Hopalong Hollow....

Hopalong Hollow, where the Blueberries grow sweet, and the moss feels soft beneath your feet.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Autumn chores, and bringing the garden inside with terrariums, "gardens under glass"

The young chickpeas and I had worked diligently in the garden.
As you can see, they were tuckered out, and needed a short siesta. 
They resemble little  plump pumpkins sitting all in a row.

First we cleaned out all the garden debris... ending up with carts and barrows of quack grass and weeds. I yanked it out with vigor and must confess that I am capable of swearing like a sailor. I let the gardens go to rack and ruin in August and am now paying the price.

 This little gal is my sweet pea, she is my constant garden companion .She comes a runnin' whenever she hears me call "Chikoletto! Chikoletto!"( that is chicken-speak for "Get over here you little beggar!"). When she sees me scrape, scrape, scraping in the dirt, she thinks I am her mama because I feed her tasty grubs and crickets whenever they appear beneath my hoe. Today, she gobbled at least  2 dozen creepy crawlies.

 I love her.
Chicken owners will understand this strange affection.
 After 2 days of annihilating the dreaded garden crab grass, I planted these wonderful winter cabbages, mums, violets and snaps. All of  these should continue to bloom well into December. The Kale and cabbages will still be around by next Spring!





.

   This is my last swing at gardening for the season.. but I just couldn't pass up a cartload of 1/2 priced perennials. Plant, mulch and cross my fingers that they will be WONDERFUL next year!
 

If you want to bring the outside, inside, for the winter months, take my advice and put together some terrariums. That is what I did during the summer, and now, we have a house full of greenery to cheer us up when the dreariness of winter takes over in January and February.
 
These miniature gardens under glass have been adorning our porch, but I have brought all of them inside to keep them from the cold and to keep us happy during the winter. There is something magical in  witnessing the tiny plants thrive inside those glass worlds.
  These are in the bathroom.

Very woodsy, don't you think?
 .

These are in the bedroom..

Along with this WONDERFUL teapot I just got for my birthday
Isn't this a stunning antique pot ?! It is pewter and enamelware with carnations and cattails. I think it is circa 1890's.

These terrariums are so easy to make, and require very little care.  This is what you need.
Glass container: You can find glass cloches, or ball jars, round fish tanks or glass containers just about anywhere.
Lidded containers are best, because you want these to be self-contained green houses, which need very little watering.
Potting soil mixed with peat moss, and perlite
and
 pebbles
and
Very small PLANTS
 and 
Charcoal
(get the kind used in fish aquariums) 
and
 Sphagnum Moss
.

Line the sides of your container with the moss,about 5 inches high.


 put about 1 inch of pebbles in the bottom of your container.


Charcoal
.
 Layer 1/2 inch of charcoal on top of your pebbles

Now layer 2-4 inches of your potting soil, amount depends on your plant sizes.


Pack your little plants in the soil and  give them a nice little shower,  

Add some
cute lil froggies and stuff 
 
 These are fun to make and grow beautifully if you spritz them about once a week.

   African Violets, tiny ferns, mosses and any small indoor plant will grow beautifully in your little gardens.


  As long as you are going to get your fingers dirty, put together some succulent pots as well.   The soil mixture will be slightly different, as you will be adding sand. You can find some excellent potting recipes for succulents and terrariums, online.

Nothing puts a smile on your face as easily as some "hens n chicks"' or any of the number of funny little cacti that are available in the garden center all year long.
.

 I mean really, is this not the jolliest looking little thing?

And this??!
  Bizarre!
and quite sweet.
.

   Another great way to bring the garden inside for the winter months...
  A glorious bowl of buds!
  Courtesy of my very special friend Mary, ("Our Mary")
She sent these to me from her garden to use in my artwork, but I couldn't resist displaying them for the time being.

Now the only  Autumn garden chore I have left, is to plant these bulbs,
 and about 7 small trees.
   I plant about 500 to 700 bulbs a year.  That is not as much work as it may seem, because you only need dig a trench and plop the bulbs in together to create a mass planting.

  I sure hope my garden crew is up to the task...
  Wake up girls!!!

30 comments:

  1. I love your indoor gardens, especially, the little woodsy ones. A belated "Happy Birthday" Jeri. Ihope it was a wonderful one. The tea-pot is scrumptious. So unique and bealutiful. Hugs, Deb

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  2. Your succulents are beautiful! I see your Johnny jump ups. I plnated Pansies and they are looking great!

