Cacti

I grew up in a house stocked full of plants. My mother has quite a green thumb and is often found tending to the plants inside her home and in the garden. While in university I often could be found helping my mother in her garden. We added new flower beds, planted cherry trees, dug up dandelions and munched on bbq'd lunches while admiring our hard work. Her adventures in the garden continue and I have thought quite a bit about launching into patio gardening in Edmonton.

A chilly spell has arrived in town thus turning my attention from outdoor plants to indoor. The prospect of expanding our green responsibilities beyond one ivy plant and a burgeoning tomato plant intrigues me. At first I thought of the orchid garden my Aunt has cultivated in her dining room in Okotoks, Alberta. The elegant, refined beauty of an orchid is definitely appealing. However, I tried my hand at sustaining a singular pink phalaenopsis orchid in grad school with little success. The pink stem bloomed only once and subsequently dried up and died.

Given my limited success with somewhat fussy plants, and our penchant for taking frequent weekend trips and the scattered longer vacation from home, I have now turned my attention to growing cacti and succulents. I'm feeling inspired by these photos from Ellyy.

Aren't they delightful? On a related note, if I ever find myself in Arizona, I'll be sure to check out this monument.