Re-purposing an Old Birdbath with Succulents

Last year I replaced my old cement birdbaths with colorful ceramic ones. The new ones seem to have held up better, in part because you can easily remove the bowl and store inside when it freezes. However, I was stuck with two old birdbaths that no longer held water, and was looking for a creative solution to enhance it.

 I put one in the front of the house where I get a lot of afternoon sun, so I knew that I needed plants hardy enough to withstand harsh summer sun.  It's been especially hot this summer in Portland, and we were out of town quite a bit, so regular watering would be a problem also.

I ordered succulent cuttings from two ETSY shops, and both arrived wrapped in newspaper.  As I planted my fledglings, I wondered how such tiny, spindly plants could thrive enough to fill in my bowl. There was no need to worry, however, since in no time they took over the space and doubled in size.  

.  Best of all, they seemed to thrive in the sun, and on my intermittent watering schedule!

This what they looked like in early July, and below is what they look like now.

  I figure I have another month or two before I'll have to bring them inside.  I don't have a daylight basement, so they will either winter on a covered porch, or master bathroom.  Anyone have any suggestions?

Making a Terrarium

It's always hard for me to take down the holiday decorations and see all the empty spaces around the house.  Add to that, gloomy gray days, and I crave something pretty to look at.  I found the perfect remedy for the winter blahs in this cool, whimsical shop called Artemisia, where you can make your own terrariums.   Artemisia happens to be in Portland, OR, but my daughter found a similar shop in SF, and I think they are all over.

I was captivated by the cute hanging teardrop planters, but they had several sizes and shapes that would work for tabletops.  A friend also goes to Goodwill and recycles old candy glass containers for her terrariums.

If you need a place to de-stress, this shop is so calming.  You feel like you stepped back into another time and place.

They also had these cute moss covered root ball plants that just sit out on a plate or rock.

Also a beautiful dove cooed in the background while I shopped.

Filling your terrarium is the fun part!  You can add colorful sand, rocks, crystals, moss, shells, birds, and Air Plants! Air plants are great, since they come in several sizes and shapes, and only need to be watered once a week. To water, you remove your plants from the terrarium and soak the roots in water for an hour once a week, and then replace-that's it! You can also add miniature Succulents and care for them the same way.   Below, are the ingredients I used for my Terrarium- two Air Plants, a shell, and moss.

This is my finished Terrarium, isn't it cute?