Nature in the Home

A sensitive plant in a garden grew, And the young winds fed it with silver dew, And it opened its fan-like leaves to the light, and closed them beneath the kisses of night. 

Percy Bysshe Shelley

It is at this time of the year that I really miss my garden.  It brought me so much joy. There was nothing like going outdoors in the quiet of the night surrounded by the quietude and the beauty of nature.  And then I had to let it go, and it broke my heart.  I tried in the backyard of our next apartment, but I wasn't comfortable there.  There was no real privacy.  So, I gave it up.  And now hubby and I have chosen to move into a building.  It was the best choice for us.  Hubby isn't well anymore, and my back and knees ache so badly I would never be able to tend to a garden. 

But I so missed that touch of nature.  I missed the good feeling of nurturing plants and watching them grow, but alas, I'd never had much luck with indoor plants.  The green thumb I had for outdoor plants disappeared, and everything I planted was died.  Why, even my cactus wilted away.  But, this year I was determined.  In all honesty, the first batch of seeds I planted didn't make it, and I lost several store bought plants, but I refused to give up.  And, this time it worked.  I was able to bring the beauty of nature into my home.

With the advent of warm weather, my Money Tree has really taken off.  It's just about time to buy a bigger, floor model planter.

Don't have any idea what this is, but every day I have to turn it as it all heads toward the sun.

This is one of the plants I have to transplant into a hanging planter.  Notice the parsley in the pot next to it.  Hasn't been faring too well, but it looks like this shoot has taken hold

My Moon Flower, planted from seed,  is really taking off.  Time to transplant it into a hanging planter.  I have to keep an eye on it because it wants to wrap itself around my window guard.

I was shocked to see my Maranta plant flowering. Actually I had done much research on this plant.  I thought it was just a plant of pretty leaves.  Yesterday I looked on line and discovered that the plant is called a "Prayer Plant" because the leaves roll up at night.  This is something I hadn't known either, so last night before I went to bed I checked it out...

...and sure enough, the leaves were beginning to roll up.

Here is another view.  Isn't nature amazing?

 Come forth into the light of things,
Let Nature be your teacher.

William Wordsworth
Nature will bear the closest inspection. She invites us to lay our eye level with her smallest leaf, and take an insect view of its plain. 

Henry David Thoreau

It's amazing how a bit of Nature can inject such life and colour to an abode. - See more at: http://www.renotalk.com/articles/373/Potted-Plants-for-Your-Home#sthash.2zWmadOd.dpuf

It's amazing how a bit of Nature can inject such life and colour to an abode. - See more at: http://www.renotalk.com/articles/373/Potted-Plants-for-Your-Home#sthash.2zWmadOd.dpuf