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  3. Jeri, what a treat to see the fall plantings in. always a comfort to see the Hollow, even more so as I recoup from yet another health event....hope to see you at Country Living next week,
    Deborah RMercy

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  4. Jeri, I love you little group of admirers. They are precious. You have motivated me to put together a few terrariums. My daughter has them throughout her apartment. Oh I hope you had a lovely birthday. Bonnie

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  5. As always I enjoy your gardening posts and the introduction to your feathered garden crew, Cheers, Susan

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  6. Wonderful to hear from Hopalong Hallow Gazette again! Thanks so much for the pictures of your lovely hens and the potting recipe, which I will be using in my next project, planting a whole container garden to fill up my entire patio, along with some full size trees. I'm excited because it's all I have to plant and I live in an apt. Can't wait to get my fingers in the soil again. It's the best part! Hugs, Judy

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  7. How lucky you are to have such delightful garden helpers !
    Thanks for sharing your garden (indoor) tips. I will try some here in our dead Michigan winter.
    It does get cold,old and dreary here !
    Hugs

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  8. Jeri, Happy belated Birthday! Your "chickpeas" are adorable! Our neighbor has chickens who visit our yard from time to time. When we were digging up all our grass in the front yard one in particular would come right up to me so I gave her the grub I found. Later she was down in our driveway and I called out "Here chick, chick, chick" like my Mamaw used to do and Henrietta (that's the chicken's name) ran up the steps to me. Chickens are lovely pets!

    I weeded in my garden this afternoon, too. Now I just have to cut down all the dried up hostas--most of which have been eaten by the deer. I wish they'd just eat the whole plant so I wouldn't have to cut the rest of it back.

    I have just the terrarium to fill with plants. I never knew about the charcoal. I'll have to see what I can put together. My Chicks & Hens winter over just fine outside here in Maryland so I leave them there since I don't have enough room as it is for all the plants I need to bring indoors.

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  9. A few of our chickens love to be pet when we visit them :) bringing your green indoors is just lovely, I wish i could do that! For some reason everything we grow inside dies (except som bamboo I have on a window.) I think it may be our well-water. Hmm.

    So lovely!

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  10. Ahhhhh....Jeri Landers, YOU ARE BACK! And how I have missed you and the farm crowd. That little feathered friend of yours is a blessed gift and I can only imagine the fun of having this close of an encounter with nature at home. I can only spy out the bunnies from my window and watch from a distance.

    Life is great. The leaves are still lingering on the trees, the misty rain falls gently over night, and things are picking up around here. I got my first window display job YESTERDAY in a wedding boutique and the owner and manager just loved my work. Ahhh....now on to other adventures, but to STOP and watch mother nature is one of the most blessed things anyone can do.

    Hugs to you and hey, how is little JEMIMA?? Anita

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  11. What a wonderful idea Jeri. I so need to do that to get me through winter doldrums. Yours are just so beautiful!

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  12. Dear Jeri - such a lovely idea with the terrariums. I do so enjoy visiting your place. Your chick peas look adorable. Have a great week-end.

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  13. hi jeri,
    looks like you have been busy with the same kinds of nesting things that i so love to do. i can understand you letting the gardens "go" in august, as it was so brutally hot and humid! i have so many garden chores yet to do...leaf clean up too... but have to focus on art right now and trying to find a balance. the weather has been abso-tootly wonderful here in franklin...our payoff for a long hot summer right? the loveliest of autumn wishes to you, in beautiful tennessee!
    erin
    xxoo

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  14. Good evening Jeri,
    I love your garden crew! How sweet are they..
    I have never tried making a terrarium.. I don't do well with potted plants, but maybe a terrarium would be the ticket.
    You are blessed with a green thumb.. Your succulents are just beautiful Jeri. Thank you so much for sharing the photos.

    I missed your birthday? Happy belated my friend.. I hope it was a joyful one.
    fondly,
    Penny


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  15. Had I known we shared a birthday, we could have celebrated and there
    would have been extra specials among the rosebuds. A blessed birthday dear kindred. I love the
    chickpea/pumpkin comparison...and
    should she ever become bothersome,
    your little tag-along chickpea is
    welcome to set awhile on this branch of the kindred tree. Her burnt sienna coloring is exquisite.
    Just look at that precious face!
    Finished up our gardens yesterday..
    The drying hydrangea, so lovely.You
    have inspired me to increase the Fall bulb burial and cloche plantings. Jeri dear~ you are such
    a special role model to all of us. Your pictures are awesome...Bless you for sharing so much.
    Our Mary

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  16. Hello sweet chickens! teeeeheeeee

    HEY JERI, give Jemima a squeeze. I just love those little donkeys!

