Urban forest - the essence of man's love for plants....

Urban forest - the essence of man's love for plants ... I went to the car diagnostic station and my jaw drops ...

Potted flowers usually grow at homes and offices and this is fine. Standard. We are used to this. But this !!!??? It's like getting to another planet, where there are still cars or other vehicles and car workshops or other vehicles.

Something amazing.

Mr Zbyszek sent me to the diagnostic station, because it was the time. I will not tell you the reason and I will not admit whether or not I accidentally was driving around without a valid technical tests.

Anyway, I am arriving ... I open the door, go in and my jaw drops .... I do not believe my eyes ... The industrial hall is about 10 m high and as far as my eyes can reach I see potted plants there. Mostly creepers, but not only ... potted flowers in a different form .... I can not help staring up like a tourist who comes to New York for the first time .... I slowly move towards the cashier, trying to grasp this phenomenon ...

- Good morning ... and these plants here is whose hobby? - I ask, in my humble opinion with admiration in my voice and in hope for interesting conversation.

- Good morning - he says dryly, probably suspecting that I want to drive away my attention from the car, so that I get the approval stamp in my car's registration document without a problem. But what he doesn’t know and I know, there will be no problem, because the car under the care of Mr. Zbyszek is in such a state that the “fly does not sit down” – as we say.

- All of us – he says and I see that there will be no interesting conversation on this topic... at least for now.

- But so specifically - I drill dangerously - who is watering it all?

- Each of us - he says - in particular, there is one, but if he is away, then each of us ... Please, get me a registration document. Wait a moment, I'll just finish…

I waited and I could not stop taking pictures. When it was over, he called me back:

- PLN 99, please. I handed him 100 PLN banknote. - I'm sorry, but I do not have a zloty ...

- No problem. Can I for this one zloty get a piece of hoya, because mine died and I would like to have it again.

- You may "steal" lady, but do not tell anyone, because it is known that stolen is best growing. Do you know that all those hoyas grew all from one plant? And when they bloom, that smell here I s heavenly... Come over soon ....

I will definitely come back.

My Abutilon Needs Your Help!

My sweet Abutilon called also Indian mallow or velvetleaf or room maple, got sick! I dont know how to help him. It used to look so beautiful! Look below.

... and now it looks really bad...

.... I 've read it could be due to ustable water conditions and not enough fertiliser, cos they are constantly hungry...

This state you see on the photo got developed in 3 months only....

ANY IDEA how to help him?

Epiphyllum oxypetalum flowering show photographed every 10 minutes

This large epiphyllum exypetalum plant is really old and still blooming beautifully. I decided to document this spectacular flowering show and take photo every 10 minutes. 

Every flower lasted about 2 hours. Blooming usually happens in the evening, in winter time on northern hemisphere.

#flowers #epiphyllumoxypetalum #dutchmanspipe #queenofthenight #ewainthegarden

Recommended reading Succulents Simplified: Growing, Designing, and Crafting with 100 Easy-Care Varieties

Growing Air

Literally. You grow fresh air indoor. If there is enough plants at home or in the office space and they are properly selected, you may literally grow air indoor. The modern new buildings are designed in such a way that there is enough plants to support the oxygen production and support the healthy working and living space.

So, why exactly to grow fresh air indoor?

More plants indoor less zombies
Plants in the office prevent draining the energy and turning workers into zombies in ties, because plants significantly lower workplace stress and enhance worker productivity. Participants working in an environment with plants present were 12% more productive and less stressed (Dr. Virginia Lohr of Washington State University).
There are many research results proving that indoor plants should become the standard technology for vital building elements, as plants have the ability to improve indoor air quality.  Some of the plant  species have the ability to remove compounds such as benzene and hexane in the range of 50% to 75% of the total volatile organic compounds.

Plants and flowers indoor boost our creativity
In the study performed by Texas A&M University researchers showed close link between flowers and plants and workplace productivity. Women and men demonstrated more innovative thinking, generating more ideas and solutions in the office with flowers and plants. Men generated 15% more ideas, females generated more creative, flexible solutions to problems.

Sick Building Syndrome is an expensive issue
There is an interesting research conducted by professor Tove Fjeld (Agricultural University in Oslo, Norway, 1998). During the research the groups were reviewing 12 of the common symptoms most often related to poor indoor air quality and ‘sick building syndrome’. The complaint rate lowered by 23% during the period when the participants had plants in their offices.

