GIANT Terrarium

Check out this giant terrarium at the University of Arizona in Tucson called the Biosphere 2. It uses solar panels and the sun to create this lush landscape in an arid desert.

Just like a giant terrarium!

http://www.b2science.org/

Lo vs. the Vines 2009 - round 1

Bella watching the sunset over the orange trees.  End of round 1.

I am definitely realizing that I am a greenhorn gardener in a very mature yard.  So I worked like a dog all weekend yanking decades old vines out of our citrus trees and off our fences.  I pruned some of the undergrowth out of our lemon tree and it looks adorable now.   I must have cut a whole dumpster's worth of dead growth with loppers and hauled it to the back corner of the yard.  Bella the Cat watched interestedly from inside the whole weekend.

After cutting for hours in the sun I really developed an intuitive feeling for the vines.  They are so old- at least 30 years or more- and I couldn't help but marvel that due to their unchecked growth over the years they had really established themselves.  It's an example of the great lengths (literally) such an invasive plant with 0 impediment can reach. I could start following long tendrils back to the source branch, which made my cuts more effective.  I didn't event get a chance to rake all the dead growth out of the weeds on the ground.  At least the overhead growth is cut back and sunlight will start reaching the potted plants more effectively.

Round 1: Lo wins.  

Spring Garden Plans

I am excitedly planing the back courtyard garden of our house in Santa Barbara.  A roommate with a penchant for leaving dead plants all over the yard recently moved out.  While she lived in the house I was very un-motivated to keep the yard "up" as it looked horrible back there with all her junk anyways.  Now that she is gone I am interested in it again.

 Our garden is unique in that we have a.) a large perma-shade area below mature orange trees overgrown with vines and 2.) a large patio with little opportunity for plants to be in full day sun and most importantly 3.) 60 years of citrus trees growing as tall as they want coupled with hugely invasive overgrown vines makes the area a constant battle ground.  It's an uphill battle all the time to keep things in check.  But I think I am finally ready to invest myself into it as it's my second year in the house and I think I'd like to stay for a while.

For the shaded area I am thinking fuchsias, calla lilies and ferns.  Growing up we had a double fuchsia like one pictured above and my favorite pass time was popping the buds.  

I would also like to focus on evergreen plants that will provide scent.  My parents have a lovely jasmine plant growing up a trellis against a wall (like one above) that I might want to try on the patio.

For what little part of the yard that does get ample sun I would like to do native plants and plants that will attract birds and butterflies.  I love white sage, honeysuckle and butterfly bush.

Latana also grows like a weed in zone 24 and attracts many bees and butterflies.  I think I'd like to do these in pots on the patio as they are so pretty but grow so low to the ground.

While I'd love to start thinking about patio furniture - ultimately the next step is a lot of vine cutting and earth-hoeing.  Wish me luck!

Welcome

More on Madame Ganna Walska of Lotusland, Santa Barbara

The warm spring air in California seems to be bringing out the garden interest in the general public. The Santa Barbara Independent had a wonderful article on the public and private gardens in the area and had a blurb and this photo of Madame Ganna Walska, visionary behind Lotusland.

Bzzz.

I have a love/love relationship with bees so when I came across this I had to share.  Although this lil' fella is a bumblebee I'm still inspired.

Original post at Jezebel.

Wine Bottle Terrarium

This is one of my older terrariums in a wine bottle. It's lasted for about a year and has really filled in. In this photo you can really see the layers of gravel, charcoal, dried moss and soil in the bottle.

My sister has been asking for a terrarium for ever now. I was hesitant to give her a terrarium that hadn't properly settled for fear it would dry out or die or get diseased. However as this one has lasted so long I am proud to give it to her.

The sword fern [nephrolepis cordifolia] is doing so well that runner plants are growing off the parent plant and on the side of the bottle. Some of the older fronds are turning brown and dying but I think the decomposition will not harm the eco balance in the bottle.