Saturday 26 July 2008

The pleasure of POTS and...vases

Poinsettias in a vase make a good show but...are not reliable cutflowers as they wilt quickly.


A small collection of succulents, the white one is a very pretty cactus which grows since many years in this tiny pot. Perhaps I have to give it a bigger one soon.

Snowdrops, Schneegloecklein, Leucojum aestivum, "Irene" is the name of the lady who gave a pot full to my daughter and L. in return offered some corms to me. Irene died in 1990, she was a nice lady and I remember her every winter time I see her snowdrops in flower.

This succulent grows like a little tree and makes bunches of starlike flowers.


I planted a bougainvillea, my daughter made from a cutting, in this pot. Waiting for the warmer times to grow rapidly. For the moment the little terracotta bird has made its home in this pot.


There are still some late Camellias flowering but "Drama Girl" has nearly ended her blooming season. She has been very generous because we had good rainfall to keep her dancers feet nice and moist.


I couldn't praise more the merits of succulents. They are stylish, elegant, easy to grow, cheap to propagate; look practically after themselves, don't need to be pampered, don't need much water ; always cheerful, never talk back and are great companions around the garden!





Basket fern, Drynaria vigidula. I have cut off the old green fronds. Please click to see the intricacy of the basket leaves.

The fertile fronds of this fern can grow up to one and a half metres long. They were once divided, with the divisions extending to the rachis (the main axis of the lamina).
The fronds are irregular, leathery and stalk-like with irregularly toothed margins, their spores in a single row on either side of the mid rib (principal vein).
The nest leaves can be up to 36cm long and 8cm wide.
Its distribution is Queensland generally, and northern New South Wales from the coast to the ranges and the tablelands.
The Basket Fern is a very common fern throughout its range that can grow as an epiphyte or lithophyte (on wet rocks).
These ferns can grow to form large clumps, with fronds of two types on one growth. They have small brown leaves that catch leaf litter from the canopy to provide nutrients and larger leaves at the top to carry the spores.
The Basket Fern’s distinguishing features include the pinnate fertile fronds, and the fleshy rhizome (underground stem) bearing fronds of 2 types.
They are easily grown in a pot or basket of coarse mixture.
The Basket Fern forms a micro-habitat of its own as frogs, ants, birds and possums live there and other ferns and plants germinate in the basket.

'Basket fern' or 'Oakleaf Ferns' Drynaria spp. of the family Polypodiaceae have similar habits to the Bird's Nest fern, growing as epiphytes high in trees and catching debris falling down.
Despite their fertile green fronds being much more slight, they still nevertheless catch and retain a lot of debris with quite different looking 'base leaves' that are brown, short and fat.
Basket ferns are common in rainforest in tropical Australia and Asia, but will also grow on rocks in some drier habitats within this range.


I like Echeverias and how they change their colouring. I think they are the most charming plants and easy to grow too.



Daffodil Erlicheer is the only Daffodil that returns faithfully every winter in my garden.


Succulents are planted in pots in my garden, mainly because I have clay soil that stays wet for a long time after torrential rains we get in summer and winter.



Believe it or not: Liberty can not be preserved without general knowledge among people.(August 1765) John Adams


Organic tip of the week:
Things to avoid when you start to make a vegetable garden.
Low areas to avoid pooling of water
Steep slopes so water has time to seep in before running off.
Shaded areas, as the plants require at least 6 hours of full or partial sunlight.
Near trees due to the problem with tree roots interfering with turning soil.
Next to streets due to automobile fumes.
Treated wood
Leaving soil bare of plants for longer then 30 days
Stepping directly on planting areas.
This is from a very good website: Henry's organic gardening tips.



Thank you for visiting!


















29 comments:

Unknown said...

Lovely collection of succulents--now I'm tempted to plant them! Noticed that your pots are also of so many shapes and patterns, particularly liked the one with the flower painted on it. And the basket-fern! Wow! Reminded me of words from a song..."lace and fineness....". Very pretty!

Lavender and Vanilla Friends of the Gardens said...

Kanak thank you for visiting. The blue pot with the flowers I received once from a neighbour many years ago, she liked doing craftwork. I always liked it too. It is a little bit faded now but that's how I like it anyway.

Linda said...

Titania, you photo with the wall pot and the bench gives me hope. Our bench needs painting and our pot empty and homeless. Thank you, your garden is lovely.

I love the little vase, so much like a 60s vase my Mum had but with a modern twist, precious.

Linda said...

Titania, I didn't want to ask, but is your paint acrylic house paint, would that look OK on my bench? In a cool shade of course.

Katarina said...

Oh, how gorgoeous those snowdrops and the white daffodils are... Makes me almost long for Spring!

By the way, my post is up!
/Katarina

Mother Nature said...

I especially like the pot on the wall with the succulents spilling out.

Marie said...

Lovely photos! In Norway we use Poinsettias for Christmas decoration.

Have a nice Sunday :)

Lavender and Vanilla Friends of the Gardens said...

