Ongoing studies suggest (notice I say, suggest) that plants not only recognize their kin (their own species, not including a different cultivar) but act aggressive to “strangers”, or different species trying to grow in their root space. There are many articles to read on this subject which led me to staying in my office for far too long last night, freezing – but intrigued in the topic and debate. I scrolled through some pictures I took earlier in the day, and noticed all the botanical kin recognizing and un-recognizing  going on in my own garden. The pot of annuals, happily co mingling together. The lone Aloe – who’s roots expand frighteningly fast without another to crowd it out. And the Buddlea – that committed suicide last week from being associated with the Oxalis that reseeded in the same pot (or because it was really cold).

Stop and think about the relationships in your garden, I bet there are a plethora of plant liaisons. I can’t even count how many orgies I am hosting in my garden. For instance, the pleasure pot you see in the main image is a menagerie of Echeveria (not sure the species, it was a cutting/gift from a grower), Sedum (Sedum angelina), Arctotis (Arctotis acaulis) and the always fabulous Penstemon ‘Blue Springs’ (Penstemon heterophyllus). They grow wonderfully together and are clearly not recognizing that they are different species and should possibly be orgy-ing with only themselves (can you orgy with just yourself?). Maybe, kin recognition is limited to in ground planting, and the secret rule is when planted in a pot – all bets are off. It sure looks that way – that Sedum’s inhibitions are completely gone, it seems.

Adversely, the Gunnera is self loving (or self soothing… that’s a whole different post) in this wretched cold weather. No orgies for this prehistoric plant.

What kind of orgies do you have going on right now?

Well the title says it all.

I’ve pretty much gone to second base with Malibu Compost and am loving it!

I met the folks of Malibu Compost at this year’s Green Festival in SF. It was around the time that I was being berated by the hippies in the booth adjacent (for not being vegan and showering everyday.. my bad) where I found a beacon in the fog (or was it a cloud of patchouli?) a whole booth dedicated to compost! Yucking it up with the guys, I learned that their compost is certified biodynamic and their cows receive no genetically modified feed. To be honest, I was sold when I saw the logo… who doesn’t love a surfing cow?

Their poop in their words:

Dairy cow manure endows the earth with powerful fertilizing and healing forces that chicken manure, steer manure, horse manure, and bat guano simply don’t have. Why? Because a dairy cow has an unequaled digestive process which is enhanced by cosmic-life giving forces in her hooves and horns that enable the nitrogen in her manure to re-kindle life within the earth.

Our products are certified biodynamic by Demeter® USA, the American chapter of the world’s only certifier of Biodynamic® farms and products. Demeter’s strict standards ensure crops are grown with the avoidance of chemical pesticides and fertilizers, utilize compost and cover crops, and set aside 10% of the total farm acreage for biodiversity. In order for our product to bear the Demeter logo, it must be made with certified Biodynamic ingredients and meet strict processing standards to ensure the purest possible product. These standards ensure the dairy cows that provide the manure that is the basis for our compost receive no genetically-modified feed and have access to the outdoors. Further, we ensure our farms grow at least one third of their cows’ diet on the property, make efforts to reduce pathogens, and make minimal turns on the compost, thereby enhancing compost fertility.

OH! And they have tea bags! Compost tea is perfect for anywhere in your garden but especially your potted plants and indoor babies. To find more info about compost tea go here.

Needless to say, this is some good shit.

Moving on… I Heart Echeveria. It’s so easy, gorgeous and interesting… and did I mention easy!? The blue ones are my favorite, but the dusty gray echeveria are nice too. In clusters the form the nicest ground cover under trees like crabapples, arbutus or even olive trees.

Looking for that perfect echeveria for your garden? Check out the resource page under annies annuals for some fun varieties…

I’ve had a pot by my front door for about a year and a half now. When I first moved to this house, I planted it with a fabulous little daphne, some nepeta and I think a couple annuals. Well, everything has filled in nicely – except growing towards the back, of course towards the sun. So I filled the empty void with Buddha. This isn’t so much a philosophical statement, as it is a literal one. I bought an amazing gold tinted Buddha head from a statuary store in HMB and I love it!

Including some designing…..

So, I’ll work on that until the wisteria drys off…

The plants on my deck are dwindling down into hibernation mode. A couple months ago I haphazardly planted sweet pea seeds in almost very pot. They just now have started to bloom, but don’t really have the characteristically spicy scent since it’s getting colder. The only things really blooming still are my salvias, sweet peas, heliotrope and a few scattered roses here and there. Most things are just leafing out and setting roots, tucking in for the upcoming rain.