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Large Custom Projects

Sara Beth’s New Green Mansion

Sara Beth bought a Wardian case while visiting in St. Louis, and brought it by to see if I could plant it for her.

  I’ve looked at these miniature ornamental iron and glass contraptions many times, but never planted one as they are for some reason designed more for showing with artificial plants (ack!) than actually for planting.  The glass panes were not sealed, and the metal tray in the bottom rattled around unsecured, with a gap between the sides of the tray and frame.  I got my good friend Donn to seal it all very neatly with aquarium safe silicone sealer, then headed East to plant the little guy.


Sara Beth has a perfect little nook for the terrarium, with a large south facing window and plantation shutters to filter the brighter beams


So I gathered my rocks, gravel, activated carbon, sphagnum moss and, of course,

 My special terrarium soil mix.  I like to mix soil in this enamel washpan my friend, Alisa, gave me years ago.


I propagate most of my plants in little mini greenhouses like this box of espicia, peacock fern, and ficus pumila.

 I like using selaginella in terries, and this variety grows tall enough to fill the tall case.   Two little fittonia huddle in the corner.


It wil take a few months for everyone to settle and start really filling the space,  but I think it turned out pretty nice.

Two kinds of hemographis reptans, peacock fern, selaginella cypress moss, espicia, ficus pumila, feather moss

I think they will be very happy together for many years to come.

One main reason I am in this business is to share the joy of living with plants.  Please send me a note if you want to learn more, or to set up a consultation to get your own Green Mansion.

Peace and love – Nancy

 

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Large Custom Projects Uncategorized

A New Green Mansion for the Barnharts

I recently had the pleasure of building a huge terrarium for Nancy and Dick Barnhart.  They had installed a 150 gallon aquarium between their living and dining rooms, and after many years decided they wanted a change.

The aquarium was a focal point of the Barnhart’s home
I had to build up the substrate and soil by more than a foot before planting.
Dick was delighted to see the design begin to take place. I made a gentle sloping mound of soil, with a stream bed to add interest, then began painting the landscape with mosses, ferns, tillandsias, and many more exotic rainforest plants.
Prayer plant; cryptanthus; tillandsias; streptocarpus; Virginia blue rabbits foot fern; pink fittonia. This is just one section, but you get the idea. Things will grow and change over time, depending on how Nancy decides to train the plants – she may keep it manicured or may let the plants grow freely into a wildly exuberant jungle.

If you are interested in having your own rainforest under glass, give me a call at 901-828-3685 or send me a message below. Thanks for checking it out!

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