California Dreamin'

 

Mike K., Monterey, California, shared this colorful photo and wrote: "This neighborhood cat frequently stops by my gardens to check out what's in bloom.."

Guardian of the Stoop

Tamara Stoneburner shared this photo of her cat. She wrote, "He is a 14-year old male named Bogart (after Humphrey of black-and-white films). We have to be in bed by midnight or he becomes out of sorts. Very vocal. Has a thing for ginger ale. Wakes me up at the very break of day, so that we can watch sunrises."

See if you can spot Bogart below watching his garden from inside the house.

Protecting Your Houseplants from Your Cats

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A post shared by Chas | Plants and Pets 🪴🐾 (@through.the.lleaves)

through.the.lleaves on Instagram shared these great tips for keeping your houseplants and cats safe from each other. What do you think? Have you tried any of these? Do they work for you? Got any additional ideas?

Little Miss Figgy

A few weeks ago, my garden club visited the Plants Alive! plant store. There, I met Figgy, the adorable (and adored) resident store cat. I asked the staff to share her story and  Amari Hemmings sent in these photos and wrote:

Meet Figgy, our lovable greenhouse cat and furry mascot of Plants Alive! Rescued from Animal Services Baltimore County by the kind-hearted Becky Sass-Crews, Figgy found her forever home amongst the lush foliage of our greenhouse. This whiskered wonder has since flourished in her new environment, charming everyone who enters our verdant sanctuary.

Figgy's days are filled with the sweet aroma of blossoms and the gentle rustle of leaves, providing her with the perfect playground for her curious spirit. An expert in plant navigation, she loves to explore every nook and cranny of the greenhouse, ensuring that no leaf goes unturned. Her favorite pastime, however, is bonding with our dedicated employees, who have come to treasure her delightful antics and friendly purrs.

Customers visiting our greenhouse are always thrilled to encounter Figgy, as she warmly greets them with a flick of her tail and an inquisitive gaze. As she rubs up against their legs and weaves through the foliage, Figgy never fails to bring a smile to their faces. She has become an integral part of our team and a beloved ambassador of our establishment.

Follow our instagram to keep up with Figgy - @plantsalive

Guardians of Gibbs Garden

I visited Gibbs Gardens north of Atlanta, Georgia, USA, a couple weeks ago with the Azalea Society of America. While there, I was thrilled to run into a trio of friendly garden cats. They are pictured here. Paisley is the long-haired calico shown at top. Tiger is the male striped kitty shown just below. The two bottom pics are of Spot who greeted our group at the entrance and enjoyed a nice sun bath on a cool spring day.

I found this terrific article about the cats at SmokeSignalsNews.com. In it, Jim Gibbs, owner, designer, and developer of the acclaimed Gibbs Gardens says, "Every garden needs a garden cat. Cats help keep down moles, voles and other pests that eat garden plants. The voles are the worst; they eat plants from the roots up.”

The article details also the origins of the Gibbs Gardens' cats and that at one point there were 11 of them on the property! I highly recommend a visit to the garden and for you to keep an eagle eye out for these friendly felines.