Building Nature

Creative art collaborations should inspire viewers look at something differently — 
Take, for example, this Lego installation at the Huntsville botanical gardens, which connects nature and art in a whimsical manner. 

Placing playful sculptures within in this vast environment, juxtaposes complicated and elegant natural beings with the most basic of building blocks. 

There is something innately appealing about Lego blocks. They transcend age limits and invoke a feeling of vast possibilities. And while they could never recreate the delicate reality of a butterfly wing or a lily petal, I sure do like seeing them try. 

Gardening Indoors

Now that Fall is upon us, I'm packing the garden in and gearing up for a long winter without from my yard's bountiful blooms. To bring a little (low maintenance) life into the house, I've picked up some tiny terrariums from Bird and Feather.

The glass bobble terrariums contain stones, (non-living) moss and air plants. Air plants need very little water, and are maintained by dunking the whole plant under water every few days. They have little to no roots, and simply sit on top of the stones.

I initially planned to hang the planters, but after going through the process of installing hooks, I thought they were hard to seen when hung and I liked them as a focal point and a centerpiece better. Chances are, these green guys will make their way around the house, bringing life to different rooms during different seasons. 

Bird and Feather is run by a sweet couple right here in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Quite often they can be found at the Fulton Street Farmer's Market on the weekends. Otherwise, their plants can also be picked up at Have Company on Division. 

I Can Hear Your Hair

Ever wonder what sound a plant makes when it grows? "Nyokki" is a Japanese onomatopeia that mimics the sound of a plant growing! It is pronounced "n-yoo-key".

And these little Nyokki plants are adorable, fast-growing friends.You can style their "hair", trim and grow again

Luigi has been growing his lovely locks for about a month now, and today I gave him his first haircut. We wanted it to be memorable so we want with a mohawk! I think it suits him quite nicely!

September: In Full Bloom

2012 is going to go down as the hottest summer on record—nationwide. But the hot summer seems to be behind us now, and the first thing I did when I realized Fall was upon us was head to Fruitbasket Flowerland to pick up 2 new sets of their sub-zero pansies. 

They immediately went into my south-facing window boxes, cheering up the whole Façade. I was delighted. So what's my obsession with sub-zero pansies?

Well I planted them last October, with little faith that they'd winter over as promised. But Christmas Eve they were still blooming.

And after a short January nap, they were back going strong by March. Here they are in purple glory on March 22nd. 

They held their own until the end of July, when, after I returned from vacation, they were looking pretty parched. By the end of August, the record heat had them pretty much sizzled. But now that temperatures are falling, I've filled the baskets up with some purple and yellow blooms, with high expectations of a repeat MVP performance!

The only place i've seen this breed of pansies is at Fruitbasket. Go get some—consider this my green thumb approval!

A Girl could have Worse Problems.

So it's August, and the garden is in full force and it seems that every year I face the same struggle—cucumber overload.

I've made pickles. And cucumber tomato salad. And experimented with gazpacho. And now I'm venturing into cucumber infused vodka.

Unfortunately I won't be able to taste this concoction for another 3 days. So sit tight, And when I found out how fabulous it is, I'll invite you all over for a toast!

Oh, and if you're in need of a cucumber (or 5), skip the market and give me a ring!

Cheers!

Real Fresh Corn

"Well, I like fresh corn. I mean real fresh corn. So I think maybe I'll just take a hot plate out to the garden, make a pot of boiling water, then I won't even pick that corn - I'll bend that stalk till the ear dips into the water, and I'll eat it right there standing up."

–Col. Potter, M*A*S*H, Goodbye, Farewell and Amen

If I'm going to consider cooking a form of creating, than I think I need to also include growing.

Gardening is not something I imagine myself enjoying, in fact, yardwork was in the "con" category when I was considering buying a house. But now there is nothing better than coming home from work and spending an hour in the yard getting dirt under my nails while the sun casts a brilliant glow across the river.

And is there any purer way to eat than taking ten steps outside your door, picking fresh produce and then preparing dinner?

Today I enjoyed the first taste of my 2011 gardening labors. And as I ate my fresh green onions roasted with farmer's market asparagus, and watched the soft raindrops start to fall on the river, I thought, my grandpa might be right — life may, in fact, be good.

When the Clouds Part

It was another successful shopping excursion this weekend. The results were some flare for my yard.

On the left—my new window boxes, and on the right, a new table, purchased at Changing Thymes*. I'm just thankful the rain stopped this afternoon long enough to see my new treasures!

*Changing Thymes is a fantastic home decor/antique store in Grandville, it used to be called Somewhere in Thyme, which I wrote about last July.

Vermicompost* on the Rocks

Digging worms is one of the stranger ways I've ever spent a Saturday evening.

But for the sake of my first-ever-compost-bin, dig we did.

In effort to recycle as much as possible and rid garbage of stench in the upcoming humid months, I've decided to try composting with worms. In one of the city's old blue recycling bins (recycling the recycle bin!) I've created a mini maintainable ecosystem.

In layers, it's: leaves, shredded newspaper, worms, soil and food scraps. It really is that simple. DIY with Martha.

*From the Latin word vermi meaning worm. Vermicompost is a matter rich in nutrients.

2 Peas. 1 Pod.

The best thing about April is getting seeds into the ground. It's gardening season—and my seeds have sprung. The first hints of peas and radishes came up this morning.

Using wine corks as a stamp, I've marked their location with these lovely signs. I stole this design from her highness, Martha Stewart.* ( March issue of MS Living) (click to enlarge image)

If you too have baby seedlings popping up in desperate need of labeling, here are some other DIY designs. Vintage Fabric Markers and Twig Plant Markers. (Design*Sponge and Martha Stewart respectively).

Happy Gardening!

*I really feel like if the world didn't already have a Martha I could have filled the void. But as my cards were dealt one generation too late, I'll have to stand back with everyone and pay respect to the queen busy-body.