Madison's Magical Fairy Garden ~

It all began when I placed a teeny tiny door I made, with a teeny tiny stone walkway leading up to it in my Granddaughter, Madison's outdoor fairy garden.

A garden I gave her to call her own. Where she could sit and play, plant flowers, read stories, decorate with her own garden art and let her imagination run wild.

Well, Madison was certain that fairies were afoot inside that teeny tiny door. Knocking at it every time she came for a visit, asking the fairies to please come out and play. Leaving letters, drawings and gifts for them, as they also returned the favor.
She was always So sad when winter came and the snow covered her garden.
So this year for her Birthday I surprised her with her very own indoor Fairy garden.
A space for her to visit the fairies in the cold winter months.

I placed tiny lanterns at the front to welcome you into the garden. A real pebble path that leads in and around. Tiny wind chimes and flowers all about hidden along the paths in the moss, all made from upcycled earrings.

A moss covered table and chair set, along with a cozy bench from real tree branches and bark, to sit and read or have some tea.

I used artificial ferns, flowers, rolling moss mounds and a leaf circle in the center to bring the garden to life.
And my favorite, a magical gazing ball created using an old lamp finial with a clear marble.

Get your children outdoors or inside to enjoy and appreciate natures' beauty ~
Help them to create their own special space to experiment with plants and garden art.
Keeping their idle hands busy tending and adding to it.
Bringing them hours of enjoyment and accomplishment.

Celebrating My 5th Etsy Anniversary with a Giveaway

I will be giving away this, Harvest Moon Wind Chime
on December 7, 2011
~ Wouldn’t this just brighten up your moon garden ~

My Copper & Stained Glass Harvest Moon ~
I sculpted copper into a frame of a moon and embellished it with copper swirls and clear faceted acrylic beads.
Hanging from the copper moon are 3 circles of amber stained glass.
A large black acrylic flat tube bead with a amber glass bead hang from the bottom of the moon.
The glass is strung together using amber glass beads.
A swirled copper hook is attached at the top & is ready to enhance your home or moon garden.
The total hanging measurement is 9-1/2 inches long and 6 inches at its widest point.
Exposed to the elements the copper will patina into a dark tone.
I hand cut the glass, sanded it to perfection, and then drill them.
My name is etched in the glass.
Copyright c 2006-2011 Julie DeGroot
Thank you for the interest in my art.
Have a great day,
Julie

All you need to do is simply:
#1 ~ Visit my gardens in my Etsy shop.
See if there is something you like ~
*Add it to your Favorites on Etsy & Post the name of the piece here*
Thank you for stopping by!
JewelsInTheGarden.etsy.com
~ Optional ~ *For extra chances to win* If you do have an interest in my art and would like to support my work, Share the Love, it would be very much appreciated!

Include these extra chances to win in the, *Same Post Altogether*
#2 ~ A Follower of my blog
#3 ~ A Fan of me on my facebook page.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jewels-In-The-Garden/122250003658
#4 ~ Add Jewels In The Garden to your "Circle" on Etsy
#5 ~ Add Jewels In The Garden to your "Favorites" on Etsy

Open to the US and Canada. First Class Shipping included.
The contest ends midnight December 6
The Winner will be chosen at random on December 7 and will be contacted and announced here on my blog.
Thanks for stopping by!
~ Wishing you all a Wonderful Holiday Season ~
Good Luck to all!
Julie ~ Jewels In The Garden, formerly, "gardenjewels"

~ A Celebration SALE is also going on in my Etsy Shop ~

The Lotus Experiment...............

I just love the art of water gardening, always looking and experimenting with new ways to enhance mine. I have always had my favorite, water lilies growing there, but I always dreamed of having a lotus plant in my garden. The local nursery's stock was just not an option $, so I thought I would try to germinate and grow my own from seed.

First I cut the seeds out of their pod

Then I scarified each seed by sanding the outer shell until I could see the cream colored flesh inside.

Placed the seeds in a small bowl of water, at a depth to just slightly cover them, changing the water 3 times a day. After 3 days, the seeds looked larger from the absorption of water. About 5 days later, I noticed a crack in some of the seeds. The next day some revealed a stout green shoot emerging.

Within a weeks time, they grew very fast, still keeping them just below the water line, With the seed staying at the bottom they stand straight up ever reaching for the top of the water, I used a large vase for this part and yes kept changing the water 3 times a day.


At this stage I decided to plant them.

Ordinary dirt even clay based is fine for lotus. Think about where they grow naturally, in muck and mud of a still water pond. I used 8 inch round flower pots, place a plastic grocery bag at the bottom (to keep the roots in the pot) and some rocks to hold the bag down, then filled each flower pot with the soil & clay mixture. I made a hole in the center and gently placed the seed in. Firmed the soil around it and placed a thin layer of pea gravel on top of the soil, to keep the seed from floating out of the pot and to keep the dirt in.

I submerged the pots into a large black tub, (the kind you find at outdoor parties used for ice & drinks).
Lotus plants need very warm water to grow and at least 6 hours of sunshine and must be grown in still water. So for now I have them on my deck, until that is I finish the bog they will be placed in next year

Success! My first leaf appeared about a week later, very exciting!

However the mosquitoes were also loving this still water tub. So I used a tiny piece of a mosquito dunk to control this.
Refreshing the water from time to time, I will keep these growing in this tub for the summer & fall, for they will not produce any flowers until next year (hopefully!) only leaves for now. I will bring them in when the weather turns here in New York & place them in the basement in water for them to become dormant (at a temp of at least 55 degrees). Never dead head the leaves of a lotus, for they keep feeding the tuber. I will experiment with one and lower it to the lowest point in my pond where the fish hibernate to see if it can survive a winter here.

Next spring they will be placed in the bog to grow.

This is the bog I am working on. I dug the hole level to the surrounding soil of the garden, quite the workout! I will be filling it partially with a peat moss and soil mixture. In the picture you see a straight black liner leading to the bog. This is the drainage from 2 gutters on our house that will feed the bog as it rains. Here in the country, with well water, we have to conserve, so I thought this would be the best solution for that.

My last picture of them, taken just the other day, at 12 weeks old, So far so good! My baby lotus nursery :)

I am already looking forward to next spring :)
to be continued..................

http://jewelsinthegarden.blogspot.com/2011/10/lotus-experimentcontinued.html