One step closer to a moss feature.

I have always liked moss gardens, especially the true Japanese ones, set in sloping woodland.  It may be a strange thing to say, but it is the order that appeals.  This may be just perceived order, with the very relaxing feeling you get walking though them and knowing how many decades it's taken to get them looking that good. Often they are combined with gravel and rock gardens which are works of art. It is the same love of symmetry and order with agaves that is attractive in these gardens and transfers to moss.

So there has always been a plan to use moss somewhere in the garden, but how?  I really don't want something that looks out of place and frankly stupid. The shade garden would be the obvious place, and already there is moss starting to grow between the stones.  I also have the old chimney which has great lichens covering it.  These are good starts, but not the statement feature I would love.

I have been collecting a few different mosses to see which work in my cultivation. One was a type of feather moss. It was spit in half and placed on soil in a bowl.


That was back in May. Like many things there is no obvious change, then suddenly you notice it's grown massively.


It is such a vivid green, and although not perfectly flat that can be worked on. It has not only joined together but formed a nice think layer, so could easily be removed from the pot.


To keep my options open, I did what any succulent fan does naturally and cut it up to propagate more. The trick seems to be to ensure they are fully in contact with the soil and then they settle more quickly with little die back. 


The pieces could probably have been smaller, but this seems a fair start. It will help work out how quickly they take, assuming they all do well, the process can be repeated to give 9 pots. That should be enough to give me something to play with.

The only problem now, is to figure out how to use them.