growing green.

One nice thing about our new house is that there is so much room outside that there is plenty of room for a garden.

So we're going to plant a garden. A huge one.
I mean it's gonna take all 4 adults that live in the house to maintain this sucker.
Just a huge, huge garden.

This is a first for A. (hubs) and I.
I don't really have a "green thumb."
I have more of a "black" thumb, really.

Meaning I can kill almost anything in a matter of days/weeks.
For example, my sister still has an orchid from my wedding (almost a year ago.)
I had 2 and they both died within a month.

But I digress.
Back to this ginormous garden we're gonna plant (once it is dry enough to till, at least. Too much rain this week :/ )

So all this talk of planting, and what to plant, and when to plant it, and so on, has got me thinking about...well...plants.

Cool ways to display them.
Cool ways to grow them.
Basically, just how they're, like, cool.

So here's some stuff that I've found and really love and want to try!

Mason jar gardens!
Old Mason jars are everywhere right now, but this is honestly one of the coolest uses I've seen for them.

Find the DIY here:
http://camillestyles.com/2011/transformed-mason-jar-herb-garden/

Man, how I wish I'd seen this last year-- how to garden with limited space. Pallet gardens!
DIY here:
 http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/gardening-without-a-garden-10-ideas-for-your-patio-or-balcony-renters-solutions-167221











I can't talk about plants without mentioning terrariums.
They are getting pretty popular, and it's probably because they are cool as hell.
I want one. But like I mentioned before, I have kind of a "black" thumb.
I don't mean kind of. I do.
So I've been afraid to actually make one and then have it all die. Because that would be devastating. It would probably break my heart and I'd never be able to try to grow anything ever again.

So for now I've just been looking at them :)
My friend Anji has a couple of shops on Etsy, and one of them has terrariums with all the trimmings.
Look at this stuff, it's so gorgeous!


This is one of Anji's terrariums. Look at all that moss!

I love terrariums because they are a fabulous way to bring some nature into your home in a contained (great for kids) and inspired way.
Anji has a moss terrarium diy here:
http://resonanteye.net/2011/12/22/moss-terrariums-a-primer/


You can get all your supplies here, or pick up one of Anji's :)
http://www.etsy.com/shop/paperanjii

Another terrarium from paperanji:

A gorgeous moss specimen you can pick up from Anji's shop.

You could make a terrarium in a LIGHTBULB.
Sorry, that is just too. freakin'. cool.
DIY tutorial here:
http://thehipsterho.me/2010/01/how-to-make-a-tiny-terrarium-in-a-light-bulb/

Try planting some succulents (my grandma always called them Hens N Chicks) in a snail shell for a tiny little garden!
DIY here: http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2012/01/how-to_mini_shell_succulent_pl.html

And I have to say something really quick about air plants.
They are a black thumb's dream.
They don't even need soil to grow, just water and light.

They've become huge online, especially on Etsy. Just go to Etsy.com and type in air plants, and you'll be amazed by all of them. Lots of different colors, shapes, and especially ways to display them. Hang them from the ceiling, grow them straight out of the wall....the possibilities with these plants are just about endless.





So that's my (HUGE) post about all things growing green!
Hope I've inspired (or at least briefly entertained) you.

Now, I really should go and work on my actual garden instead of just looking at all these amazing pictures.

If you have a totally killer garden I would LOVE to see it!

xo.
Rachel