I'm thinking about moss. I started noticing moss in gardens on the tours in and around
Buffalo last summer. Moss, cool, woodsy, lush, green moss, perfect for a woodland garden. Then I saw pictures of the winter interest garden
Helen Yoest helped install for the North Carolina State Fair. The finishing touch was the planting of several different mosses. Of course moss has been on my radar since Frances posted about it at
Fairegarden back in 2009. (See also
More Moss Magic.)
There already is moss here at Squirrelhaven,
but mostly in the lawn, and not nearly enough in the woodland garden, where it would show to great effect. I need to figure out where to install a small mossy area. Then I just need set up some chunks of concrete and logs on which to grow it, and lift some of that moss out of the lawn and move it. Some for the little fairy box garden would be nice too. I can see it now...
25 comments:
Barbara, I am with you regarding moss. I think it brings a texture to the garden like no other plant. It says "cool and calm" to me. I have had no luck growing it though. I have only tried what is available around here which is Irish Moss and Scotch moss. Neither will take hold here. I thought it was because it was too hot and dry during summer but I see that Frances has luck with these. Maybe she waters more than I. I have an interesting little book regarding moss, _Moss Gardening_ by George Schenk. If you don't have it I would imagine you would really like it. Lots of inspiration there. I will be curious to hear about your experiments with moss...Marlon
I too love moss and have it growing everywhere except where I would like for it to grow...sigh
Moss would look wonderful in your woodland garden. I love moss and on a hot day it cools a garden. I've a few places in the wildflower garden where it would look great and plan to see if I can move it from the wayback to there. gail
After designing and using moss as the final touch for the NC State Fair garden competition, I realized it was a genera of gardening I never really explored. It also occurred to me that it should not have been considered the final touch, but the first thought. NC has 600 native species. I plan to explore moss more at home. I too am devouring George Schenk's book Moss Gardening. If you were on the fence before reading this book, you and shopping for it now. H.
I love the mosses too, and there's a shockingly large variety just in the backyard! I like to bring in sheets of it in the spring to drape around grocery store tete-a-tete daffodils and grape hyacinths in a shallow container - it smells deliciously earthy!
Moss would be a perfect addition to your shady garden, Barbara! It makes me think of the forest and a cool refuge on a hot summer's day. And I'm sure the fairies would appreciate it, too:)
Hi MMD, moss rules! Winter is the time that we so appreciate the green velvety stuff, and also appreciate linkage! We have found the moss grows best on stones and old concrete blocks, not as well on the old logs, although those do get cool fungi. Good luck with your mossy endeavors! :-)
Frances
Lisa - I'll have to get that book, you're not the first person who's mentioned it to me. I have Schenk's shade book, which I really like.
Darla - that's my fear, that the moss will grow only where it wants to be.
Gail - it'll be interesting to see how our efforts work out.
Helen - who knew moss was that interesting?
Cyndy - That's a great idea. I forgot last year that I wanted to try to put some of the moss in pots around the spring bulbs outside last year. Maybe I can find some to bring in for my potted forced Hyacinth.
Rose - thanks for the encouragement. It could be very good.
Frances - I have plenty of broken bits of concrete for the job, but I have seen some moss on a couple of logs, but you're right, the fungi on the logs are cool too.
I've read that if you use a (an old) blender to blend moss and buttermilk, you can paint the mixture onto rocks, etc. (Moss doesn't grow on a rolling stone...) ;-)
I love the way the moss in my garden is very green and pretty right now, unlike much else in my zone 5 climate. So pretty and delicate . . . and yet hardy, yeah!
I LOVE moss too... You've got to check out my favorite book on the subject: George Schenk's Moss Gardening http://www.amazon.com/Moss-Gardening-Including-Liverworts-Miniatures/dp/0881923702
He's a great writer, and it is a wonderful, inspiring book.
I have a lot of moss growing, but not always where I want it like on my patio. I think my house is built on a swamp!
