Meet Mr. Terra Cotta. He came into my life on my most recent birthday. I sowed some chives seeds in his scalp, and they have made for him a hairstyle rather complementary to his astonished expression.
However, the chives are ready to be potted on, and Mr. Terra Cotta needs a new “do.” Can you suggest a new plant for his hair? The only criterion is that the plant be happy in a 4.25″ pot, because that is what he is.
I am still busy planting and writing in my head. I have, however, been microblogging on Twitter. You can read my updates on the left sidebar (under the Search function), subscribe to them via RSS, or sign up for Twitter yourself and follow me.
About Kathy Purdy
Kathy Purdy discovered the joys of writing in fourth grade, when she started corresponding with a former classmate. She's been writing letters ever since, first on looseleaf, then electronically, and now as weblog entries. That makes you, the blog reader, her pen pal. Her first independent (though frustrating) attempts at gardening were made in high school, though the gardening bug didn't bite hard until her mid-thirties, when she found herself mistress of a rural home on 15 acres. • USDA Hardiness Zone:4 • AHS Heat Zone: 3 • Location: rural; Southern Tier of NY • Geographic type: foothills of Appalachian Mountains • Soil Type: acid clay • Experience level: intermediate • Particular interests: colchicums, narcissus, cottage gardening, NY native plants, gardening with/for children
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
I think a curly little doo might be cute – how about a little Mother of Thyme or Corsican Mint. The side benefit of both of them would also be the aromatics.
One nice thing about Mr. Terra-Cotta’s small size is anything I plant will soon outgrow his circumference. So I will have opportunity to try all these ideas. Right now I have sedums and mint that I could root. I think wheatgrass would work for his winter ‘do. And I’ll have to keep my eye out for the other plant suggestions.
The Gem varieties of marigolds would look pretty fun. (Lemon gem, tangerene gem, etc…) I try to do a pot of two of those every year just for the big yellow-orange frosted green globe effect they have on their own in a pot.
I 2d the Fiber-optic Grass idea, although a Hakonechloa would be fun too. (But then I’m biased.) Or for a cool-color look there’s always one of those little blue grasses (I think it’s Festuca ‘Elijah Blue.’)
Twitter: @CurtissAnn
That is the cutest pot! Never seen any quite like it. The thing I grow best, hardly needs any care, is lemon thyme. It would make a great ‘fro’. Or many he could have mother-in-law’s tongue for a spike.
Thanks for sharing, giving me a smile.
CurtissAnn
I agree with carol–he needs a grass-like plant.
Twitter: @mycornerofkaty
Corkscrew rush would be cool, too. I love that pot.
I like the succulents idea… donkey tails and such. Or maybe some yellow ‘Angelina’ sedum? Or Corsican mint?
Twitter: @Annieinaustin
If you could get that black ophiopogon [nigrescans, maybe?] it could look pretty cool and might live in a window over winter. The pot will crack outside so you’ll have to bring it in anyway.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Wheat grass… it grows quick.
How about fibre optic grass? Pretty wild stuff
and Mr. Terra Cotta will then be astonished at his new head of hair.
Merry and Fern, those are both good ideas. Anyone else?
There are some succulents that would look great in a pot like that! I saw some in similar (although with more serious expressions) pots in a post at Apartment Therapy.