javamanjoe/gardening

SEATTLE'S DOWN SPOUT PLANTER ART. Thanks 'proximal2u' and 'rjj'. Pioneering Seattle public artist and environmentalist Buster Simpson is involved in the plan. The focal point of the evolving project is his 10-foot tall, gawky-adorable "Beckoning Cistern," extending its arthritic pipe "fingers" skyward. One of them connects (in a gesture reminiscent of Michaelangelo's vision of God reaching down to Adam) with a downspout from the 81 Vine Building. Overflow from the cistern cascades out the "thumb" and down the hill through a series of planters.

PLANT GARLIC NOW. FOR ALL THINGS GARLIC. Thanks 'damsallsprint' and 'piever'. SOFTNECKS, HARDNECKS, WHITE & PURPLE varieties. Including our fabulous ELEPHANT GARLIC. Also including WILD GARLIC through to ESCHALOTE GRISE. All derived from "VIRUS FREE" stock. Proven to grow well in UK conditions. Complete with full instructions on growing, harvesting and plaiting including how to grow in pots and on patios. **IMPORTANT NOTE - WHEN ORDERING SEED GARLIC YOU WILL BE PAYING FOR GOODS IN ADVANCE OF THEM BEING READY FOR DESPATCH**

COOL BEANS. GO HEIRLOOM. QUICK COOKING TIPS FOR DRIED BEANS AND WHY IS HEIRLOOM IMPORTANT. An heirloom plant is generally considered to be one that has been in existence for at least 50 years. Why are these old varieties important? In just the past 15 years, more than half of the varieties once available have disappeared from seed catalogs. The genetic diversity of the world's food crops is diminishing at an alarming rate, and experts fear that this lack of biodiversity could wreak agricultural disaster.

TIPS ON PREPARING YOUR GARDEN FOR WINTER. Thanks 'sweetsfoods'. Once the weather starts becoming colder and the leaves start to fall, a few people think it is time to put away the gardening tools and wait for the following spring to start working on their garden again. But this is not true. Winter is a very important time to keep your garden's health and ensure yourself a good harvest for the following year. You may think that might take to long to organize your garden. In fact it takes less than one day to set up your garden for the approaching wintertime.

BRITISH CREATE NEW PURPLE SUPER TOMATOE FOR HEALTH. Scientists have developed purple tomatoes which they hope may be able to keep cancer at bay.

ODD AND STICKIEST FLOWER SITE. THIS IS THE WORLD'S LARGEST FLOWER. EEEEWWW ICHIE. 'THE CORPSE FLOWER'. Amorphophallus -- Titan Arum
The world's tallest flower -- which is actually a cluster of flowers -- is the Titan Arum (Amorphophallus titanium), about 10 feet (3 meters) tall fully-grown, also commonly referred to as the "corpse flower."

COOL CORK. DID YA KNOW CORK IS HYPOALLERGENIC-RECYCLABLE-BIODEGRADABLE-INSULATING-AND-WATERPROOF? ME NEITHER. Thanks 'themetrosexiest'. Cork trees that are harvested can live over 200 years.
* Cork oak forests create a unique habitat that is home to many endangered species such as the Iberian lynx and the imperial eagle in Europe and the Golden Takin and Golden Monkey in the Quinling Mountains of Central Asia.
* Cork's cellular structure is what gives it its unique properties as 60% of it is air trapped between fibers.
* It is hypoallergenic, recyclable, biodegradable, insulating and waterproof.