Dirt under my nails

Every spring during the Stockley Gardens Art Festival the Norfolk Master Gardeners have their annual plant sale. I see it every year, but by the time May rolls around my garden is already planted. This year I waited for the festival so that I could buy some of their plants which are usually pretty cheap.

My first score was this aloe plant that had 5 baby plants. I replanted her and the kids in this vintage brass planter that used to be home to a rubber tree plant that died after too many moves. Aloe plants are fairly easy to care for, I just need to be careful when I am moving. She set up shop next to the tiki bar in a sunny part off the dining room. I should also note that there were more babies this morning, I am going to have to separate them so that the mama plant has plenty of room to grow. Hopefully I will be able to trade one of the little guys for some grass seeds to plant in the hanging basket on my balcony. I think that it would be pretty cool to have a little lawn that I can periodically mow with a pair of scissors. I might even get some lawn art to really make it authentic.

Next is the herb garden that I set up. It's nothing special, stevia on the left, cilantro and sweet basil sprouts in the middle and lemon basil on the right. The lemon basil already smells fantastic.


Finally, in the garden boxes on the balcony I have some portulacas in a few colors. I love these plants, they really compliment the boxes by climbing over the edges. I can't wait to see them in full bloom.


Here's one of the flowers on the portulaca plant. They range in color from white to bright pink.