is the property of The Gardener’s Eden and may not be used or reproduced without express, written consent. Inspired by something you see here? Please give credit where credit is due. It’s a small world and link-love makes for fond friendships. Stealing makes for bad dreams…

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The Forest Illuminated, Photograph © 2009 Michaela at The Gardener’s Eden

I have never been much of a Black Friday enthusiast. Frankly, I would rather snuggle up by a cozy fire with a good book, or a notebook and pen, listening to Erik Satie and sipping hot, mulled cider. But if you are going out today, I hope that you will have fun. Please take care when traveling the busy roadways – safe travels this weekend everyone.

December is just around the corner, and of course the coming month is filled with holiday celebrations in many cultures, all around the world. There are dozens of wonderful traditions surrounding the winter solstice, and one of my favorites is the old pagan ritual of adorning a tree with lights and decorations. So rather than busting down doors at the mall, this weekend I will begin decorating for the festival of light.

A few months back I received a note from reader Nanette Pigaga, asking to use an image from The Gardener’s Eden on the The Garden Club of New Jersey website, which she administers. Nanette’s letter also included a lovely story she wrote about her family’s tradition of harvesting Christmas trees at a local New Jersey farm. The article, featured below, was originally published in 2008 by the Ridgewood News. Visiting a local, sustainable farm and buying a tree is a great way to support your community at this time of year. I thought this might be a good time to introduce special guest-posts here on The Gardener’s Eden. Thank you for sharing your story Nanette….

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I asked my mother the other day when and why we began to cut down our Christmas trees.  I could never remember going to a lot to pick one out, I told her.  However, I do remember the many times my two sisters and I accompanied my mom into the magical fields of a tree farm in Lakeville, Indiana, a 30 minute or so drive south of our home in northern Indiana.  We left the boys (my father and older brother) at home.  What my mom revealed to me in this recent conversation was a story with the following elements: 1) my dad was always responsible for bringing our trees home because, 2) my mom was busy taking care of four children.  I guess I was to read into that comment that taking four children Christmas tree shopping, lot or farm, might be too much for any parent to handle!  In any event, my dad 3) came home with a tree one year in which the needles fell completely off within two weeks, and 4) it was decided that my mom would be in charge of tree selection from then on.  I guess I was to read into that comment that someone complained too much for any father to handle!

Just as in those days of my childhood, I have continued the holiday tree selection in the rain, snow, wind and slush of early winter, loving every minute.  When I moved to Philadelphia, I sought out a tree farm.  Ken and I were dating then, and we drove to seven farms throughout New Jersey in one day (I remember the day well- the temperature was 70 degrees) until we found the “perfect tree” at Hall Tree Farm in Glen Gardner.   That was 1978.  We have been going to Hall Tree Farm in that mountainside hamlet ever since.  Mrs. Knorr ran the farm then, and handed out lollipops to all the children from her outdoor “office”, a little red hut, one of the original ticket booths from the 1964 New York World’s Fair.  When calling to get directions, I remember her telling me to, “Just ask anyone in town the way up here.”  Her grandson Scott was a kid then, helping customers tie their selections onto the roofs of their cars.  He took the farm over several years ago, before his grandmother passed away.  Scott has now placed signs leading the way up the mountain to the farm, and has culled the fields of those trees that became overgrown or grew too close together during the years his grandmother’s health was failing.  What now remains is a farm with a large variety of beautifully shaped evergreens to make any grandmother proud.  Scott is there with his cadre of family and friends the day after Thanksgiving 8am-3:30pm and weekends until Christmas to help everyone find their perfect tree.  They will lend you one of their saws (saws brought in are not allowed, to avoid the risk of disease) if you want to cut your tree yourself, or they will perform the act for you.  Transportation for your tree is via tractor-drawn cart.  You and/or the kids can go along for the ride.   The staff will tie your tree securely to the top of your car.  If you go, be certain to check out the Concolor Fir variety, an aromatic, long needle tree.  We have been purchasing nothing else since 1982, when we discovered its needles still fully pliable after four weeks.  Keep your eyes open for wild turkeys and other signs of Mother Nature (last year Scott pointed out evidence bear had been visiting).  If you own dogs, let them romp to their hearts content.  No trip would be complete without stopping at the rustic Woodglen General Store for breakfast sandwiches or lunch immediately after your trek into the country.  Directions to both locations are below.

Nanette Pigaga

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Nanette Pigaga is the Web Administrator for the Garden Club of New Jersey

and the Women Gardeners of Ridgewood, New Jersey

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Hall Tree Farm

93 Red Mill Road

Glen Gardner, New Jersey 08826

(908) 537-2056

Open 8am-3:30pm Friday, November 27th and every Sat & Sun ’til Christmas

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Woodglen General Store

549 E Hill Rd

Califon, New Jersey 07830

(908) 638-4082

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Story copyright Nanette Pigaga, used here with the author’s permission

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If you have a special story, recipe, project or tradition to share, please contact me, (see link at left). I always look forward to hearing from all of you and reading your replies and suggestions.

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Happy Holidays! – Michaela

All content on this site, (with noted exceptions), is the property of The Gardener’s Eden and may not be used or reproduced for any reason without express written permission. Inspired by something you see here? Please give credit where credit is due. It’s a small world and link-love makes for fond friendships. Stealing makes for bad dreams…

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Winterberry branches, in a modern glass vase, beside my painting studio door

One of my favorite ways to prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday is to decorate my home and studio with natural remnants from my garden. At the end of my day yesterday afternoon, I stopped along the bank of the Connecticut river and gathered some native bittersweet vine, (Celastrus scandens), for wreaths and table arrangements. Over the past couple of weeks, I have also been collecting pine cones, berry covered twigs and fruit tree branches from around my property. These autumn remnants will fill vases, urns and baskets around my home. Later I will add some berries and pine cones to my wreaths and door swags, setting aside a few extra decorations to give as gifts. When the holidays have passed, I will recycle my decorations by bringing the berry branches back outdoors to provide food for birds. The pine cones will remain indoors, where I will use them to start fires in my wood stove…

Gathered winterberry branches, (Ilex verticillata),  from the garden

I started decorating this morning by filling vases with berry branches and baskets with pine cones. Just adding a little bit of color and texture from the garden really brightened the house and lifted my spirits. I thought I would share some photos of my dried table and floor arrangements as I get ready for the holidays. This weekend I plan to continue making simple, decorative baskets and wreaths – so there will be more ideas coming next week. The best part? All of these decorations came from my garden or nature; the only costs are time and energy – both well spent…

Pine cones, dried and arranged in a basket on my kitchen table

Bittersweet, in an Aletha Soule gunmetal-glaze pitcher, on a table in my studio

Crabapple branches in a Richard Foye raku vase in my bedroom

Winterberry branch, (Ilex verticillata)

Winterberry, placed in an urn on the second floor landing of my studio

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Article and photographs copyright 2009, Michaela at The Gardener’s Eden

Please do not use or reproduce my photographs, for any reason, without permission

All content on this site, (with noted exceptions), is the property of The Gardener’s Eden and may not be used or reproduced for any reason without express written permission. Inspired by something you see here? Please give credit where credit is due. It’s a small world and link-love makes for fond friendships. Stealing makes for bad dreams…

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