Intelligent Neglect

I had a hard time deciding on the title of this post and I am not sure I will stick with this one but for now it suits my purpose. I have had some comments and questions about the mosses and lichen I showed growing in the post about my new " nature feels" series of covered stones.  The pictures were views from the double decker terrarium I started in the fall and have had living on my kitchen table all winter. It has prospered into an amazing little ecosystem and I don't think I can even count the number of plant species contained in this small boundary. The key to my success with this project is what I like to call intelligent neglect. Nature is quite good at looking after itself most of the time and if we leave it alone it will often thrive and thrill us with its diversity and beauty. It is so hard for some people to just let this happen. Maybe it is a inherent desire for control or the need to manipulate ones environment or maybe it is just a lack of knowledge about how ecosystems work . What I can tell you is that since I put together this terrarium with mosses and lichens that I collected from my walks in the forest in October I have never watered it or fed it in any way. The other thing I would like to clarify is that my stowaway snail "fern" doesn't live there. He is a garden snail , not a forest snail and I know for a fact he doesn't really like moss all that much.

Sometimes we have a tendency to smother things with love and attention and this may do more harm than good. It reminds me of something a very wise friend said once on her blog. I may not get the exact words but it went something like this : " If you give a child everything they want they will never learn to stand on their own two feet and learn responsability".  I think the same is true for terrariums.

These mosses have grown so well that I have actually been able to transplant some of the terrarium to smaller containers to use in for my new stones and also a secret little project. What would a series entitled " nature feels " be without containing a little bit of real live nature in it. 

Have I ever told you how much I love thimbles :)

Reminder you only have till Sunday morning to leave a comment for a chance to win the crochet covered harp seal necklace on the valentine day giveaway.

Comments

[Rane]

Margie~
I love your thimbles. And it makes
me realize how small your portable
moss stone pods are! I thought
they were much larger! I have
never tried to grow moss indoors
for fear that I would kill it.
Now I will be more braver now that
I know that it does not really
need me! Mothernature is amazing!
Thank you for the lessons...
Rane and baby.
~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[chrisi]

Wow, great minds do think alike! I have a planted thimble in one of my own terrariums! I made it several years ago when i still lived with my parents... yours look lovely in the photos. I completely agree with you about the terrariums needing a degree of neglect. I try to impose this idea on my customers but all to often they dont quite get it.

have a great day!

[abby]

After understanding the theme of your post, I thought I might come up with a great alternative title... but so far I haven't. I know exactly what you mean though, how people can have the tendency to smother things with unnecessary attention and control. Moss is one of the most profound examples of this kind of effortless thriving life. I love your thimble sized ecosystems. Seems perfect - a whole complex world contained in such a tiny space. Can't wait to see what whimsical treasures you have up your sleeves.

[julochka]

really wonderful and so inspiring. i'm going to have to start looking out for thimbles in the flea markets. these miniature worlds are fantastic!

[Sarah]

Love those thimbles! Our terrariums are also alive and happy. I love seeing all the greenery at this time of year--especially today when we're snowbound.

[Adamandia]

Thanks for the thimble pics. I really needed a smile today...we got some snow here in Chicago and might get 3 to 5 inches more. I'm ready for Spring in those thimbles...

[julie adore]

i love your blog!

[Carolina]

Just out of curiosity, where did you gt the roosters being displayed by the window?

Lovely pictures, by the way. I love the tones and how colourful you put the world around you.

[rockpool candy]

Oh, how gorgeous everything you make is! I can see why you and Helle get on so well - there are echoes of your work in hers and hers in yours. I spent a few precious weeks last year in awe of her as she worked sitting in my garden.
Your crochet stones have the same delicate confidence as her corals.

And I love your moss garden. I too have one - it's my favourite plant, but here in Northern Ireland it grows in great window boxes down the side of my house rather than thimbles- I guess we can thank the wet for something! Keep doing what you're doing, it's inspirational.
rockpool candy

[Lori]

love your thimbles!!

[Elsa Mora]

Oh Margie!
What a beautiful post! The words and the pictures and everything about it is so inspiring.

You're so right when you say : we have a tendency to smother things with love and attention and this may do more harm than good.

I couldn't agree more with you. The most amazing lessons come from nature and these mini gardens that you're planting (and letting be) are such a poetic example of it.

Lots of love!
Elsita :)

[trish]

those thimbles made me smile. I love your pinecone window hangings too.

[arounna]

your new work is great!! look forward to seeing you tomorrow :)

[susie]

Beautifully said! I am one who kills with kindness. I'm doing it to Mr Spikey, a plant I rescued from the dumpster. I ought to take your advice and let it live by it's own knowledge. Thank-you for the gentle reminder.

[Cynthia]

I do believe that I have already posted, but looking again at your terrarium and your handmade worlds, I have to say that I am truly touched by both. You have a gift of interpreting the natural world in a true yet unexpected way. It delights me. Blessings, Cyth

[mavis]

The thimbles are lovely, as are your wild mosses...thanks again for the inspiration!

[Mathyld / encore petite]

Oh Margie !
I can't believe I missed those thimbles !!! They are amazing ...

I've always been in love with moss !

This post is pure delight for the eyes ... Eye-Candy !
x x x
___m___

[Sarah Zambiasi Art]

Beautiful page, I especially like the image with the cat:))
Your crochet is wonderful & presented in a very interesting way.
Sweet blessings, Sarah.

[FreshMD]

I've often thought that that is how gardening is different from other hobbies, such as knitting. When you neglect a garden, it goes on quite happily without you. When you come back to an abandoned knitting project, it's exactly as you've left it.

Love the thimbles.

[Patricia]

I just realized the genius in the title of this post: Intelligent "neglect," as opposed to intelligent "design." I think that like Jane Austen and other writers I most admire, you'll be one that I return to again and again. Your work gains more depth as I learn more.

[Beatrice]

I've never thought about doing something like this and it's sad, because I always miss my beautiful yard (3 acres of untouched nature with trees, fern mosses) and this is so nice to start now with winter well on it's way here in manitoba, thank you for sharing this :)

[GEOTech]

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[Monster beats]

Wonderful! I definitely love how it is easy on my eyes as well as the information are well written. I am wondering how I can be notified whenever a new post has been made.