Eileen
I like moss if it is growing where it should. Unfortunately it grows where it wants, like roofs and patios. But who can blame it when conditions are perfect. Your images are really great of the moss growing where it should. The lawn, not so much, but your fairy box garden sounds nice.
Moss definitely looks great in woodland settings. I wish I knew more about it and how it grows. Is it like a perennial?
I got a huge moss garden by slowly picking the grass out of the moss under my apple trees. Sometimes you have to start where the moss is. I have a number of kinds of moss all of which arrived on their own. YOu don't want to water it more than normal rainfall or bring in mosses from elsewhere. Moss will arrive that likes your environment and then you just have to keep down the competition.
Yes, moss + cool+ woodsy = lush ... perfect for a woodland garden. I have a lawn/woods full of moss up north and trying to figure out enough space in car to drag the woodsy feeling back home. I have some but not nearly enough to suit me.
Love the moss photos and the moss thoughts ... thanks for reminding me to appreciate it in my garden.
Love the cool tranquility of these photos...when people ask me about getting rid of moss, I always look blankly at them and say, "WHY?" I love the moss in my garden, and am enjoying watching it spread in one area in particular, where some of the hellebores are.
You'll be happy to know, oh hellebore mentor (you and Frances) that my beautiful yellow hellebore Golden Sunrise is coming through nicely, and has buds (I saw them a couple of weeks ago and mulched with evergreen boughs, and won't see them again til April, now.
Beautiful image. I've recently spotted a patch of moss thriving on the stones at the side of my pond and am thrilled. Its adding such a wonderful texture as well as colour.
I love moss. It is wonderful stuff. I have it growing in our shady woods, but I also have it growing on my sunny lawn. Different varieties. I don't mind it on the lawn, which is mostly a 'typical weedy patch' except for where I am getting common thyme to take over. Much less mowing.
Shady - I wish I had an old blender.
VW - my moss is under the snow, but when the snow melts it's nice to see some green. The lawn sure isn't.
Greensparrow - I'm ordering Schenk's book today.
Eileen - I love swamp plants! Marsh mallow, sarracenias, water hemlock... ;^)
GWGT - I think moss can look nice growing on roof shingles - of someone else's house.
ROR - moss is perennial and fairly evergreen. It gets brown in the middle of summer when it's too dry & hot.
Ms. Wis - now that's a novel approach, picking the grass out of the moss. I'd just come to accept the moss in the lawn when the neighbor cut down the big shade tree there. There is less moss now. Thanks for the info about the watering.
Joey - I'm glad I just have to cart it across the yard.
Plant Postings - moss is really neat, especially when you get down & take a close look. I think you'll really start to love it.
Jodi - thanks for the inspiration, I'll put some in the hellebore bed on the northside of the house! I'm glad your hellebore is doing well. Just remember to cut off the dead leaves before the new buds start coming up so you don't cut off the buds like I have.
Plantalicious - you just reminded me that I'm installing some concrete crazy paving into the woodland. Moss would be perfect there.
Commonweeder - I like your idea of a lawn. Much better for everybody.
Oooh that moss is lovely!
Hi,
@ shady Gardener: I think it's from Marjorie Harris' 'Favourite Gardening Tips A-Z' - It's my gardener's bible ;-)
@ Mr. McGregor's Daughter: at a garage sale or at a place like salvation army or value village you'll find a cheap one - M.Harris advocates it for all kinds of ecologically sound gardening tricks (like mashing banana peels to feed roses and making all kinds of sprays and things)
btw, i'm just discovering the garden blogging world, thank you al for all your work and the great photos - i think i'll never spend a penny on magazines anymore to while away the winter - we're buried under 3 feet of snow here in Moncton, NB, Canada (5a)
I'm a huge fan of moss too. Of course living where it rains all winter there's a lot of it.
Sandra - thanks for the tip. This summer I'll cruise the garage sales. Nothing beats garden porn for getting through a snowy winter.
Grace Peterson - right now, rain all winter sounds pretty good.
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