Mid-Atlantic Gardening: Mid-Atlantic Roll Call, 0 by PattyMarie

PattyMarie wrote:
I'm new to DG so this is a good time for introductions.

Name: Patty

Location: (Out) Wayne, WV (you other wayners will understand that one!)

Family: 2 dds (24 & 22)... moved out a month ago to another property we have 30 mins away. 1 ds (18)...still at home, sorta. 1 grandson (3) ...nana's delight! Married to my dh for nearly 27 years. 3 cats, 2 fish, 23 laying hens.

Employment: left the business world to write full-time...still working on getting published...well, I've been published...want pay for it now! ;->

Gardening Level: Master Gardener certificate (no active groups in my area)

Gardening Focus: My goal is to provide as much organic, home-grown food to my family as possible. I'm that lady who stops and gathers dandelions from the yard, to eat in my salad or on my sandwich, on the way in the house for lunch.

I have plans from the Paul Revere House garden in Boston, MA that I am converting to a medicinal and tea herb garden. I also am working on putting fruit trees (cherries, apples, & peaches) throughout our 1 1/2 acre property. I have a dry, sunny spot where I want to put a mint garden.

Our property is between a very busy country highway and a large creek--privacy in the back, almost none in the front. In order to remedy the privacy thing, my dh came up with the idea of putting a wall (using privacy fence panels) at the mid-point in our shady front yard. It has been fun softening this hardscape with flowers. I had avoided using any plants I couldn't eat since I spend so much time maintaining the vegetable garden. But in front of the wall (highway side, sun to part-shade) I've planted yarrow (pink & yellow), clematis, honeysuckle, roses, lavender, purple coneflower, monarda, lilies, poppies.

The best part of the wall is all the speculation from friends and family about what's on the back side. Today a couple guys at my dh's office guessed it was for a rooster fighting pit (of course, I just raise hens for eggs...no roosters in the flock). It's part to full shade and I'm looking forward to putting in a white garden for nighttime viewing. I'm searching for white varieties of bleeding heart, hostas with white edges, white astilbe and any other shade-loving, white plants I can find. I have a stack of rocks to use in a pond/waterfall that will help disguise some of the highway noises.

As we put fencing around the front of the property (so the hens can be more free-range), I want to use red raspberries, blackberries, and grapes to aid in privacy and provide more fun foods. I already have 3 blueberry bushes that have very tasty berries.

Ultimately (within the next two years), I want to put in a small greenhouse and give tours of the property and offer free classes on organic gardening and making the best use of small properties.