From Mélie’s Garden
February always seems to me to be the beginning of the gardening year. You can feel the days getting a bit longer and plants start to perk up. It is nice to group together something that would look cheerful in the house for the remaining days of winter. A small planter works well and lasts much longer than cut flowers that have to be replaced. Most super markets and places like Home Depot have houseplant sections. Often I can find a group of small plants that would look well together or be used in addition to something I have at home that could be put in a planter.
I have a large Jamaican wooden container in the shape of a fish that I decided to use this winter. I lined it with heavy duty Reynolds Wrap and filled it with potting soil. In the middle of the soil, I planted cyclamen and on each side an ivy plant – all bought at Stop & Shop. There were some spaces in-between that I covered with pachysandra cut outside. I have found that pachysandra is a lifesaver in flower arrangements if you need to cover up bare places. It is a wonderful “filler” and an added benefit is that in addition to lasting a long time and often roots in the oasis! Once the arrangement is finished, the pachysandra can be easily transplanted outdoors.
Begonias are also plants that do well in containers and look pretty grouped together. I have had success in planting them in a large fishbowl. Logee’s Nursery in Danielson, CT. is a good source for begonias, you can order them online and they will send a collection to you.
I also had some luck in getting some terrarium plants on Amazon that looked nice grouped together. It is fun to experiment and most of the plants are not very expensive. You will then have a creation that will cheer up the long remaining days of winter!
