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Thirty Days in the Garden: Spider Plants and Bloggers

Once upon a time, I hung three spider plants in baskets under the eaves of the house. Our boys were young, so I needed something low-maintenance and green. I enjoyed watching the spider plant flower, then send out off-spring like runners on a strawberry plant.

Mourning Doves
Nesting Mourning Dove

One spring, a mourning dove took up residence and built a nest in one of the plants. We couldn’t believe our luck! We could watch nesting activity from our living room window without disturbing the occupants.

Within two weeks, I noticed that mama dove sat higher on the nest. Shortly after, a pair of young ones fledged.

Mourning doves spend a lot of time on the ground, which is nerve-wracking when you have cats. When the fledglings first left the nest, they spent time in the back garden. Not realizing they were spending time in the garden, we sat outside to eat lunch on a warm day. A distressed mama kept flying low and away, low and away. She didn’t want us there. We eventually spotted the young ones and went inside.

Spider plant camouflaging the back-end of a squirrel

A few months later, we started a long-planned remodel on the back of the house. All three pots had to come down. They limped along for a while, but the house remodel dragged on for nine months. At some point, I unceremoniously dumped one out of the containers in an area I refer to as the back 40. It’s sink or swim back there, where sadly some plants go to die. Not the spider plants.

Spider plants don’t mind all those pine needles
One becomes many

They swam! One spider plant became many. The first plant set roots on the spot, then propagated under the tree and along the fence. They’ve filled the garden beds with a lush and lovely shade of green. They feel like an old friend.

Spider plants and blogging have a lot in common. You start with one, but you quickly follow many. In the early days, you’re happy that anyone wants to read your posts. You follow bloggers, they follow you, and before you know it, you’ve found a community. You find yourself moving from “don’t trust anyone on the internet!” to “I’m flying to New Zealand for two weeks to spend time with my blogging tribe.” It’s extraordinary.

I’ve missed this blogging space. Last month I embarked on a thirty-day journey back to blogging. I posted every day for thirty days in a series I called Thirty Days in the Garden. Today I’m publishing my thirtieth post.

Thank you for reading and commenting on WordPress or through Facebook. Thank you to the readers who lurk. I know you’re out there, and I hope that one day you’ll leave that comment that’s rattling around in your head. It will be good to hear from you, too.

33 thoughts on “Thirty Days in the Garden: Spider Plants and Bloggers”

  1. Being likened to a spider plant made me smile! Aren’t we lucky to have such a fantastic tribe of supportive bloggers, where trust abounds. So you can go from “Never trust anyone on the internet” to “I’m travelling to NZ to meet my bloggy friends” 💓

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  4. Spider plants are so resilient, aren’t they? I don’t think they could live outside here but mine on the windowsill has survived severe neglect.. I’ve started looking after it better now.

    Blogging is very different from what I’d expected. In comparison with other parts of the internet it does seem to have a higher share of normal people. Akismet is no doubt partly to thank for this but more unsavoury types would be reluctant to go public – their tactics might not work so well with an audience 😊

    Anyway, it’s good to see you back on WP, Alys. I think we all go through phases where we blog less for a while. Or perhaps read more and post less.

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  6. What a great 30th. I have loved being in your garden. Thank you for sharing. I fear my yard is a lot like your dumping ground. Things must sink or swim. I’ll update you soon I hope. I couldn’t get any phlox. Who knew you have to get it in early March? I have some other ideas. Take care and God bless.

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  7. I’m with Derrick! Wonderful metaphor, and I have so enjoyed seeing pictures of your gardens. I do hope you continue to share more as the seasons progress. I was agog to see how the spider plants not only survived being added to the garden but also thrived. Would never happen in Maine, that’s for sure. And, yes, let’s hear it for blogging friends, who are always a blessing but have helped me stay sane during this pandemic.

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  8. Those spider plants just keep going don’t they – although I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t if I stuck them in the garden here in England. I love the story of the dove nesting in your plant. Did those fledgelings make it to adulthood I wonder.

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    • I’m still amazed when I see those spider plants thriving. They catch pine needles, stand up to squirrels and cats, and continue to reproduce every year. I’m smitten. I like to think that the fledgelings survived. We only had one cat at the time (considering we’ve had as many as six at one time) and we don’t see to many hawks.

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  9. May your friendships grow and flourish like your spider plants! I find them lovely: fresh green and white leaves, and pretty white flowers. I hope your back 40 crop goes from strength to strength.

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  10. Hi Alys. Wow! All those spider plants growing wild in your garden! I have one in a pot too, but they would never survive outdoors here. And wow again! You did 30 posts in a row! Well done. And I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did! 😃🤗☀️

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    • Thank you so much, Cathy. It’s been fun getting back into blogging. Some days were challenging (one day I volunteered, then worked four hours with a client). THAT was a challenge, but I felt motivated to stick to my self-imposed schedule. It’s been really nice reconnecting with you! xo

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  13. I did not know spider plants could grow outside!! Do you water them out there? My daughter has some and I’d love to see them up on the hill under the big pine trees. Wow! Learned something new today. Thanks. It doesn’t feel like 30 days already.

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    • I hope its a good thing that thirty days went by quickly. I stayed up too late a few nights to meet my goal, but I’m so glad I did.

      The spider plants in the back get whatever water is available via a drip system. They don’t seem to need much. I’ve noticed, too, that they thrive under the pittosporum. I’m not sure if it’s the shade, the cooler soil, or just a coincidence. I’m always learning in my garden.

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  14. Spider plant, Spider plant, friendly neighbourhood Spider plant 🎶 😀There you go, you and your spider plants spun a garden web of delights and 30 days in, I applaud you !! Congratulations Alys !! Hope you had fun too! If I moved to a mild climate, I’d have to learn to garden all over again. It can be pretty easy here. There’s certainly not as much choice, plant/grow/pull out all in 70 days or so. I had an indoor spider plant in the past. I lived in a basement suit and it sat on top of a fridge. So kind of like it’s California cousin, it liked it warm and dappled light 😀xo K

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    • You make me smile! Thank you for the ear worm, too. It’s catchy. 😉 I’ve realized since blogging how lucky I am to have so many gardening days in San Jose. Santa Clara Valley started out as an agriculture hub. We had canneries in San Jose, Monterey, and as you know from visiting Campbell, a rich history of prunes.

      Spider plants help clean indoor air, so you had the perfect plant for your sweet singles digs. We would have had so much fun in those days. How can I be 61? It doesn’t seem possible. LOL xo

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  16. Pingback: Friday Favorites: Moss Garden Progress, Peter the Potter, Lake Street Dive | Notes From the Hinterland

  17. YAY! YOu did it! 30 posts in 30 days.
    But wait … a remodel of the house???? Can’t wait to hear about that!
    It’s been fun to spend time with you, Alys, and spending some time in your world.
    Love you!!

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