Wahoo, just look at all the ideas you have all been coming up with.

Tee, I love those boots. That is some of my S. 'Cobweb Joy' I planted in the wooden shoe. It is such a wonderful little semp.


Ann, show us a photo of your wooden shoes. I can't wait to see them. What better way to use them.

Sheryl you crack me up. Those cowgirl boots will work great.

Thanks, Lynn. I have a small cobweb Semp or two. OR at least I did before all the rains started so hope I still do.

Sheryl, shoes with built-in fertilizer ... you could be on to something there.

I think I'm planting herbs in mine but not sure ... GordonHawk posted this picture ... luv it!

Tee those are wonderful boots. What an awesome puzzle that would make over on Zany's Puzzle Cubit. http://cubits.org/PlaypenGraph...

Where does GordonHawk live, I love that floor.

Lynn, he lives somewhere in NYC but he told me the photo was taken on an old tugboat where friends of his live. It is the last of the original tugboats in the harbor there and they bought it and are turning it into their home. The tug is really, really OLD. The floor is Loblolly Yellow Pine. Isn't it gorgeous!!

As much as I love planted shoes, the floor grabbed my attention immediately. I love it. Would love to see more photos of the boat. Is there a link?

I don't think so but I'll tap Gordon on the shoulder and see if he has more pics.

Thank you Tee.

Here is another shoe I will be planting this spring. It's made of pot metal and already is cracked on the bottom to let water drain out.
Not sure what it's original purpose was.
Now I just have to decide what I will grow in it. Since it's metal I think it will only be able to have morning sun.

Not unless you want to plant fried roots.

It will definitely have to be a very tough plant.

Wow ... that is very cool, Lynn. It will make a great planter. I'm envious. Can't wait to see the finished product.

Any suggestions for plants, Tee?

One thing that I always think is pretty in an old Victorian "shoe" is a hardy upright fern of some type. A bronzy colored fern with some chartreuse Creeping Jenny planted in the front to spill down around the "tongue" of the shoe might be nice. Or something like a Maidenhair Fern or Asparagus Fern. I always tend to think a Victorian ladies' boot calls for something a little elegant. One of those sweet little miniature roses? Veronica spicata is upright and blooms over a long period. Maybe a couple of different colors of something like that? Pink and purple or blue and white or ... if you want it inside, the old tried and true Sansevieria (probably not spelled right) maybe. Or a Climbing Aloe or Devil's Backbone is interesting. I can't remember the Botanical name of that one at the moment.

It will definitely be an outside shoe.
I love the idea of the Creeping Jenny, the color would be awesome against the dark shoe. I also love the idea of a fern, but it would have to be a small type fern, as the shoe is not very big.
I think miniature spleenwort ferns (Asplenium trichomanes ) would work, with maybe a Viola cornuta for some color?

Another one you might be interested in - Dryopteris erythrosora 'Brilliance'. I really don't know how big it gets, but the new growth is orange. http://www.northcreeknurseries...

Oops, that one won't work, it gets 18" to 30" tall. But boy is it beautiful. Might have to think about that one for the north side of my house.

Oops - sorry! I have two that I planted out last spring. So far, so good.

Ahhhhhhhh, so there's the new baby for re-homing huh? What a sweet face!

Who is that sweet puppy face, Sheryl?

That's Jasmine - part Queensland heeler, part Great Pyrenees (what a combo, huh?).

The sweetness starts at her face and goes all the way to her tail. I'm going to have a tough time giving this one up!