So, I've decided that I need to make one of these wreath/ball things. Aren't they fabulous looking? I've got a small collection of plants right now and I've been practicing with clippings and succulent reproduction. 
The hardest part is being patient; I hate waiting. So, once my mini sempervivum nursery gets off the ground, I'm going to try my hand at one of the wreaths. Or maybe the ball, which is even more visually interesting.
Speaking of plants: Did you know that there is a plant called Hens and Chicks (Sempervivum tectorum)? It's a succulent (of course). So, I've decided that once we buy a home I'm going to invite the fine folks at the Seattle Urban Farm Company over to help me get my organic garden rolling and to help construct my hen house. It should definitely have a sod roof consisting of hens and chicks, don't you think? Maybe I could even make it my first rammed earth building. Oh the possibilities!By the way, for those of you living in the Seattle Area, the Garden Show is up and running at the convention center. Here are a couple of photos:
I'm actually pretty fond of this pond. I've been discouraged lately because a lot of the ponds I've been seeing online and in magazines try very hard to look 'natural' and frankly, I think they fail miserably. Too many rocks around the edge look fake and contrived and I can't stand many of the crappy pond ornaments the most people seem to enjoy. So my line of thinking has swung completely in the other direction: maybe we should focus on water gardens that are clearly man-made yet contain natural elements? I like this one because it has lots of nice solid granite and a very elegant center rock. It even has a rock that could be used by turtles as a sunning spot.
Backyard Stonehenge, anyone?
Oh lovely pots.