What to do if you have no indoor landscape plants?
And no resources or knowledge how to maintain them properly? Where to find solutions?
Choosing plants and containers may seem as overwhelming project because there is such a wide  choice. So many different plants that you don’t know how to compose them, what are their requirements, what containers to choose, what size, what style and colors? Maybe green walls? How to decide?

There is such service as indoor plant hire
Such companies have extensive range of indoor plants for hire including floor plants, desktop plants & different type of boxes. Whatever your indoor plant hire requirements are, whether your office has high light or low light, if you are looking for a classic or contemporary look you may find the solutions that suits your needs.
Indoor plant hire companies have also professionals with years of experience can help choose which vegetation is best-suited for certain types of areas and then make sure everything is going well with the plants, pruning, watering and rotating them as needed.
Lots of money are spent every year to improve the look of buildings and make them better working space. The same can be done for much less money by indoor plant hire.

The costs $5 per week
Office space improvement by indoor plant hire can be very cost effective. Some tailor made  solutions may start from as little as $5 per week. At the end who said that beautiful should be expensive?

#indoorplanthire #zombies #lesszombies #garden #freshairindoor #indoorplants 

Dracaenas roots. Is this normal?

No wonder dracaenas were called female dragon (from greek). Look what a surprise and how strong that plant is. Recently I had noticed that the pot is standing somehow not straight. I took a closer look and see what I have discovered. This amazingly strong and persistent root is trying to conquer the world! I need to learn from it…
I assure you , I was watering and feeding it well. Why does it come out like that? Isn’t it scary? At least a bit?

Recommended reading Exotic Planting for Adventurous Gardeners

What Kind of Orchid to Buy as a Gift

Paphiopedilum Orchids (Lady Slippers)

Orchids are quickly becoming one of the most popular indoor plants in the world. They can provide beauty and elegance to any room instantly. With over 20,000 species, you can find an Orchid that will grow well in just about any condition or match just about any design.

Orchids have also become a very popular gift for all occasions. They are typically easy to care for and can be gifted in bloom which will last for several weeks. Once the Orchid stops blooming, it then becomes a houseplant as opposed to a display piece. You do not want to give someone an Orchid that looks great but is impossible to care for without experience.

If you pick up and Orchid at a grocery or gardening store, it will likely be a good Orchid for beginners. Those stores are not going to carry an Orchid that is not meant to be given to someone that has no Orchid growing experience. Nor do they want to deal with the hassle of caring for those difficult Orchids themselves.

Water and Sunlight are the two factors that determine whether or not an Orchid is a good choice for gifting. You don’t want to get someone a gift that needs to be watered three times a day and moved to different locations throughout the day. Phalaenopsis, Dendrobium, Cattleya. andPaphiopedilum Orchids are the three most common Orchids used for gifts.

Paphiopedilum Orchids (Moth Orchids) 

These Orchids are by far the most common Orchids used as gifts, currently. When you think about what an Orchid looks like, you likely think of this kind of Orchid. You can find these in any color except black and blue, and in a plethora of patterns. These Orchids bloom for months at a time and can be placed on display in locations with no light while in bloom.

Moth Orchids need to be in a warm location with plenty of bright indirect sunlight. They do well with the normal temperatures on a house or office as long as they do not receive cool breezes from a window or door. This Orchid needs to be watered every 7 – 10 days and can even be watered with a few ice cubes once a week.

Dendrobium Orchids 

Dendrobium Orchids are very popular as cut flowers in floral arrangements. The flowers last an extended period of time after they are cut and put in a vase. Before Moth Orchids recently became popular, this was the most popular Orchid. This species was used to create most of the hybrid Orchid species and is commonly referred to as the “workhorse of Orchids”

This Orchid can withstand a small amount of direct sunlight, unlike most other Orchids. That being said, it is best if you avoid the direct sun if possible. Dendrobium Orchids need a dryer and more airy growing root system. This means that you should allow the growing medium to dry out some between watering. Water this plant every other week or when the growing medium has been dry for a few days.

