The message
from "Anne Hedden" contains these words:

Thanks everyone, I'll definately look into the families you suggested. Yes,
I consider lichens plants. Maybe I should have said "plant life" to make it
sound more general.

I'm making a floating garden, based around magnets. Floating in the air,
that is. My own little, floating world on my desk. And to think they said
I had a God complex. Hence the styrofoam. The magnet part is coming along
slowly, need some more equipment next paycheck, but the design should work
in theory.

The styrofoam is a styrofoam ball, with magnets under its surface so they
repell against an electromagnet plate. It's somewhat complex/silly, but in
the end, I think I'll produce an interesting piece of art, or at the very
least, a curiousity to impress brainy chicks that I bring home from the bar.
It's an expensive ornament, as magnets lose their charge over time, so you'd
have to replace them. If the magnets don't work, I'll still have a sphere,
a ball o' life, to hang from a string, as it will be feather-light.

There, now you competent gardeners can go off and make it faster than I
can... damn skilled folk...

If you can restrict the roots you'll end up with (effectively) bonsai
plants. If you use one of the stronger plastics which are porous but
stiff enough to prevent roots forcing their way in very far, you might
be able to (say) burn/melt holes for pockets of soil and plant them in
those, and drip water on to the sphere, and occasionally add a treat of
a little fertiliser.

Do keep us informed of progress!

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/