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!

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   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

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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

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 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.

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

And this??!

  Bizarre!

and quite sweet.

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   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!!!