Outdoor Rooms

March brings in the Green

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That's a mirror used outside. I love that look. I wonder how safe it is?

I do have a very shady backyard so it might work for me.

I think if it's in a sunny spot it can start a fire.

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I can't help but think about outdoor spaces as the weather starts to change.

One month and I'll be able to start buying plants for outside again.

I can't wait. 

I never can afford to buy a lot of plants at once though...so it takes me a couple of months 

to get things looking nice.

A little here and a little there.

I think it must be nice to live in a warm climate where you don't have to start all over again 

each spring. 

I tried....I really did try my best to over winter a few plants this year.

I had huge ferns all over my back deck and I've tried bringing them in before

and leaves started falling everywhere and I couldn't take it.

But I vowed this year would be different. 

So before we had a hard freeze I brought in two super large queen ferns and a hibiscus.

A quick search on the internet told me that hibiscus is poisonous to dogs.

So I put it in one side of the kitchen sink where it would get plenty of light and be up away

from the dogs.

I lived for two months with a plant in my sink.

(not fun)

The ferns were easily four to five feet across, size wise. 

Harvey was very excited about them at first...he thought he was living in a jungle.

But then one day last month...I was watering the ferns and once again water went everywhere...

all over the floor. This because the plants were root bound and needed to be repotted.

But I didn't want to have four huge ferns in the house and was hoping to make it to 

spring before repotting. I wanted to do it outside.

So I had large plates and bowls under these ferns and water was still going all over the floor.

In frustration one night...after watering...

I said,

"That's it! It's either me or them. They have to go!" and I tossed them out onto the deck.

Harvey looked very worried and a little frightened...I think he thought he was next.

It was a warmish night - 40's. So they were fine for the night and the next day I put them in the garage.

The hibiscus went there too.

I'm sure they are dead. I've heard that plants will last if put in the garage but it has been 

very cold since then.

I haven't looked at them in like a month. I should have watered them but haven't...

maybe I will tomorrow.

So...I really have learned from this something I already knew...

I cannot handle big plants in the house. 

Maybe if the house didn't already have four live animals in it...

I could. 

Taking care of dogs is all I can manage. 

Besides dogs tell you when they need water and food and plants don't till it's too late.

I'm bad with fish too. 

You don't even want to know.