Know Your Cactus...
Angelique is the 8 year old daughter of Andrew, a member of my landscaping team, and last week, during the school holiday's, I invited her to spend a day with us at the Nursery. Angelique loves plants and flowers and she was quite happy helping her dad and other staff members. During the afternoon she sat on a bench drawing pictures of her Dad working, and all the coloured flowers. Her drawings were delightful and currently adorn the walls of the staff room.
We all enjoyed having her with us, and at the end of the day I invited her to choose a plant to take home. To my surprise, she ran across to an area where we grow small cactus, and asked if she could have one for her bedroom window. Choosing the right cactus took some time, as her fascination with each one made the choice difficult. Eventually she selected a tiny Silver Ball Cactus (Notocactus scopa ) in a small terracotta pot, and proudly carried it around to show everyone.
Cactus are hardy plants and a popular choice for young children, although some plants can develop very sharp spines as they grow and it's important to choose carefully.
There are approximately 2000 members of the cactus family. They are best known for their toughness and longevity, as well as their beautiful large flowers which are often larger than the plant in the early years of growth.
Cactus can thrive in arid areas because water is stored in the stems and the spines reduce evaporation. The way the spines form add to the dramatic sculptural shapes of the plants.
While most cactuses originate from the desert, some can be found growing on trees in tropical rain forests and are spectacular in hanging baskets.
Selecting cactus for use as indoor plants has been made simple with tiny plants in attractive pots readily available in most nurseries. With the popularity of low maintenance gardens, many landscapers are using cactuses in arid garden areas, and they can look stunning. If you're planning to create a similar feature in your garden, it's important that you have some knowledge of the growing habits of the cactuses you choose, or receive advice from an experienced nursery person. Some cactus can grow to be very large as well as developing hard and extremely sharp spines that can cause serious injury. A well planned cactus garden and careful selection of plants, is better than risking injury to family, friends or pets.
Until next Time, Happy Gardening
Margarete
www.antspantsgardening.com
We all enjoyed having her with us, and at the end of the day I invited her to choose a plant to take home. To my surprise, she ran across to an area where we grow small cactus, and asked if she could have one for her bedroom window. Choosing the right cactus took some time, as her fascination with each one made the choice difficult. Eventually she selected a tiny Silver Ball Cactus (Notocactus scopa ) in a small terracotta pot, and proudly carried it around to show everyone.
Cactus are hardy plants and a popular choice for young children, although some plants can develop very sharp spines as they grow and it's important to choose carefully.
There are approximately 2000 members of the cactus family. They are best known for their toughness and longevity, as well as their beautiful large flowers which are often larger than the plant in the early years of growth.
Cactus can thrive in arid areas because water is stored in the stems and the spines reduce evaporation. The way the spines form add to the dramatic sculptural shapes of the plants.
While most cactuses originate from the desert, some can be found growing on trees in tropical rain forests and are spectacular in hanging baskets.
Selecting cactus for use as indoor plants has been made simple with tiny plants in attractive pots readily available in most nurseries. With the popularity of low maintenance gardens, many landscapers are using cactuses in arid garden areas, and they can look stunning. If you're planning to create a similar feature in your garden, it's important that you have some knowledge of the growing habits of the cactuses you choose, or receive advice from an experienced nursery person. Some cactus can grow to be very large as well as developing hard and extremely sharp spines that can cause serious injury. A well planned cactus garden and careful selection of plants, is better than risking injury to family, friends or pets.
Until next Time, Happy Gardening
Margarete
www.antspantsgardening.com
posted by M. R. Abel @ 11:26 PM
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