Thank you Marie; I think this is a nice idea with the red and green. They also come in more and more colours on the market.

Lavender and Vanilla Friends of the Gardens said...

Thank you Donna for your visit.

Ewa said...

Hello Titania,
I just came here from Katarina. Your collection of succulents made me really admire it. I also love them and also grow them in pots, because they get presented better this way :)
Greetings from the garden in Poland,
Ewa

Barbara said...

Sukkulenten ist seit kurzem auch ein Thema für mich (begonnen hat es mit den Semperviven, aus ähnlichen Gründen wie du es beschreibst). Seit einer Woche ist bei mir eine neue, mit dem verheissungsvollen Namen "red lips" in einem Topf. Je mehr Sonne sie bekommt, desto mehr rot soll sie werden...bin ja gespannt.

Sandra said...

Hello Titania!
Again, I can't make up my mind on favorite pot - they all look fantastic - as they were "born" in those places you put them on/in

Lavender and Vanilla Friends of the Gardens said...

Ewa, nice to meet you. I think I have your blog on my favs list. Sort of we have never connected, there are so many! Now I will hop over to have a look at your blog.

Lavender and Vanilla Friends of the Gardens said...

Sandra thank you for visiting. I am always looking forward to your interesting posts. I saw that you have a blog about Croatia. I will go there and explore it.

Lavender and Vanilla Friends of the Gardens said...

Barbara, semperviven sind wunderbar, "die roten Lippen" sind sicher attractiv. Ich habe eine Kalanchoe die hat grosse Flappen die sich jetzt am Rand ganz rot faerben von der "Kaelte" man koennte diese "rote Lappen" nennen!
Pflanzen Namen sind faszinierend.

Julie said...

Ah, you have encouraged me to revisit the use of succulents in my small terrace gardens (front and back). This would be an ideal solution. I have no more land that I can use but I do have walls. I agree with one of your other visitors, that the slanted pot on the wall with the succulents tumbling out looked quite gorgeous.

Lavender and Vanilla Friends of the Gardens said...

Julie thank you for the visit.Pots
on walls lend themselves for great decorations. You can make differnet patterns or just one or two or mass them together. Planted with succulents they don't need the constant attention of watering.
they have fabulous shapes and colours and also reward you with unique flowers.

LadyLuz said...

What a lovely lot of winter cheer. I love your connection with the snowdrops nad your friend. I have an aeonium "Swartzkopf" like that and have the great,great,great grandaughters of one from 25 years ago that a friend gave me.

Those pussy cat slippers.....very fetching and comfy looking!

Rowena said...

All of your succulents are gorgeous! I've tried keeping a few of them, but they never make it in the winter, even if we keep them in the house. Perhaps for the lack of humidity?

Still trying to get the hang of Blotanical! Boy am I a slow learner, but realistically it's because I've been spending so much time outside. Now if I had plants like you do, outside is the only place I'd want to be!

Meems said...

titania: what a lovely combination of pots and cut flowers. You might try burning the ends of your cut poinsettias. Hold the fire ( I use a lighter)on the newly cut stem end for a few seconds to sear the sap and then place in water ... works like a charm... they will last for about a week in a vase.

I don't grow succulents but I have to say yours are quite lovely.
Meems @Hoe&Shovel

Lavender and Vanilla Friends of the Gardens said...

ladyluz, thank you for your visit.
It is nice to remember friends from way back through their plants. In my garden it happens quite often I can say hello to my friends through the plants they have given to me. I have a 20 year old Euphorbia called Sadie which I got as a cutting from a lady. Unfortunately she died quite young when she was only 42 years old. Her cutting is a big plant now and still growing and thriving.

Kerri said...

Your garden has such a wonderful selection of plants. I love the succulents. What a great collection you have! I enjoy each and every stroll...which is what your posts are to me...a stroll through your garden. I'd love to do it in person and hear all about this plant and that. Your love for them, and all of nature is obvious.
By the way, I forgot to say I love the picture of your granddaughter in the 'tagged' post. She's a cutie :)

Lavender and Vanilla Friends of the Gardens said...

Dear Kerri, Thank you so much for your visit. It is always nice to hear from you. I went back into your garden to have a stroll around again. I love the Astilbes you have planted. The larkspur with the old fence I can relate to our property where we raised Hereford cattle. Your whole garden is a flower paradise.

Janice said...

You have a great collection of succulents. I have just started a small collection in my garden. Most are in pots as well. I agree, they do complement many plants.

Lavender and Vanilla Friends of the Gardens said...

Thank you Janice for stopping by.

Barbee' said...

titania, Your beach scene in Yuraygir Park is a beautiful photo! Your garden has so many different kinds of plants! Interesting collection.

Lavender and Vanilla Friends of the Gardens said...

Thank you Barbee for calling in.

Di DeCaire said...

Fantastic! You've inspired me to take some photos of my containers. I almost forgot.

Lavender and Vanilla Friends of the Gardens said...

Thank you Di for stopping by.