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Calling all experienced (and amateur) gardeners and plant enthusiasts! Winter is well upon us, and our gardens can all breathe a sigh of relief as they take in some much-needed rain. If you’re looking for some advice on caring for particular plants, are new to the world of gardening, or just wish to spend some time in deep discussion with like-minded individuals, we’ve made things easier by compiling the best local Facebook groups that deliver just that. Just click on the photos to go to the original posts.
Happy gardening!
Green Patches – Gardening In Malta
Moderated by Graziella Brincat, this inviting group boasts over 17,000 members and a very friendly atmosphere. It’s “dedicated to all Maltese gardeners, whether you have a couple of containers, or acres of farmland.”
Marthese Ciappara recently shared a photo of her quaint garden, saying: “My garden is the place where I find myself.” We know how you feel, Marthese! Her garden is filled with ideas for transforming even a limited amount of space into your own secret garden: some weathered stepping stones, hanging baskets, a few hand-painted pots, and a variety of only the brightest and lushest greenery.
Marthese is also extremely helpful when it comes to gardening advice. Teresa Vella asked: “Is that an anthurium just behind the aspidistra? I didn’t know they could be kept outside.” As it turns out, Marthese just put it in the garden temporarily for some rain water and fresh air, as normally its place is in the living room. Teresa was concerned because her anthurium wasn’t doing too well. Marthese advised placing it in a well-lit area and only to water it from its tray, never directly into the plant, and not too often.
Anthurium, also known as flamingo flowers, can be grown as houseplants, and even outdoors in mild climates in shady spots, which explains why Marthese chooses to keep hers indoors, as ‘Malta’ and ‘mild climate’ don’t really go together. Aspidistra is another good indoor plant to have around as it’s very tolerant of neglect.
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We’ve featured Green Patches before. Check out the articles here and here.
Plant Orphanage Malta
This group, moderated by Stephanie Camilleri and embodying the spirit of community, is where nature and frugality come together: “This is a space where anybody on the Maltese Islands can offer plants and even seeds to give away for free and for others to adopt them. We believe no plants should be thrown out or left uncared for especially when there are others who are happy to rescue and home them! So upload any plants/trees in pots or in ground that you are willing to give away.”
Tiziana Buffa shared a photo of three plants: (left to right) a yucca, a spurge, and a snake plant, all three of which are easily propagated (that is, taking a small cutting from the main plant and growing your own). After a recent thunderstorm, Tiziana had a few spurge cuttings to spare.
Don’t know what a particular plant’s name is? You’ll occasionally find members who are plant geniuses, like Chris Vella, who identified the middle plant as one of many spurge variations, and warned against touching its milky sap, which can cause skin and eye irritation, though praising its overall sturdiness. As for snake plants, they make great indoor plants as they can make do with very little sunlight and irregular watering.
Interested in similar groups relating to plant propagating, gifting, and swapping? Try Malta Plant & Seed Exchange, Malta Seed Bank, and Malta’s Community Garden.
Dilettanti tal-pjanti
Do you have a plant that’s withering for no apparent reason? Or did you just buy a new plant and you’re looking for some expert advice on how best to take care of it? This group has it all. The number of questions posted by members asking for gardening tips is quite impressive, but what really struck us was the magnificence of Doris Xuereb’s Coleus plants. Their colours are so vibrant and psychedelic! The best part about them is that they thrive on bright, indirect sunlight; in fact, direct sunlight will make their gorgeous colours fade. So if your garden doesn’t have access to a lot of direct sunlight, this is the plant for you. It looks like something out of a dark fairy tale!
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Tropical Garden Plants Malta
Malta’s climate allows for a number of tropical plants to thrive. This group is devoted entirely to the appreciation and selling of such tropical plants. Andreas Galea is a frequent poster in the group, advertising his own tropical plants from his Facebook page Subtropical and exotic fruit trees Malta. Some of the plants in his collection include a banana plant, a coconut tree, and a look into his own little jungle, consisting of plumbago, hibiscus, and frangipani. Also, if you look closely, the coconut tree is being grown out of an actual coconut – we just love that!
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Cactus & Succulents Lovers (Maltese Islands)
Are you the kind of person who finds it difficult keeping most house plants alive? Then succulents are your solution. They’re great at retaining water, so you’d have to be really great at killing things for a succulent to die on you. And this group is the perfect place to start if you’re looking to delve into the world of succulents.
Look at this impressive collection of cacti belonging to Rene Zahra, who grew them all from scratch. And if you think cacti are all just prickly accidents waiting to happen, then take a look at this flapjacks plant captured by Susan Gauci – it’s an architectural marvel!
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Recent trends have also seen the creation of succulent walls – literally, a living vertical wall of plants. Most succulents can be quite small, but imagine putting together a collage of them to create something that not only looks magical but also saves on floor space.
Have you gone cactus crazy? Then join The Cactus and Succulent Society of Malta.
And if you’re thinking of installing vertical green wall, then VIVACITY are the Mediterranean rooftop ecosystems experts you’ll need. Check out our review here.
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Green Corner Gardening
Corner? More like corners. We’re still reeling from the rooftop gardens belonging to Sharon Debattista and Kersty Saliba. When Sharon isn’t giving her plants the occasional spray, she’s lovingly watering and checking each one individually to make sure they’re okay.
Kersty hates the sight of pots, so she tries to hide them with smaller plants or by compacting them together.
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And, while not a rooftop garden, Osneph Joseph’s private yard is nonetheless marvellous; its owner expressed relief at the recent bouts of rain after a scorching summer.
Do you like the idea of rooftop gardens? If so, already made a helpful list on how to build your own. And while you’re at it, take a look at Theresa and Philip Bailey’s innovative Zabbar rooftop garden.
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Malta Hibiscus Enthusiasts
Yes, there’s even a group for a specific type of tropical plant. And who can blame anyone for that? Hibiscus plants are gorgeous, in all their variations!
One great piece of information is that hibiscus plants are used as shrubs in landscaping because of their striking colours, as well as to attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. Another great feature is that it’s a very adaptable plant; its hardiness enables it to grow in tough conditions, and it’ll make do with a restricted amount of space.
This group is simply chock-full of so many beautiful hibiscus blooms that we were totally overwhelmed when it came to choosing some photos, so just head on over there and feast your eyes for yourself!
That’s all, folks! Are there any other local gardening Facebook groups we missed that you think deserve mentioning? Let us know in the comments below!
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