Magical Children’s Garden fenced off; Cicada silliness; Plants as street lights

T. G. I. F.

I don’t know if it was phosphorescent plankton or bioluminescent algae or what, but it looked like magic, the first night I saw the shoreline at Old Orchard Beach, Maine, all glowing green and sparkling. Now a group wants to harness that phenomenon. From the New York Times: “Hoping to give new meaning to the term “natural light,” a small group of biotechnology hobbyists and entrepreneurs has started a project to develop plants that glow, potentially leading the way for trees that can replace electric streetlamps and potted flowers luminous enough to read by.” Cool. But like many things, not without controversy. “A Dream of Trees Aglow at Night.” Since I can’t find any good pictures of the beach, I give you these two dudes:

Also from the Times, “Your Chance to Snoop,” a listing of top House and Garden Tours, From Brooklyn to Seattle, including many in New York State (Garden Walk Buffalo!).
Don’t get me wrong: I think these clothes are cute. But the idea of having “outfits” for gardening, well, considering my audience I probably don’t have to go too far to make the case that it is a spectacularly bad idea. If you want to actually garden. If you want to dress up in an outfit, that’s another thing.

Amazing. “A Seasonal Installation at the New York Botanical Garden” from the WSJ. Click through for images; they’re really neat.

Silliness: Interview with a Cicada: 17-Year-Old Insect Stoked for East Coast Teen Tour (from Vanity Fair).
New York City press went a little nuts (understandably) a few days ago when the company that owns 2/3 of the the land on which a community garden—The Children’s Magical Garden—is housed erected a chain-link fence around its portion, which is in the center. The garden, treasured by its neighbors, has been in place for 31 years. Here are a few accounts: