A Country Garden: The Greenhouse

There is nothing better than spending a raw, cold Saturday morning, complete with intermittent snow showers, in a nice warm greenhouse looking at bright and cheerful flowering plants. So when my friend Jonathan asked me to come look at the greenhouse, I leapt at the chance.

The ribbed glass diffuses the light and the pea-gravel and blue-stone paths ensure that the water drains off and no plants are sitting in puddles of water. The potting area is filled with rooting hormones, small biodegradable pots, amended potting soils and all of the tools of the trade.

Jonathan is already starting seeds, like sweetpeas, an early bloomer which hates hot weather, in the greenhouse. He’s got pots of rhizomes which he’s cut from last year’s crops of plants and is also starting them.

My geranium, which was a cutting from one that Thomas Jefferson owned, and which was a gift from the owner of the late lamented blog, Reggie Darling, has, under Jonathan’s expert care, finally grown from a pitiful little stalk, into a bushy plant.

Jonathan is a big fan of succulents, and their wonderful shapes, which follow the Fibonacci sequence.

There is such symmetry and mathematics in nature, and this gorgeous begonia leaf followed what is known as the Golden Spiral, which is an offshoot of both the Golden Ratio and the Fibonacci Sequence.

I am such a dork. This stuff fascinates me so much, even though I am total failure at math.

Another plant that Jonathan likes is the begonia family, which is what the leaf above is. While the leaf below looks like it would be very sharp and uncomfortable, it’s actually sort of rubbery.

Here are a few more begonia leaves.

The greenhouse is also home to some amazing orchids, which are notoriously difficult to grow, but under Jonathan’s care, they’re thriving.

Jonathan also has a collection of clivia which are native to Southern Africa. Their sword-like leaves and bright flowers make a beautiful presentation. Their buds look like little baby fingers and toes!

It was such a cheerful and warming experience to spend some time in the greenhouse, learning about new flowers and realizing that, despite the snow-showers, that spring is right around the corner.

Thanks, Jonathan!