Cattleya Orchids 

This Orchid species is a common house plant and is one of the most common flowers used in corsages. They produce large flowers that produce a very strong fragrance when in bloom. They will bloom twice a year if given enough light.

Cattleya Orchids need bright indirect sunlight to encourage flowering. Direct sunlight will burn the leaves of this species very quickly if you are not careful. Water this Orchid every 10 days, letting the growing medium start to dry out between watering.

Paphiopedilum Orchids (Lady Slippers) 

These are one of the most unique looking Orchids that you will see grown as household plants. They grow flowers with a unique pouch that they use to catch and trap insects in the wild. They grow sprouts that only flower once when they are full grown. After those sprouts bloom, they will die and be replaced with new sprouts to start the whole process over again.

Lady Slippers need a good amount of sunlight in order to bloom indoors. They can be placed near a sunny window and slowly adjusted to some direct sunlight. They require about the same amount of light as an African Violate. They typically grow in swamps and other moist areas, so water twice a week to keep moist.

For more great information about types of Orchids, stop by Orchidsplus

Further recommended reading The Orchid Whisperer: Expert Secrets for Growing Beautiful Orchids

3 Orchids that Look Like an Animal

Orchids produce some of the most beautiful and unique flowers in the world.  Recently, they have become one of the most common house plants you can buy and are available everywhere.  What most people don’t realize is just how many different Orchid species there are and how amazing they can be.

With over 20,000 Orchid species recognized today, you can’t even imagine some of the flowers they produce.  They can be small, medium, large, and in any colors but black and blue.  Some look like Tulips, while others look like Donkeys and Monkeys.  Orchids have adapted to become some of the most fascinating plants in the world.

Many Orchids have success in attracting insects to pollinate them by mimicking the other sex.  Fly Orchids, for example, produce flowers that look and smell like female flies.  This attracts the male flies to attempt to reproduce, spreading the pollen in the process.  They then move to the next flower and bring pollen that with them.

Donkey Orchids

These Orchids produces funny looking flowers that many people believe look like a donkey.  That’s how the Diuris Orchid got the nickname “Donkey Orchid”.  Growing mostly in Australia and Tasmania, this flower needs warm temperatures during the growing season.  During the winter, they go dormant and shrivel up to protect themselves from the cold.

The large Donkey-looking flowers grow on stems up to 3 feet high and typically stay together in clumps.  The 2 large lateral petals that create the look of donkey ears, are what attract bees to come pollinate the flower.  They flower between July and November, and the seeds mature in a matter of weeks after pollination. 

Monkey Face Orchids

The Dracula Simia Orchid has earned the nicknames “Monkey Orchid” and “Monkey Face Orchid” for obvious reasons.  The flowers they produce look just like the face of a Monkey.  These flowers grow in the mountains of Ecuador and are accustomed to cooler temperatures and high humidity.  The flowers are also said to be scented like ripe oranges to attract monkeys. 

These Orchids produce a large number of stems from the base of the plant.  Each stem produces one amazing flower.  These flowers can bloom at any time of the year which could lead to flowers throughout the entire year under perfect conditions.  These are one of the most unique Orchids that you will find.

Flying Duck Orchids

These are one of my personal favorite Orchids in the world.  The flowers they produce look just like a duck flying through the air.  These Orchids grow in Australia in warm climates that provide moist conditions.  You will find them in coastal and swampy areas, sometimes even at higher altitudes.
The flying duck flowers are very small and not noticeable in the wild unless you know what you are looking for.  The unique shape attracts insects, mainly sawflies, to come investigate and pollinate the flower.  The flowers grow on tall green stems, reaching 20 inches from the ground.

For more information on Orchids that look like animals click here

How to improve your ways on growing: Orchids For Dummies

Low maintenance succulent vertical garden

For those seeking illusive no maintenance garden, low maintenance is the solution.

While seeking ideas for current project I am working on, which is designing green in the office, I found those adorable photos.
Idea of vertical garden is great, but doing it yourself needs additional skills for installing all those watering and fertilizing pipes etc.

Non thorn succulents are beautiful and safe, almost don’t need care to keep on going and look smashing!

Look at those photos – don’t you want something like this? I want!

Photos by FarOutFlora

Poinsettia saved after last Christmas

Poinsettia saved after last Xmas. A friend wanted to toss it to trash. I wanted to save it. It survived and gives nice color brackets already....
Save your poinsettia after Xmas - how to do it I wrote here.

