The last weekend of February, I made my annual pilgrimage to the Northwest Flower and Garden Festival in downtown Seattle.

In 1972, Latimer created a small garden inside a 45-liter glass bottle. He added soil, manure, and a spider plant, along with a small amount of water. Since then, no water has been added.

Have you ever wondered how long a plant can survive without watering? The answer might surprise you. The ecosystem created by ...