Fish bowls as planters

It has been a couple months since the death of my last goldfish Steve.

R.I.P. steve, lil' brandy, tiny tim

He was a good friend to my cats and made the kitchen a little warmer. 

BUT it was about time to let go and do something new with the fishbowl.  I was always saying "I'm gonna get a new fish" but never got to it, or didn't want to replace my favorite fish.  

So, I went over to the flower district and got myself a nice selection of ferns and succulents.

Below:  The Paradise fern and Sedum grandyi give this bowl great texture.

Below: The mound of Sempervivum sit on the left... A very tiny chick from a Hawarthia was donated by my good friend laura (laurabellmont.com).  It's the small spiky succulent in the back.

This is one the final planting.  
Laura and I were talking about accents for inside the terrariums.  I'm thinking small mushroom sculptures, she is thinking small figures like nymphs.  We shall see.  It will be killer.

Day tripper

New York is one of the best places to live when it comes to needing a quick get-a-way.  

I reserved a Zipcar on Wednesday and drove up the Husdon River with a couple friends to see the small towns and maybe find those kids a new apartment along the commuter rail. 

Personally, I was looking for inspiration and stimulation.  

We drove up Rt.9 for about an hour, hitting up river front parks, roadside hot dog stands and calling any "for rent" signs we saw.

Cold Spring is about an hour outside the city on the commuter rail. 

It is a very quaint town full of antique shops, bed & breakfasts and cute little houses.

Main street had this sweet gem.  A stone wall with a bench and archway and a planter at the very top.  I bet it looks so dramatic in the summer.   (all the photos can be enlarged for a better view, just click on em!)
To our west was views of cliffs and the Hudson river.  To the east were low rolling hills that fell behind the little houses.  

So, we looked at a little apartment on main street above the flower shop.  It was super cute.  Bay windows, wood everything- even the paneling on the walls.  The newly weds are excited about this place, the town, the distance from the city.  It may be just the thing for them.

Well, it's the door with the porch.  It looks much more charming in person. 
Carolyn's Flower Shoppe is downstairs.  

The photo above and below were from a "virtual walking tour" online, which is why they looks a little janky.

Coldspringliving.com is the website the two photos above come from.

I cant believe I forgot to get a shot of the cute house and store from the street.

Brooklyn Planting may want to retire some day in a sweet little village like this.  But first BP needs to grow and establish some solid roots here in NYC first.

Terrarium project!

An abandoned vase from years ago was given new life in the Brooklyn Planting office!

Sprigs of succulents, small sedum and moss were the foundation to my new eco-system.  

Finished!!!  I capped the top off with a small glass bowl to keep the moisture in.  This means I won't have to water it for almost six months!

I found a few shells that were the same scale as the plants.  

I can't wait for the little babies to establish roots and grow grow grow!

***If you would like a custom terrarium, just send me an email!! 

Inspiration

A few years back I found this amazing eco conscious architect that builds walls of plants. 

No soil. 

It's mostly just a grid/trellis they live in, a protective membrane or two to keep the building from being penetrated by root systems or water and an automatic watering and fertilizing system.  

It's amazing to say the least.  

Patric Blanc has been building 'Vertical Walls' for the past 12 years.  A Parisian with a new idea in garden design.  

I LOVE his work.

http://www.verticalgardenpatrickblanc.com/

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Tomorrow I am making a moss terrarium.  Can't wait!!

Warm winter tasks

Ahh.  Today was wonderful.  

This morning I went to Prospect Heights, the land of one million babies, to spray a few window boxes, flower beds and to just tidy them all up a bit.  It was a quick and easy job. 

Then I was off to Tribeca.  

I arrived to the sounds of construction in the apartment.  

It looks like renovations are underway and my best client is putting her house on the market.  

Hopefully she moves to a new place that has outdoor space not only for me to keep her as a client but also for her bunnies.   

AND hopefully when she recommends me to the new tenants, they will want to keep me on as their new gardener.  

It was so lovely there this afternoon.  The sun was reflecting off the large windows from across the street, small birds were chirping in the trees... but my all time favorite winter happening is the plumes on the grasses.  

It moves with wind and gives a hazy soft glow to an otherwise sleepy garden.

So, I tied up a few stray roses, took a major inventory of the plant material, just for records sake, fixed up a few of her indoor plants and sprayed.   

I am feeling a bit under the weather today, a bit congested .  I think I will take it easy and watch my new Netflix about rose gardens.  Cross my fingers I don't get sick.

Tomorrow I work at the comp/elect. store.  There is a ping pong table at this one (they have two stores in the neighborhood so we work at both)  Those boys won't know what hit them after I finish them off at the PP table!!!

Keeping busy

It looks like January will be more productive and inspiring than I anticipated.  

Brooklyn Planting is still working.  

This week I have to:

- Re-spray my gardens that have pine bough clippings with an anti-desiccant.  It will keep the moisture in and the color green for at least another 4 weeks.

- Find 2 tall indoor floor plants and 1 indoor fern combo.

- I also have to do another round of spraying at a few gardens for my friend's company while he is on a beach in Mexico... yup, on a beach. in mexico.

Tuesday Patchy Fog Hi 58°F

Wednesday Chance Showers Hi 59°F

Thursday Mostly Sunny Hi 49°F

Thursday Night Rain Likely Lo 41°F

Friday Rain Likely Hi 50°F

Friday Night Chance Showers Lo 39°F

I have to do the 'spray jobs' either tomorrow or thursday because of the weather AND ALSO on Friday I work at my other new job!

This past weekend I started working at a local computer/electronics shop in my hood. 

The owner is this young guy who is really passionate about good service and is super knowledgeable about this business.  

The guys I have worked with so far are really smart and interesting characters.  I haven't been having casual work fun like that in a long time.

At any rate, I like having a variety of passionate people in my life, they keep me aware and evolving.  

These guys have taught me so much already.

I'm into it but I do feel intimidated by what I don't know...I'll pick it up fast, I'm sure of myself.

This will create a stronger, more dynamic me.  

I'm excited to incorporate this into my world, professionally and personally.  

Oh 2008...

New years eve kicked off my run of odd jobs for this winter.  

I came to the aid of my good friend Laura Bellmont who was installing her artwork for a nye party that evening.  

We used to hang her illustrations at her gallery shows in college in this same fashion... sort of paper draping.

I showed up and Laura was drawing out the images of breasts and clocks and banners on scrolls of white paper in a VERY raw space.  

The banners were draped from trapeze like hangers from the pipes in the ceiling.   

There were six banners that went up as well as vertical wall drapes... it softened the space for sure.

Laura has the final shots on her camera, which is here at my house.  So as soon as she get that back I'm sure she will post it on Laurabellmont.blogspot.com!

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Brooklyn Planting has a few jobs for January.

I'm starting a project with one of my Brooklyn brownstone garden clients, we are potting in a few family heirloom pots in her living room.

I'm thinking about doing small ferns...  A collection of delicate ferns. 

BUT ferns require a bit more maintenance... misting is part of fern care, and it's fun having little tools that go along with your plants. 

That thought then drifted into a singular large fern like the Staghorn fern which is usually grown on a piece of wood and mounted on a wall, but sometimes can be planted in a pot. 

Over watering is usually how to best kill his fern and that easier to do in a pot.  

It thrives on neglect and looks interesting and graphic.   

I'm heading in a good direction so far.

Off to organizing my receipts from '07! yikes