Christmas Gifts - Living Plants

Living Plants Are a Gift That Expresses Life 

Many of us struggle with what to give for the holiday.  My thoughts go to gift cards and money.  However, this option seems too trite, and I know I love to get a gift that someone has put a little thought into.  Gift cards to a nice eatery are common in my family.   I struggle with the idea that you can't have your cake and eat it too.  Eating out is nice, but once the gift is gone, where is that lingering reminder that someone cared enough to give me a gift?  

Here are a few ideas of gifts that I would like to receive, and I hope you can create a loving moment when you give these living gifts.  Living - yes, as in plants.  Greenery that is alive, fragrant, and creates a lasting image of the one who gave it. 

This little 4 inch orb comes with sand, gravel and the plant with instructions so simple even kids can succeed in growing it.  This Hinterland Trading Air Plant Tillandsia Bromeliads Terrarium Kit with Pebbles and Moss Great Little Houseplant is a sweet little gift.

Fragrant plants are a special treat, especially indoors when the outdoor plants are under a blanket of winter.

Hirt's Arabian Tea Jasmine Plant - Maid of Orleans - FRAGRANT - 4" Pot

  

This Jasmine grows indoors and can be moved outside in warm weather.  It is ever blooming and only needs a bright window for light.

Italian Herbs on the kitchen window are great gift for the cook in the family.  For salads, pastas, and sauces, these herbs will provide a freshness to many meals all winter long.

Garden at Home 42414 Italian Herb Trio

Three ceramic containers included in this set will grow chives, basil, and oregano.  The 3 x 3 x 3 in containers sit in a drip tray to keep window sills neat.


A favorite aromatic herb of mine is Rosemary.  I love to rub it's branches as I pass by, and the fragrance lingers in the air and on my hands.  A great holiday gift, in my opinion.

Tuscan Blue Rosemary Plant One Gallon



Rosemary is hardy only to Zone 8, so it cannot be outdoors in my Zone 6 winters.  That is when I bring this plant into a bright, sunny location for the winter.  Care is minimal, and watering too much can be a problem.  Only water when branches start to droop.  And speaking of branches, rosemary branches and leaves are a great addition to poultry dishes and sauces.  

Citrus trees in containers are another fragrant plant we can give for the holiday gift.  Orange and lemon are popular trees grown as houseplants.  Imagine that aroma on a dark, dreary day - sure to brighten up the mood.

2-3 Year Old Improved Meyer Lemon Tree in Grower's Pot, 3 Year Warranty

The Meyer Lemon tree has lush foliage and fruit is delicious.

Terrarium & Fairy Garden Plants - Assortment of 5 Different Plants in 2" Pots

These five terrarium or fairy garden plants come in 2 inch containers and are perfect to freshen up a container or start a new one.   To provide a suitable container this  is available also.

Anchor Hocking 2-Gallon Heritage Hill Jar with Glass Lid

H Potter Square Terrarium Gothic Style

Terrariums enclose the plants into their own eco-system when planted with potting soil and a slight amount of moisture.  The enclosed case keep the soil moist, and the plants thrive in a 'rain forest' type of environment.


Some of these small plants do well in a miniature garden.  All design features of an outdoor garden, sitting on a table top.  Many garden features can be replicated with pathways, benches, and accessories one would find in a full size garden.

Miniature Fairy Garden Driftwood Bench, Assorted

     

This fairy bowl is a sweet combination of miniature garden and terrarium.


Giving a live plant is a heart-felt gift.  Life is expressed in the growing of plants, and will enhance any decor.  And who isn't blessed with a gift that grows on you?
































       

Garden Journal–Take Note

Gardening and farming are dependent on insects to pollinate plants.  Plants need moisture.  And sunlight affects the plants growth. This symbiotic relationship between plants, nature, and pollinators is critical to the ecosystems that exist. But, according to the BBC news, “the past 100 years or so, many plants that have just used day-length have become locally extinct. Yet plants that have used temperature to control when they flower have increased their range considerably and now seem much more common.  That makes a lot of sense because those plants will be able to out-compete other species in a climate change scenario”

So, with climate change, no matter how subtle, observations in the garden are more important than ever.  Phenology, the study of recurring biological phenomena and their relationship to the weather.  If day length is a trigger for a plant to bloom, or if temperature is the trigger, these distinctions may help us plant more on the plant’s schedule than by the calendar. 

I am going to keep a Journal.  Garden journals document when a bug first appeared or when the fruit tree blossoms erupted.  The date, temperature, and rain accumulations for the year will be noted. 

 
Keeping track of the garden will be easy with pictures, and notes.  Plant tags for new plantings, and dates that fertilizers were added will be documented.


Before and after photos will remind me of past projects, and the continued care for that area.  Is it sunny, shady, wet, dry, and what changes have occurred in this area.
One method I have for keeping track of my garden is this plot map.  This has my property dimensions, and by using tracing paper, I can draw garden beds in.

I then indicated on the site map , dots and circles to indicated plants and shrubs, and trees.  Fences that border some of these areas is also marked.

As I have been a blogger for several years now, I noticed in my writing that on ‘such a date’, I mentioned Japanese Beetles. And I commented that this date was pretty early in the season.  Well, imagine my surprise, when the previous year’s blog was referenced, the Japanese Beetles were actually mentioned almost 2 weeks earlier.  So my observations from here on, need to be accurate. The Journal is going to be my date by date observations.  Temperature by highs and lows for the day, and daylight amounts with sunrise and sunset will be recorded.   
My erroneous reporting , while an embarrassment, is not the incentive to keeping a journal.  Noting insects dates will help prepare for an early intervention.  For example,  Japanese beetles send in a few guys to set up occupancy of the garden.  By knowing the date they arrived last year, I can be on the lookout, pick off the few, and the ‘pheromones’ will not be luring in the rest of the ‘clan’.


The same observations of powdery mildew can give a heads-up to applying a preventative spray. 

Insects emerge when certain plants bloom.  This relationship can greatly assist the gardener and farmer to be aware of the cycles, and take appropriate actions. The plants and insects emerge in the same order each year, and is not connected to the weather that occurred in the winter or spring.  So the blooms of plants can accurately predict the insects that will be on the scene.  Imagine if the plant, say a fruit tree bloomed, but the bees and other pollinators were not around?  Nature takes these relationships very seriously, and isn't it wonderful she does?

Likewise, insects use these patterns to mate and bear young based on what the young will need to eat to survive.  


My journaling is already behind a bit, since many bulbs have already broken ground, and I did not note the date.  But I will move ahead, and get my camera ready to capture events as they unfold in my garden.

A feature I am looking forward to is planning outdoor events in the garden.  By checking the dates of what was blooming last year, I can select a party date that will give more to the party decorations and I'll be able to show off the garden at optimal times throughout the season.

Do you keep a Garden Journal?  What information do you keep?