Live moss

I think you might have to get someone to send you some from their garden, Andrea, then it might well spread in those conditions. Sorry I can't help - I haven't got any!

I bought some live moss from the Gardening Scotland show, but it was the sphagnum moss that is used in the displays to cover up the plant pots and make the display look natural. The man at the stand was packing up and sold me a couple of pounds worth. He said he bought it from the plant market in London. I haven't seen any of the kind of moss you are interested in for sale though.

This is because it is illegal to go and remove moss from the wild. These were the first green land plants to develop during the evolutionary process. They have no conventional roots, stems, or leaves.

If you don't dig the area or disturb the soil, you'll probably find it will appear all on its own over winter, with any luck, if its shady and damp.

I saw a supplier that sells moss in Scotland from renewable sources but that was the only one! Can you buy seeds?

No, its not an ordinary plant as such, as Moongrower suggests.You used to be able to buy moss to line hanging baskets ,but I'm not sure that's the kind you want, think it might be sphagnum moss.

Yup moss for lining hanging baskets is sphagnum. We had a Canadian on the boards a month or so back wanting to grow moss. To make it clear this is not a 'plant' as we understand plants - it is a much more primitive life form with no roots, no stems and no leaves. This makes it almost impossible to propagate it for selling. Go into the forest and grab a nice piece of moss and put it down in your garden and it will die.

~this is an answer to someone who also wanted to grow moss from My Garden website.
I think Mr Schenk's book is rather good actually: [b]Moss Gardening: Including Lichens, Liverworts and Other Miniatures [/b]George H. Schenk [b]Hardcover:[/b] 262 pages [b]Publisher:[/b] Timber Press, Incorporated (March 1, 1997) [b]Language:[/b] English [b]ISBN-10:[/b] 0881923702 [b]ISBN-13:[/b] 978-0881923704 One tip is to blast any vegetation with diquat (Weedol2). This not only keep the soil free of vegetation, but the undisturbed soil is soon covered with moss - the diquat actualy seems to promote moss.
Not sure if it helps but there doesn't seem to be anyone in the business of supplying but florists must get it from somewhere?

Florists use sphagnum moss

How about bonsai enthusiasts, do they use living or dry moss?

I don't know about moss suppliers in the UK, but this site may have some tips about maintaining the moss.

http://www.mossacres.com/shade-plants.asp

I'm not sure about the law on this but you can get moss in cities in built up areas and I'm not sure if this qualifies as taking it from the wild.

Otherwise if you know several people with large gardens they are bound to have some collectively and you could start from there?

~our local florist had some of the velvety green stuff with bulbs growing through it in a basket earlier in the year~ someone somewhere must know~I have seen Bonsai at shows with moss covering the soil but it may be that it has grown over time~most sites that I have found are trying to help you get rid of it!

I've got loads of moss on my dry stone dykes. I can send you a bit and if its the kind you want, then I can send you loads and you can make a donation to my fav charity.
If you like my plan then send me a private message with your address.
regards
eleanor in forfar

Thank you Romneya that is a great suggestion. I was planning to make a path out of it in my bog garden so it is nice to step on, so I was looking to source turf size pieces. The path is about 2m long by 1m wide, that is quite a lot to be sending through the post. I am going to have to do a bit more research, I will ask in florists, they must get it from somewhere.

I think the type I am looking for is Sheet Moss (Hypnum). there are plenty of places in the US that supply it, but not in the UK :(
I think I will use 'mind your own business' instead!

Hello, I have tons of live moss growing on my property. Would love to send you some, if you would like. Postage is all you would have to pay. I also have several different types of mosses growing around here. My name is Linda, I live in Delaware. let me know if you want the moss. Thanks for your time and have a great day!
Linda Connell
ljc320@live.com

Wonder if the moss would survive being posted from the States to the UK?

I think it probably would by air but think the cost of flying the quantity required would be prohibitive!

I am going tom look at using scleranthus, it doesn't require as much moisture and it is a New Zealand native, I already have loads of New Zealand plants and looked at buying some last year, it is easy to grow by seed as well, so I should be ok. The only negative is it may not be hardy enough.

if it survives in NZ I'd expect it to be okay here.

Yep, your right, I'm trying to source some, easier than moss, but only just!!! I am going to try seed, I'm pants at growing seeds but my bank manager (Jed) has banned me buying any more plants

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/45/176996768_9eccd0bde8.jpg?v=0

This is the one i want, scleranthus uniflorus, I will probably grow crocus through it and put stepping stones down the middle of the path so I don't tread on it too much

Oh, I like that! That looks like a good compromise, Andrea. Make sure you post 'before' and 'after' photos, won't you! :-)

Sounds good Andrea