I got this idea from a fellow-blogger annamadeit of Flutter and Hum. She was my first “blogger friend” that I found when I started this blog three years ago this May. I remember writing to her in excitement that I had finally found some “Plant People.” If you are reading this you either know what a “plant nut” I am from knowing me personally OR you are a plant nut. Either way, thanks for the views and comments.
We have a giant old pine stump in the middle of my shade garden under the “Miss Robbie” fig tree. I have posted on this spot before in “Barren to Bountiful” , https://floweralley.org/2016/11/18/barren-to-bountiful/ which had a double meaning due to the current world crises at the time. Pay attention folks, FLOWER doesn’t just write about flowers.
I have been placing one of my creations named, Fern Basin, on top of the stump to hide it. Now that it has finally decomposed nicely, I wanted to feature it instead. Decompostion has created nice little niches into which I plan to tuck tiny bulbs next season. Until then, I have filled them with garden soil and mushroom compost to let it season and settle.
I dragged a heavy cedar stump from the woods. My grown son had to get it in place. Then I wandered through the surrounding woods looking for ferns, rocks and interesting objects. I also found some driftwood along the shore of the river/lake. The hunt was as much fun as the creation. Win, Win!
I did purchase a Tassel fern/Polystichum polyblephum, some Irish moss/ Sagina subulata and a tiny hosta/ ‘Wrinkle in Time.’
Tassel fern/ Polystichum polyblepharum
Irish moss/ Sagina subulata and ‘Wrinkle in Time’ hosta
This project is near my Fairy Garden which I blogged about last week. I enjoy creating tiny areas with a theme. It makes it fun to have several projects in mind and constantly add to each. It keeps me on the look-out.
I will continue to work on this. The newly established plants enjoyed yesterday’s rain.
It’s the time of year when plants get ready to go dormant here in North Carolina.
This means in addition to losing leaves, plants set seed or form spores. This hopefully ensures another generation of plants.
This November is a little unusual because it has been so warm that we still have flowers blooming and bees buzzing. I have even had second generation seeds germinate and flower this season.
I will take you on a tour of s’more spores. Seeds will follow in another post.
Sensitive fern/Onoclea sensibilis sends up its own spores on a stick. These are referred to as beads.
Its fronds are sterile, i.e. do not produce spores.
Chain fern/ Woodwardia areolata has a separate spore bearing structure, also.
Its fronds do not produce spores either.
The Japanese Holly fern/Cyrtomium falcatum has a sporadic spore arrangement. No pun intended.
Its fronds are evergreen.
Here is one sorus from the Japanese Holly fern under the microscope.
floweralley 