My Little Pocket Garden

Before I point you to the trees, I need to show you the forest. :)

Presenting my latest project: my little pocket garden, which I've grown and cultivated, bug-phobia and sunburn notwithstanding. :)

I'm sorry I don't have a before photo to share. Just imagine the area without plants. :) It was once a barren, desolate space leading to my kitchen,* that I've longed to make-over. Busy schedules, and the fact that the area doubled as sampayan area, pushed the make-over plans to someday.


That someday finally started a few months ago, and I've worked the space up to a cozy, soothing pocket of greens.

Starting with a few orchids (mostly dendrobiums and some vandas we bought in a garden fair in Megamall), our garden has grown to include hydrangeas; a bromeliad (which has a story, later); a plant with white flowers called Impatience; yellow candles; peach, red and white roses, a pink poinsettia, and even an ampalaya vine now climbing a pole in its little corner. :)


My garden also has non-flowering plants chosen for their unusual leaf shape or variegation. I have a pot of anahaw, a pot of fortune plant, and some plants with variegated leaves I am yet to research the names of. :) I've also assembled my own bonsai, there, extreme right. Notice the latest bloom of one of my hydrangeas peeking out, at left. :)

ALL my plants are potted, because we are renters, and we need to be able to bring the plants with us when we move to our own home. :)


Here's a closer look at my little table of mini- plants: top row, from left -- Chrysanthemum; pink and violet pitimini roses (yup, in the same pot!); white and pink zinnia; yellow pitimini roses.

At the bottom row is my boys' beginning collection of cacti and succulents; and the violet pitimini roses flanked by the two variegated plants whose names I don't know yet. :)

Every morning my husband and I spend a few minutes there, watering, fertilizing, weeding, replanting, or just admiring the blooms. The garden also gives a refreshing, soothing view from our breakfast nook, lending a special touch to the start of our every day. :)


=========

*Yes, our kitchen is outside the house, in our backyard. Apart from the fact that we can't have it inside due to space constraints (I keep a busy kitchen, and I need lots of elbow room!), my husband thought it's best to move the kitchen outside for safety reasons-- the semi-open air quickly diffuses any leaking gas from the LPG tank, lowering the chances of us inhaling fumes, and reduces the hazards of leak-induced fires.