My previous second year poinsettia looked different - more pinkish. It didn't survive for the third year. Possibly because I pruned it before it went completely dormant...

Xmas cactus aka Schlumbergera blooming naturally for Christmas…

Sometimes people wonder how commercial growers make xmas cactus to bloom right for Christmas. Don’t let fool yourself!! Schlumbergera’s biological clock makes it bloom from November. This is really annoying to hear all these stupid stories aimed at keeping us ignorant!
 
I admit – I was also a victim of listening all these weird arguments i.e. I have stopped watering in the summer, which should never be done. Luckily plant survived, but it was not too happy.

Finally I think I understand how take care of that little wonder, so it’s happy and blooms profusely.  
Xmas cactus aka Schlumbergera is thermo-photoperiodic. This means that it blooming is triggered by certain temperature and day length. Actually she is so sensitive to any kind of light that even if lamp light may cause no blooming. So, if your xmas cactus is standing too close to a lamp that is on in the evening that might be one of the reasons she is not blooming.

Fertilizing xmas cactus - it is known that xmas cacti doesn’t need too  much fertilizing, 2-4 times in the period of spring-summer is enough. Use 20-20-20 fertilizer and stop it one month prior expected blooming.
There is information that it grows best in the soil mixed with peat or leafmold. It likes watering with tea and you may mulch it with used tea leaves. Such treatment causes no need for repotting.

Repotting - Xmas cactus likes tight pots, so you don’t need to be in a hurry with repotting. While you repot don’t use pot that is too big both in diameter and depth.

Pruning - right after blooming or early in the spring if you would like to root the cuttings. I never cut the segments, rather twist them.

On the photos you can see my new xmas cactus – love it for the color. 

White containers - like it?

White containers - great new buy from yesterday. Just have a look at simple and fine lines. Designer  had really great eye. Green and red basil will look really tidy, so will my windowsills… ha…

I was looking for something to my white windowsills, that can be humble and simple enough to host basil in the winter. First frost days are coming fast – I have to hurry up, because there is only few days left with temperatures above 0C at night.

I didn’t want to have too large containers and I am sick of too many small and different containers, seeming to be too messy, especially now, after my room and windowsill are repainted.

Yesterday on the way back from great new discovered private garden, we stopped at ikea, which is sometimes great source of new findings.

I think that these white container are perfect for small, winter herb garden.  What is your opinion?  

The new private garden - mentioned at the beginning of the post - discovered and photographed yesterday will be featured soon on Ewa in the Garden.  

Blooming Friday - Indoor Flowers - Poinsettia 3 Months After Christmas

My poinsettia is still growing flowers instead of getting dormant.

Poinsettia we buy before Christmas have very small root system, so they need constant moist soil. Now, after 3 months I can see that even if the soil dries up sometimes, the plant is still fine - it survives even few days, without dropping leaves.

All my other blooms you may see in my last GBBD post.

Blooming Friday is organised by Katarina at Roses and Stuff.

Jump there to see more. You may also partcipate!

Fern and cactus friendly Cohabitation

I just discovered that my tiny Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) decided to host self-appeared seedling of Adiantum raddianum. I do not have this fern since one year - it died of unknown reasons :( To make it more misterious I assure you, that I picked new segments of cactus in the spring - which is after my fern fade away - and sticked it to new pot. Where did I take the soil from? hmm... don't remember.

Aslan also likes indoor blooms

Somebody asked how old Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) should be to bloom. I have an answer.
This one on the picture was planted by my 7 months ago. I just picked double segments from the mature (I prune it every spring to keep it shorter and more dense) and sticked it to soil. I was wondering as well whether it will bloom this year... and da da dam!
You can see small buds on it and unfortunately this schlumbergera will not open its buds, because somebody - that I will not name... moved the pot!
I grow this kind since 20 years and definately it drops all buds if the pot is moved, while the buds starts appear.


Outside, on the pond first winter frost. Phalenopsis blooming, however it needs changing the pot - somehow it got full of moss. Where the heck moss came from? I have this plant since 3 years and moss appeared in last months. Its blooming, but flowers are very small.


Doesn't it look like some kind of animal trying to get out of the pot?