January 2014 – Michy's Garden …n'stuff

I am constantly trying to find interesting ways to display different plants. Since I have recently acquired many orchids and have found a new love of succulents, I decided to merge the two together. I had an old plant trellis lying around and thought it would be a fun way to hang the orchids.

As you see above, I started with a trellis, coconut fiber, sheet moss, wire and of course some orchids. The orchids I used were oncidiums and encyclias.

I took and orchid, wrapped it in sheet moss then secured it on the trellis with some wire. Over time the orchid will secure itself to the trellis with its roots. I did this again with the remaining four orchids in various spots on the trellis.

I then decided, since I am coo coo for succulents and I want them on everything, that I would add some succulents to the trellis for some ‘flair’. As you see below, I took some coconut fiber and added some cactus potting mix on top of the fiber which I then wrapped around the top of the trellis and attached it with some wire.

Attaching the coconut fiber with the soil on the trellis like I did created a soil pocket for me to be able to poke a hole through the fiber and place the succulents in that hole where they will root out and grow. The succulents I used were, Aeonium, ‘donkey tail'(Sedum morganianum), ‘string of bananas'(Senecio radicans), Rhipsalis, and Sedum lineare ‘Variegatum’. I also threw a Tillandsia on there for good measure.

I watered it all in and will let it sit for a few weeks to let things root in and get a little sturdier before I find a nice place to put it in my garden.

HAPPY GARDENING!

Ever have that feeling something is staring at you? As I was chatting with some fellow coworkers at the botanical garden where I work, I had that feeling something was lurking. I look over and there it was, the Knight Anole, or also known as, the Cuban Knight Anole(Anolis equestris). He was resting comfortably camouflaged in a palm tree keeping a very close eye on us. One of my coworkers, who is really into reptiles and who also raises them, told us that this is one of the largest species of anoles and are known to be quite aggressive. According to Wikipedia, ‘It is fiercely territorial. Aggressive to anything that enters its territory, the knight anole will face almost any intruder it perceives to be a threat (from a distance). During its display, a lizard will sit high on all fours, gape menacingly, turn green, and perhaps bob its head.’ These lizards are native to Cuba but have been introduced to South Florida where they are reproducing like rabbits apparently. It’s actually about

to get pretty chilly here in south Florida right now believe it or not, and they do not survive very well with freezing temperatures, kind of like iguanas. Hopefully this guy finds a warm spot tonight!

This knight Anole was found at the garden on a morning when it was 40 degrees. He is so cold that he just is resting on my co workers warm arm and showed no aggression what so ever.