Got Moss? Moss Rocks! - Win One!

Bryum moss grows in between the brick pavers
on our walkways

Moss is cool. We have a fair amount of it growing all around here at Our Little Acre and it's fascinating. Think about it - it's one of those native plants that needs such little tending to, and it almost always looks perfect. It's a rich shade of green and ooooh, the textures! But it might just be one of the most unappreciated wonders of the natural world.

Scotch moss (Sagina subulata) fills in the spaces between flagstones
in a much more interesting way than grass or sand.

David Spain and Ken Gergle are moss mavens. They are the proprietors of Moss and Stone Gardens, located in the Piedmonts of North Carolina. Designing shade gardens, using stone, water, and moss as the main elements is their specialty.

David Spain (right) and Ken Gergle (left) show P. Allen Smith the new
Moss Rocks!™

This summer, I had the pleasure of meeting both David and Ken at the Independent Garden Center Show in Chicago. They were there to debut the hottest thing to hit the gardening world since...oh, Chia Pets. Now before someone gets all upset about me comparing their Moss Rocks!™ to Chia Pets, I mean this in the best way.

Let's take a look at them both:

• They're living things
• They're adorable
• They come in a choice of "models"
• They fit on a tabletop
• They're easy to care for
• They make great gifts
• They're affordable

In the case of  Moss Rocks!™, we can add "They're classy" to the list. And if you don't think so, David was a guest on The Martha Stewart Show last month, showing and telling about moss. Guess what each of the audience members went home with that day?

Photo courtesy of Moss and Stone Gardens

Moss Rocks!™ are ceramic pottery with a shiny crackle finish that contain Dicranum moss. They come in three sizes - Pebble, Cobble, and Boulder - and four colors - Toadstool, Bark, Raindrop, and Lichen. They're virtually maintenance-free, except for watering once a week.

There is no soil, they don't need to be fertilized, and they're drought tolerant, which means if you happen to miss watering them by a few days, they'll forgive you. And because moss grows well in shade, the lower light levels typical of most homes will suit them just fine, although it's recommended they receive bright indirect light.

David sent a Moss Rock!™ to me and as it sits on the end table next to the sofa, I find myself running my fingers over the top of the moss. It's almost like having one of the cats nearby - I can't resist petting it.

Now how would you like to have a Moss Rock!™ of your very own? One lucky reader is going to win a Cobble Moss Rock!™ (that's the medium size) in the color of their choice. All you have to do to be entered into the giveaway is leave a comment to this blog post telling which is your favorite color of Moss Rock!™ AND enter your information on the Rafflecopter form. You must do both things to qualify for the drawing, and do them by midnight, Sunday, December 4th, 2011.

If you can't wait until you see if you've won, or you want to buy some for gifts this holiday season (or for a birthday, or anniversary, or just because they're cool and you really want one of each color and size), you can purchase them on the website. You might find them locally too, just like I did when I attended the Tapestry of Tables celebration in nearby Napoleon, Ohio, a couple of weeks ago.

Here's the Rafflecopter form to fill out and don't forget to leave a comment, telling your favorite color of Moss Rock!™  Good luck!





WINNER!! Random.org has chosen a winner, and it's Diane McCarthy! Congratulations, Diane! Enjoy your Moss Rock!™