    Thank you so much for your well-wishes on this newest development in my life, Jeri! I was totally blown back that they were so interested at this wedding stationary boutique, but really, I do believe that my work will compliment their style. LET'S SEE if any other businesses would become interested. It is on a busy street in an affluent part of town so you never know.

    Thank you kindly for your sweet friendship! Have a great fall evening, Anita

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  17. Dear Jeri,

    Happy late birthday! Your garden helpers look like they were really helping you celebrate. The terrariums are so sweet; now where could I cram some of those in my over-packed home? :)

    May all the garden chores go easy on you, and may the autumn be especially peaceful.

    Love,

    Marqueta

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  18. Dear Dimity,
    I'm awake! Time to play or garden?
    I will be more than happy to come over and help.
    Your friend,
    Bei

    Jeri! I don't know how you did it, but I love your artwork as a background.
    fondly,
    Penny

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  19. Hi Jeri,
    I thought it must have taken forever! You did a great job. I also love the color.. BUNNIES everywhere.. It just makes me happy!
    Fiona is coming along..
    fondly,
    Penny

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  20. Hi Jeri,

    Happy belated birthday and as always lovely to come and visit you and see what you are up to.
    I love all your sweet helpers in the garden and the terrariums make a great feature. Also adore your sweet blue bunny background.

    Have a great week
    hugs
    Carolyn

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  21. Oh, dear...I have missed an official happy birthday to you....maybe that's why I was compelled to send that little book, at just the right time (must be that kindred thing;) So..Officially, but Belated...Happy Birthday, darling darling Jeri!!
    Yes, I will be signing at the Dickens of a Christmas, this year...in the same spot. We MUST have a dinner date with our fellas. I'll see what "Our Mary" and I can pull together.
    I adore your chickie babies, and yes they look like sweet little pumpkins:)
    Much love and hugs and blessings,
    Christie

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  22. Nice evening Jeri !
    Oh what lovelies chicken babies ! Charming babies... Yes I understand your love for this little girl ! Whan I was child, my first animal-friend was a little hen, and I loved loved loved her ! I read books in the garden and she settled down on my knees, it was very cute.
    Thank you for your gardening advices. Your gardens under glasses are very beautiful.
    Yes, I persist and sign : you are a real fairy !

    Nice week-end and nice Autumn dear Jeri,
    Blessings,
    Nath.

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  23. A Beautiful and Happy, Healthy Belated Birthday to you Jeri!!!
    I hope your special day was splendid, but then again, in this extraordinary corner of your world I know that most days are so very special. Your little chickens are so darling (and such good helpers!) heee...the story of your special one got me all misty-eyed!
    I am actually planning my first attempt at little terrariums, so I thank you very much for this lovely post...
    Your world is magical...
    Blessings and a lovely weekend,
    - Irina

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  24. We have the same Garden Ways cart. I bought mine in 1976 and it's still going strong. I used it to haul all the stuff to the garage in preparation for the storm. I've talked to several friends in NYC and they are fine. You son should be too!
    xo, Rosemary

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  25. Thank you for attending the ballet Jeri!
    I am so happy you enjoyed, and excited to see the post on Fionna!
    I hope she arrived safe. I am sure you must be exhausted, long and busy weekend at the festival.. I would be in my pj's still also.
    Love and blessings,
    Penny

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  26. i love your planting idea, lovely
    you are so lucky to have blooms that last through the year... we have had three snows
    now lots of rain so the snow has nearly melted away...
    i have always loved succulents, they are so friendly and grow fairly fast... friendly compared to cactus that is. also so very pretty and interesting... might have to get one...

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  27. Cutest little chicks I ever did see!!! Brings back happy memories.

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  28. Today I set out to take my elderly father to meet his new primary care doc, and to get my terrarium supplies! I got home and immediately began my gardens, what a difference they make in a house, they help make it a home! thanks for the inspiration!

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    Replies
    1. Robin, I really enjoy my inside gardens,they are really thriving in the house.When spring comes I will set them back outside on the porch.

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