The Roundup Party is over Part 2

And my entry:

A GATHERING AT THE WATERHOLE

I appreciate all the work in posting these pics for us to enjoy.

Oh my goodness, this just gets better and better and better - thank you all for the photos (of course they are done for me personally) - just fab. Tills, please don't stop - I'm willing to look at all of them, everyone. You just are the best! And steve thank you for filling me in on american chaps - actually 12 hours is a normal day in our house - so pssf. But I do like all the building and designing that you guys do.

Now, there are many replies I owe - but must go fetch DH from train station and give him a glass of wine when we get back. More later.

I'm so enjoying the tour. xoxo

(Tills, can you repost the one that I asked you to take - when I try the enlargement it is coming up blank). Hmm

Here is one of my favorite gardening tools. It is a gift from PNW and Rarejem (and yes, she is a Rare Jewel).
It is slug stick that Julie's DH made for me. Her father (Sharon's DDH), designed it. I was going to post the pix of it in action, complete with slug, but I thought that might be too violent for the Slug Lover's of America to take. I think the people from UK would love it, (like us PNW'ers).

Who could love slugs? Bleah. I need a slug stick. I usually use a trowel on them. Or if I can't find any of my trowels, I use my pruners. I hate doing that though, because they're so hard to de-slime.

Yep, I try to find a stick or a sharp rock, or anything to get them. Now I have the perfect tool, and no bending down!!! I can poke and flick!

Pony, I will see you today at Melissa's, if that is ok with her for the time. Would you like a hydrangea cutting that is almost rooted?
Melissa, I have a Twist & Shout that is almost rooted for you.

Yes, my DDH dubbed it the PNW Walking Stick. He was planning to market it, but didn't hang around long enough for that. Julie's DH is now planning to take over the project as quite a few supplies are already here. Could you that have been exposed to it, please let us know what a reasonable asking price might be. It actually costs more to put together than you might expect, so we don't know if it would be economical to do.

By the way, it is hands free, no bending, and self cleaning just by sticking it into some dirt. We love them.

Try taking one to a Garden Shop and ask if they are interested in selling them for you, and how much.

Lynn, excellent, I'll see you there! No hydrangea for me, thanks... I am not a big fan of them.

Sharon, I would expect to pay $20-$25 for something like that. If you were to go into production on a larger scale, maybe materials could be less costly via buying in bulk?

Oh! Lynn, I can't remember, did you get any of the dwarf asters? I have a few more cuttings that are rooted and ready to plant.

I would love some of the asters. Thank you. Would you like me to start some cuttings of Hot Lips Salvia or Black & Blue Salvia? They root so quickly.

Ooh. I do love salvia, but I think I'd better pass for now, thanks. I'm already way behind on making room for new stuff. hehe. Funny how that happens! ;)

Pony - long handled shovel method:

dig small divot with shovel
position slug in divot
slice & cover with soil from divot

Carefully note the LONG-HANDLED part.
I used to perform this maneuver with a trowel, until the day that I had splashback from a very well-fed, engorged slug.
Word to the wise: Put as much distance as possible between you & the slug.

Okay - I have to put another plug in here for slugs. They do our dirty work of breaking down things in the environment that nobody would want to walk on. I move mine to compost or fling them into the forest or put them into the bag when I'm picking up after the dogs. Here's a beauty:

And another one of her lovely face:

good lord - i would not want to wake up to that....

Sometimes you have to kiss a lotta frogs . . .

Did someone say something about kissing a frog... this one is willing!! LOL!

For a quick slug stabber you could use an extra weeder you have around and an old golf club. Just get someone to weld them together.

Awwwww - that's a cute prince-in-disguise!!

Frogs are OK 'cause they don't stick to your kisser! Slugs on the other hand....

I so want to go back in may, but I want someone to take notes on the pic's I take. I can never remember, plus I lag behind and taking most of the back of peoples heads.

So glad you are all enjoying them, and that was only half of them. We still have not got out of Melissa's yet LOL

Laurie; I am truly sorry I can not remember the pic you wanted. I have so lost my mind. Please tell me again.

I want one of those slug thingys. To cool. I hate sliceing and dicing with pruners, makes a icky job.

Gwen, did you take the other Dahlia I brought?? Was it 'Who do it" or "Crazy for love" I forgot which one I took. One has started to opened.

This is "Who Dun It"

I was thinking, (scary) If anyone would like CDs. Of are great time. I have been doing slide shows and love it. Tried to do it on photo bucket but I can't get it to work well, to many. I have a CD burner. Just a thought.

I am going to post a few more, at least to Mt Tahoma
Tomorrow is my last day then back to work on Sun. and I have busted butt in the yard today, (Your gonna like it) running out of time and its supposed to rain in AM. So hopefully I can finish of the Pics and get it together for Back to Work mode ewu.

Shot of Melissa's house

When I came walking around the side of the house, I thought "Scrapy" Rach's dog was having none of it ( no one sneaks up on us, who are you???) I took my blue coat off that he knew before I went around the house, he did not recognized me without my coat. I thought I was doggy bait LOL. But a few words from me and yelled at by Mom all was good.

This is where we are trying to get the groups together to go to MT. Tahoma
we where group1, cause we had to get back to Lynn's to get the the food stuff going.
So a mad dash to get a few pic's and goodies from Melissa's gardens.

A pic

And another, in a hurry LOL

I hate being rushed, I could of spend hours at her place, so much to see. And how in the heck she did it. That also goes to the other gardens we saw. Thoes come later. I give my hat off to all of you ^_^

Lynn with her booty. LOL

Well, I just got back from Melissa's garden and now I see what all the fuss was about. Wow! What a beautiful place! I hung out with her and Lynn for a while and stole a whole bunch of plants. hehehe.

Melissa, thanks so much for all the plants, and Lynn, thanks for bringing me the pots! :D It was so nice to see both of you again. I'm sorry I was kind of lame company, so tired... I feel like all I did was stand around in a daze. LOL!

Loaded up in Gwen's taxi, now we are back to 6 as Holly was not us. I think she was going with the second group? But something went wrong in timing and the 2nd group did not make it.

But what I thought, based on what was said about Mt. Tahoma. I was looking for this BIG wonderful place. Mine you, it is that. but not what you would think to drive up to.
When we found the address and pulled into the drive of a little green house sat back in the tree's a lady runs out and Tell's Gwen to park in the little gravel spot on the road. I am looking at the sign, thinking this is not going To be what we thought this was. The lady run's over and points down this path. O'H no where are we going????

Off we go LOL

And down

Then we came upon this, sorry focus was bad.

Then down some more. I hung back to stay with Linda, as I could see she was hurting. I did not know till later that she had surgery on her feet. She had me a little worried.

Still going

It's so funny to see photos of ones own garden posted by someone else. I hardly recognize the place! It's like seeing your own garden through someone else's eyes.

What a great thing it is to have gardening friends one doesn't have to clean up for, stop gardening for, or otherwise entertain. It was a fine time having Lynn and Pony stop by and dig out some plants that otherwise would have been composted. Now don't forget that there are plenty more where they came from! I don't know if either one of you left with a bunch of siberian iris. I fear you didn't get them because the pile still looks quite large. No worries, they will still be here later. If Pony had not been so tired (practically asleep standing up), she would have been able to entertain the idea of taking more home with her.

What is this a tent?

Oh... the siberian iris, was that what you had stacked up all neat and tidy over by the wall of the house with the crocosmia? I think I remember we were supposed to take something from over there and I totally forgot.

And the glory we stepped into, I was so amazed. This place is amazing. I never thought are walk thru the forest would lead us to here.