theplant-connection.com Blog

We all have symbiotic relationships.  I depend on my clients for income and they depend on me to keep their plants alive. Well last month I saw a great  film as part of a pesticide recertification class. It was a PBS offering called “The Seedy Side of Plants”. There were several fascinating stories but one was about a symbiotic  relationship that aardvarks have with a subterranian melon that grows in Africa.

This melon blossoms and grows during the rainy season and sends it’s fruit deep into the African soil. The fruit grows and stays underground. The only animal that can detect it’s presence are aardvarks. Aardvarks are very slow animals and are esy prey for their predators. To get their moisture without having to go to the water hole and meet their enemies, aardvarks can smell  these melons, tunnel down and get their moisture needs met by eating the melon. They then do the melon a favor and spread their seeds around through their natural digestive process. Without the aardvark, the melon would perish and vice versa.  If you love wild plant facts, this is the production to find and watch.

Help us clear out our warehouse and contribute to Treehouse at the same time! Visit us Nov. 21 to pick up some great deals!

Jennifer created soft surfaces to absorb our winter rainfall and recharge an underground creek that runs through her neighborhood to the sound.

Three cisterns (I believe they were 650 gallons each) were sunk into the ground for stability and allowed to capture rain from the roof downspouts. This water could be used during dry spells for water. The cisterns were nicely hidden behind some beautiful plantings.

Large cisterns used to collect rainwater from downspout

Permeable pavers with set rock and moss between the rock acted as a permeable patio.

A small hutch was covered with sedums to create a living roof.

Jennifer stated that she likes to create designs her clients can implement themselves if they wish with plants easily sourced from local home improvement stores and nurseries. Her logic was that these plants can often be found on sale and are durable. Another of her philosophies was to repurpose materials when possible.

The last photo is of a garden feature I am ready to incorporate in my own garden. A composting fence! My husband wouldn’t go for the drop chute to the worm bin I wanted to have in the basement but maybe he will go for this. Wire fencing is lined up on two sides of set posts to create a beautiful composting area for all the larger twigs and ferns you have from your gardening activities. You can create designs if you like by varying the way you deposit the materials. Over time the materials decompose and deposit fresh compost into the garden below. On site decomposition of your materials eliminates the greenhouse gases from the trip to the compost plant.

Composting wall for larger compost items

Every year we like to celebrate our renewing clients. Last year we created a mad lib that could be filled out and entered in a random drawing to win a free month’s worth of plant service. James Farrell and company won the drawing!

This year we want to offer our clients the opportunity to win $25 for their favorite charity. Each month we will send out anniversary cards to our renewing clients that will give details on how to click and enter. February had 0 entrants so the March contest contribution doubled to $50.00. So far Northwest Harvest is the winner for our March contest. Happy Anniversary to all. Look for your Anniversary entry through the year.

We were very impressed last week during the big snow. When we visited our clients, all offices were open but one! While we had to cancel replacements and plant deliveries, we were able to give all the plants the compassion and care they needed to make it through the storm. Paperwork is a little behind but we hope to get you your service dates for next year soon! Happy New Year. Our goals are set. May next year be great for everyone.

Our first ever clearance and warehouse sale sent a lot of happy people home with great planters, Christmas items and plants and also raised $50.00 for Treehouse for kids Christmas gift program. It was also great fun. I know the plants went to great homes and the planters are making someone’s day brighter. My helper for the day found a great artificial Christmas tree that won’t make her allergies act up. We would love to have our next sale benefit a veteran’s or soldier’s organization that supports the young men and women in the armed forces. Please let us know if you have any suggestions. See you at our next sale.

On Friday Treehouse hosted a networking event for the chamber. The Treehouse organization benefits foster children in our state. Every Christmas they have a drive to collect gifts for foster children who otherwise might not receive a gift at Christmas. Foster parents and their foster children are referred by their case workers to the organization. This year, we have decided to support their drive by donating some gifts and having gift lists and tags available for our clients. We will happily deliver your gifts to their site. If you would like to have a few tags with gift ideas on them, I would be happy to drop them by when I am in the area. Every client who donates a gift item through us to the drive will receive a 4″ poinsettia in the month of December. Here is the link to their site if you would like to donate to them directly . treehouse for kids website