Trough of the Week: Lilly

Lilly shines in a 14" x 14" trough

Question: What do you see in the picture above?

Answer: A universe of decisions. Meet Lilly Trough. Helping her reach her beauty -- even as she is rockin' it  in her non-blooming season -- was complicated.

First decision: I had to determine the size and shape of the trough mold I used. (Did I want edges? A circle? Oblong?)

Second decision: Proportions of the respective ingredients for the trough (cement, peat & perlite). In this particular trough I used less peat since -- another decision -- I attached a screened bottom, instead of  cement with drainage holes. (The screened bottom diminishes the weight of the trough and enhances good drainage - - a must for the sustainable trough garden).

Third decision: Proportions for the soil mix specific to the plants in this trough. Which brings me to the

Fourth decision: The plants. This trough has been made for full sun  ~ standard rock-garden fare. This means the soil mix must be a healthy gritty mix of a little compost, sand -- maybe even grit or small gravel. These hard-core stone-croppers thrive in harsh conditions, which is why I love Lilly. Her respective parts include:
     Upper right corner: Cerastium tomentosum ~ Snow-in-summer. (Blooms white flowers in summer)
     Lower right corner: Dianthus gratianopolitanus 'Bath's Pink' (Blooms pink in summer)
     Center: Sedum acre 'Golden Carpet' (Blooms yellow in summer)
     Lower left corner: Sempervivum arachnoideum tomentosum

Even off-season, Lilly shines! She's edgy, with a center of warmth, a good solid mix-up of moods and expressions, and she's got attitude.  She can be yours.

Fifth decision: What's she worth? Contact me here if your are interested.

Growing Tiny Gardens: First Steps

A year ago, my friend Heather and I began making troughs. We knew what we were doing only insofar as knowing how to mix the needed ingredients (cement, peat and perlite). Beyond that it was an anything-goes proposition. We tried molds; we played with shapes and sizes; we experimented. Rain or shine.

Aspiration: Start somewhere -- build inventory.

Garden Lesson Learned: Making trough gardens takes time and involves a lot of combinations. The first time element is the making, curing, and leaching of the trough, which you've made with the proper balance of the three ingredients noted above. The second time element involves thinking through plant choices, learning their habits and light & soil needs, and then finding (or propagating) the plants. The third time element occurs after the previous two steps have been realized and you've introduced plants to your trough. The waiting and watching begins.


Life Lesson Learned:  Try anything. You'll be amazed at what works (and what doesn't).  Be patient: anything this good and long-lasting is going to take time. Watch your troughs as you watch your life: watch for evidence of stress and look for answers on the internet.

To view "Second Steps go here.