Hi everyone,

I’m at the bookstore today, where I have a small plant showcase as a premier vendor, and just finished talking to a customer who was here to see what I had that is “new.”

She’s become a regular visitor – and new plant friend. She likes my inspiration and then she shows me all of her plant creations via her photos on her phone. We could talk for hours!

It has been so much fun showcasing and selling my plants here – and the best part is meeting new people and making new connections. Without my venture here, I would not have met many new plant enthusiasts as well as avid book lovers.

I could write a book on my experiences here – you see, I’m not a huge book reader myself (shh-don’t tell anyone!). Well, let me correct that – I DO read books, but most of the time, actually probably 99% of them, are related to plants, gardening, propagation, succulents, cacti, houseplants, garden tools, tropicals, gardens around the world, bugs, leaves, botanical subjects, etc. My home based office is FILLED with books on 5 long shelves. And, I don’t just “read” them, I use them for my research. The studying never ends in the world of horticulture – it is the name of the game. Learning! But it has been a very long time since I read a novel or love story – LOL.

Many times, however, especially during the winter, when I have spare time, one of my all time favorite things to do is getting cozy in a lawn chair, which I keep in the greenhouse for those sunny yet cold winter’s day, and read. I soak up the sun, warmth, sights, and sounds as I enjoy a good plant book. On sunny days in the winter, you can’t beat the warmth. It can get warm enough to not have your coat on and put on a bathing suit top – and get a sun burn if not careful! But the vitamin D is heaven on those cold winter days. I just love reading my plant books there.

In the summer, the only time I’m reading in the greenhouse is when I’m looking up a plant problem, and even then, it doesn’t happen much (reading that is) in the greenhouse in the summer cause the greenhouse is filled with plants and plant projects. I’m too busy watering or planting, re-potting, cleaning, and repeat.

My greenhouse space is quiet, however, no matter the season. The things I hear are the occasional dried up leaves blowing across the slanted roof top, or a turkey making a cooing sound to his fellow wild friends. Sometimes I’ll hear a hawk – and once, a hawk landed on the top of the greenhouse roof to observe the bird feeder on a tree nearby for his own living tasty treats. He swooped down over to the feeder from the greenhouse roof – what a sight to behold as I was sitting quietly reading, looking up and seeing the span of wings. And, lastly, sometimes I hear a faint meow from my cat walking by, or hear tons of birds chirping in the brush behind the greenhouse – they love that stuff.

Anyhow, my point being – I do read, but it seems always to learn about plants – Plants! Plants! Plants! How did this planting thing become such a crazy (as in Container Crazy CT) obsession? Well, let’s not go there – that is another LONG story.

This year provided me with MANY new challenges and ventures. I decided to try my hand at houseplants – and WOW, was that ever a fun new gig. I met a wonderful grower, who truly supports me and treats me with respect. I feel this is a gift. A plant connection friendship formed and little did I know – I would learn a tremendous lot about houseplants – by observing, growing them, caring for them, and asking questions when I didn’t know the answer – it’s been all good. And now, I’m fond of them more than ever before. However, no worries, friends. I will continue to offer my other usual too, from perennials to wildly large tropicals. I just like to mix it up every year. It helps us all to grow as plant lovers. Plus, it is fun.

Now – for photos – let’s go so I can stop rambling, and do what I set out today, which was to share some photos…

Oh God – This Canna ‘Cleopatra’ is ga-ga-ga-gorgeous. I scored a few BIG pots of them – full enough to last you a life time if you overwinter the storage organs (as I refer to them), which I teach how in my “Overwinter Plants” workshops – but back to this plant! It is soooo beautiful; the dark toned striped patterns in the leaves and it blooms, not only red, but also yellow flowers! How can a plant offer so much? Those of you who bought a plant at my workshop or from me at the bookstore – congrats.

Here, I was showing an elephant ears tuber (bulb, corm – whatever you prefer to call it – although technically they have different names) – no matter, this was a big one! I potted up many this season and sold quite a few elephant ears of my own. One can not have a container garden thrill (or thriller) without one, in my opinion! They last into the fall, bob in the wind, and are easy – they prefer shade but can take sun if you water – a lot!

Ah, this photo is showing moon flower seeds. This is another “new” offering by me this season – selling seeds by Hudson Valley Seed Co. All 100% certified organic seed and open-pollinated. Well, I had to sow some of my own of this plant which get huge, tubular, white flowers at end of summer. In fact, my plants are growing in a pot and I trellised them up to the light on my garage with garden twine which they freely accepted – the plant’s vines finally reached the light fixture – and I think it may go as high as the gutters of the garage. Because the seeds are open pollinated, any seed I collect from my plants will be true-to-type for next year’s round. Bonus! You buy one seed packet and you can keep it going on for years if you harvest your seeds from the plant.

I’ve been offering so many terrariums workshops – I’m becoming known as the “terrarium lady” – and one day, a customer came in with a terrarium she had owned for one year – a gift from a friend, and it was so overgrown, she asked me to renew it – which I did – and I made up 3 terrariums for her. That was a fun project. BTW, our next TERRARIUMS workshop is on a Monday, August 21st, 6-8 pm at the Stafford Cidery! See http://www.WORKSHOPSCT.com for all the details.

And to finish off today’s “picture post” is a flash back of some of the containers created by attendees from my May Container Garden Workshops. I hope everyone’s creations are doing well. Now, it is time to stay tuned to the fall and winter workshops, after you finishing enjoying our summer vacations and the rest of our summer months! We have a few coming up:

8/21 – Stafford Cidery – Terrariums
9/15 – Book Club Bookstore – Overwintering Plants
9/20 – Stafford Cidery – Microgreens Growing
9/27 – Container Crazy CT’s BB location – Overwintering Plants Early
10/7 – Container Crazy CT’s BB location – Succulent Topped Pumpkins
10/16 – Stafford Cidery – Succulent Topped Pumpkins
10/14 – Container Crazy CT’s – Overwinter Plants (timed for fall frost)
12/2 –  Container Crazy CT’s – The 8th Annual Holiday Kissing Ball & Wreath Making
12/6 – Container Crazy CT’s – Weeknight Kissing Ball & Wreath Making Workshop

Enjoy! July is almost over!

Cathy Testa
860-977-9473
containercathy@gmail.com
www.WORKSHOPSCT.com
http://www.CONTAINERCRAZYCT.com
www.CONTAINERGARDENSCT.com

If you are an Instagram fan – I’m there under ‘containercrazyct’ – look me up – I am constantly posting photos!

Thanks, Cathy T.

Other services:

Plant Refurbishments
Garden Talks
Demonstrations
One-on-One Private Sessions for Workshop topics
Plant Deliveries – coming soon