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Terra Mirabilis

• Belated Happy New Year!

  I'm embarrassed about how long it's been since I posted. Oh, well, life happens.
  Since it's still the beginning of the year, I wanted to post something in honor of Janus, and what could be better than garden gates? On my walks and bike rides around the neighborhood, I've [...]
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• Worm tea and orchids

  Number of comments: 14
  The worm bin in the photo is the second I've had, having first started with a simple plastic container. I like this stacking one better because it allows the liquid to collect and be drained easily. And, as any worm compostor knows, the liquid is the best' [...]
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• Random pictures

  Number of comments: 17
  It's been ages since I posted. I had computer problems and after they were fixed, I couldn't decide what to write about, what a friend back in England used to call a "rictus of indecision." While I sort out my rictus, I'll post some pix, with comments.
  
  First, a [...]
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• In praise of roses

  Number of comments: 13
  Souv. de la Malmaison
  There are orchid people, and there are rose people. Despite having dozens of orchids, I'm firmly in the latter category. Nothing speaks to my heart like a rose.
  
  Our garden in England was full of roses, mostly hybrid teas, and we' [...]
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• Monarch butterflies

  Number of comments: 10
  Click on the photo to see the empty chrysalis next to the hind feet
  I don't have much luck with monarchs. Not because I don't have the right plants, and not because adult females don't lay eggs on those plants, but because damn great nonnative bufo toads' [...]
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• I'm certified!

  Number of comments: 20
  Hooray! The sign says it all. Note the gold label, which is the higher of the two classifications. (It's not difficult to qualify if you're an environmentally aware gardener.) 
  
  The extension office in most Florida counties participates in the Florida Yards and Neighborhoods program.[...]
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• Fall migration

  Number of comments: 12
  Credit: Mark Jones, Painted Bunting Observation TeamRealizing that the migration must be well under way, and also being located under a major flyway, I Googled for information about what I could expect to see at my feeders.
  
  I came across the website of the North [...]
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• An unwelcome visitor, or the very hungry catarpillars

  Number of comments: 9
  Credit: Wikipedia, Bugboy52.40It's odd how attitudes will change. I spend a lot of time in the garden encouraging butterflies to visit and to lay eggs, but when an unwanted one arrives, I'm furious!
  
  In this case, it's the oleander -- or polka dot -- moth (Syntomeida' [...]
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• A visit to a native plant nursery

  Number of comments: 12
  
  
  
  Native blanketflower, Gaillardia pulchella, I'm planning a little guerrilla gardening on a tiny, tiny plot of city-owned land by my house, so over the weekend I went to Casey's Corner, a native plant nursery, near Homestead (Ground Zero in Hurricane Andrew). As would be' [...]
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• Lawn care

  Number of comments: 12
  This has been around for a while, and it's always made me laugh. It arrived in my inbox again today, so I'm posting it here in case you've never seen it:
  
  
  

  GOD: Frank, you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world is [...]

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