Category Archives: creatures
pandemonium revisited
The New York Times has a very nice article today on Pandemonium Aviaries (“362 Birds, and Unruffled“), which MB Maher visited and photographed in 2012. Since that time, bird rescuer Michelle Raffin has written a book “The Birds of Pandemonium; … Continue reading
Euphorbia ammak’s big impact
Despite its small and underwhelming size, I finally decided to plant this euphorbia in the ground, hoping it grows faster here than in its pot. Surprisingly, everybody seems quite impressed, including Evie, who wrapped herself around it like a snake … Continue reading
young grasshopper
Helping himself to a serving of Aeonium ‘Cyclops.’ I admit to being just ever so slightly phobic about grasshoppers. I have no idea why. No other insect rattles me like these. This one’s tawny color and freshly minted exoskeleton drew … Continue reading
cowboy corgi and the giant hesperaloe
The corgi got a bath, the hesperaloe got away. Bathed and brushed and made to wear a silly bandana, which he bears with his usual dog grace. Just like cowboys, everybody gets a bath here for the weekend. A recent … Continue reading
Cinema Botanica Pick: More Than Honey
I’ve been enthusiastically recommending the documentary More Than Honey whenever the subject of what to watch comes up, and I’ve been getting a lot of “Oh, I noticed that in the queue” as the limp but polite response (streams on … Continue reading
designing crows
“The crows that live in Tokyo use clothes hangers to make nests. In such a large city, there are few trees, so the natural materials that crows need to make their nests are scarce. As a result, the crows occasionally … Continue reading
Posted in creatures, photography
Tagged adaptation, crows, habitat, nests, repurposing, salvage
6 Comments
Natural Discourse: Culture & Cultivation 10/10/13
What to make of this impulse to create gardens? Most of my ruminations are done leaning on a shovel, or moving a pot inches to the left and wondering why in the world it matters. One of the few constants … Continue reading
Posted in artists, creatures, design, photography, science
Tagged Adolf Portmann, Alice Miceli, Cevan Forristt, David Rothenberg's "Survival of the Beautiful", Flora Grubb, Hannah Arendt, Margaret Morton, Marion Brenner, Mary Jo McConnell, Natural Discourse; Culture & Cultivation, Richard Turner, Robert Pogue Harrison, Roger Hangarter, Saxon Holt, Shirley Watts, The Chernobyl Project
4 Comments
monday clippings 8/5/13 (bromeliads and summer camp)
It’s August and I’m craving a summer camp experience. Unfortunately, the summer camp bus left 40 years ago. So up there is my designated summer camp 2013. I admit accommodations are rustic and no-frills, but a short trip up the … Continue reading
Posted in clippings, creatures, journal, Plant Portraits
Tagged Aechmea 'Loies Pride', Aechmea nudicaulis, Alcanterea 'Volcano Mist', Beschorneria albiflora, Bilbergia ‘Violetta’, bromeliads, Colocasia 'Blue Hawaii', Dyckia dawsonii, Hohenbergia ‘Leopoldo Hortstii’, Neoregelia concentrica, South Bay Bromeliad Associates
13 Comments
gardens hate traveling
I love to travel, but my garden hates it. But, theoretically, it really shouldn’t be that difficult, leaving the garden for a few days in late June. Most of the pots are filled with succulents this summer. Nothing too tricky. … Continue reading
scenes from the garden 6/3/13
Some of the cast of characters this summer. First spikes of Teucrium hircanicum. Shaggy grass is newly identified Chloris virgata (thank you, Maggie!) The peachy ‘Terracotta’ yarrow lining the path are beginning bloom too. The white umbels belong to Cenolophium … Continue reading
Posted in Bulbs, creatures, Plant Portraits, pots and containers
Tagged Achillea 'Terracotta', Anthemis 'Susanna Mitchell', Aster 'Monch', Bacillus thuringiensis, Baltic parsley Cenolophium denudatum, budworms, Chloris virgata, Coreopsis tinctoria 'Mahogany', Cussonia gamtoosensis, Derry Watkins Special Plants, Kalanchoe luciae 'Fantastic', lilies, lilium, Teucrium hircanicum, Verbena bonariensis
8 Comments