A, B, C

One of the things I regret in my life is that I have no true green thumb. I love growing things and pretending like I am a master horticulturist. I am not. But that hasn't stopped me from trying. And out here in Seattle, where I am constantly surrounded by greenery, I get a hankering to bring it indoors. Especially on days when it is too hard to enjoy except from behind glass. Now that I have moved back to the PNW and will likely be here for a while, I can finally commit to owning plants. In the past I have shied away from owning them because I know I will have to abandon them before my next cross-country whim. But not anymore. 

My first plant this time around is a little pine tree that Reid got as a Christmas present from his work. His name is Alexei. I kept him in his sad little plastic container for a month because it needed the perfect planter. And one day inspiration struck and voila! A silver champagne ice bucket was all I could think about. Reid and I went looking for one at an antiques store in Gig Harbor and although they didn't have one that day, they did have one in storage, which they graciously found and held for me. In the meantime I bought both of the other planters from the same store! If for some reason you ever find yourself in Gig Harbor, I highly recommend them: Misty Meadow. 

Unlike my Alexei situation, the other two planters I had before I had plants to put in them. I actually prefer it that way, because then it is easier to pair them. This little brass teapot came without a lid, so it was perfect for planting. I knew I would need a plant that would bring a little height to help balance out the rotund bottom of the pot, but it also had to be something full, so I chose an English ivy. I think it creates the perfect amount of movement around the short and stout little teapot. Her name is Brigid. 

This little guy is Caliban, the cacti collective. At first I was thinking about doing just one large cactus, but when I went to the nursery they just looked wrong in the pot. The pot is very round and solid looking, so I needed the plants to create a little dynamic space, something the large cactus I was looking at couldn't provide; it would have been squat and solid on top of squat and solid. I did have my heart set on some cacti though, so instead I chose three little guys! This one is full of visual interest, with varying colours and heights. I think it is the perfect little home garden. (side note- cacti are difficult to plant. invest in some work gloves if you are thinking about messing around with those spikes) 

One of the things I look for in my plants is what kind of light they need. It is almost impossible to use plants that need full sun as indoor plants, at least here. The cacti need as much light as I can give them, but require little else. The ivy is a great container plant and only needs partial sun, same with the pine. 

My goal this year is to get up to five plants, which would be "E" for those of you following along. Also I highly encourage you all to think outside the box when it comes to your planters! Thrift and antique stores might provide you just the inspiration you need! And I think it is much better to recycle than to buy any old generic ceramic planter. However, that being said, I will note that I did absolutely zero research on whether or not the metals in these pots could leach into my soil and potentially harm my plants. If they do, well, ce la vie. This shouldn't deter you though, as you could easily line the insides before planting. 

Despite winter still raging along, spring is coming, which is the perfect time to add some new greenery to your life! If you have any questions about my plants/planters, just ask! And happy horticulturing!