When H. Potter first sent me a Wardian case to try out, I was thinking of it as a pretty way of making small seasonal displays, and possibly a nice way of also rooting cuttings while having things look attractive.
Little did I know that its highest and best use is as a kitten-safe decorating unit.
So. Two new kittens around the house.
Meet Mackerel, with his boyish swagger:
And Tamir, our delicate princess:
They have dictated our Christmas decorating strategy this year.
My fluffy feathered owl ornament? Back in the ornament box. Our twisty glass ornaments? Not this year.
Going through our Christmas boxes, it seemed like our ornaments were all either thin glass or covered in enticing feathers. Why have we not cultivated a love of sturdy metal ornaments? Or wood? Hmmft.
But when I began decorating my Wardian case, I saw the appeal immediately. Nobody was going to eat my flowers! No shredded leaves and scattered soil!
It’s not that they didn’t notice it. In fact, Mackerel found it right away.
Tamir thought she saw something move under there.
Attempts to add décor to surrounding areas failed utterly. Glitter tastes like tuna, I believe.
Yet my happy little Cyclamen, and my variegated Fuchsia cutting are rooting away, completely undisturbed.
Perhaps there is a Santa.
If you’re interested in getting your own Wardian case, the one shown here is the Tabletop Barrel Roof Terrarium/ Wardian case, which comes with a little plastic tray so you can plant in it easily. The black metal bottom stays put, while the entire glass part lifts off in one piece for watering and rearranging.
Check out this holiday Wardian showcase. Yours truly contributed a couple of photos:
11 responses to “H. Potter Wardian Case: A Study in Kitties”
Love the Kitten share : )
Thank, Annie! Kittens make everything better. As do puppies. This post just made me melt: http://www.gardenhelp.org/gardening-with-dogs/gardening-with-puppies/
[…] Genevieve at North Coast Gardening […]
Those are the cutest kittens! My decorating is also done carefully as I have four kitties. Just like having a toddler around. Our non breakable ornaments go at bottom of tree and we have a bell that will jingle if a cat climbs the tree. The cats nibble every scented plant in the house including evergreens. Love the case for your plants!
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Fern Richardson, Genevieve Schmidt and Genevieve Schmidt, Cristina da Silva. Cristina da Silva said: @ncoastgardening: Really, having a garden blog is just an excuse to post kitten pictures at this point. http://su.pr/3ELXwH <–LOL […]
Beautiful, Genevieve! Of course, I’m also smitten with the kittens. With eight cats around our place, you might know that I’d love them! Cyclamens are one of my favorites, although I don’t have much luck growing them past a few weeks.
I think your kitten photos were my favorite in the video. My case was there too. Nice to find another garden blog to read. 🙂
I saw “H. Potter” and immediately thought of Harry Potter. But the Wardian Case is beautiful. And now I want kittens.
those kittens are adorable! that is a great idea to protect your indoor plants!
Gen, The photos are so adorable, your kittens look so playful! I think you may have stumbled upon a unique selling point of those cases.
Ah I have kitten envy. My cat will be 19 years old this Christmas. She barely even looked at he tree this year. If there are no treats hanging from it, she has no interest.