Where are the neighbours?

I was reading the post from Nepthys about fellow New Yorkers and suddenly thought that I have not seen many posts from Virginia - I know of only one person and she kindly emailed me. I would just love to have someone close by who was as nuts as I am about gardening. Back home, my sister and I would go out all day visiting as many nurseries as possible. It was such a laugh. We were stopped by a policeman once who said that our views from the car were obstructed. I'll say they were, it was like a veritable greenhouse in that car...lol

That's funny, I can just see it, a jungle back there.

Sorry, I'm not from Virginia. But I feel kind of lonely over her in Indiana too! Julie

Julie - are you lonely for the companionship of fellow gardeners, or are you just lonely! Please feel free to mail me if you want to chat. I have only made a couple of friends since moving last year and as we are renting a house right now whilst our house is being built, I have not really had the time to socialise, although I do have my church and cook food for the soup kitchen every week and the people there are just wonderful :-)

Hi Louisa,
I have Virginia in my heart..so does that count? I like reading your posts and I always think how we'll be in Virginia someday. We are planning to move near you (Farmville area +) when my hubby retires soon (several years to go). He was stationed out of Norfolk while in the Navy and we've been to Virginia many times. I think central Virginia is so beautiful and it's the lifestyle we are looking for. We did find a place off of Buggs Lake but it turned out to be something more involving with the land so we didn't go any further with it. It was 12 acres with a house and horse barn :( Maybe when we finally get down there, we'll be gardening neighbors..can you imagine, a Daves Garden oasis..lol.
Trish

Louisa in response to your question about my gardens:

Being right on the Cheseapeak bay, sort of have a micro climate. My last frost is usually around the first week of April and the first frost is not usually untill mid November to first of December. Quite a long growing season. It gets very hot and humid in the summer.

As far as my garden...well I've been trying to convert my entire back yard into a garden ;) it's a sloowww process! I push gardening, I'll try to grow anything that isn't suppose to grow in zone 7 or anthing that is just plain difficult for that matter...I have sereral raised areas because the ground is water 6" down and sandy. Other areas are not wet and are planted in once amended a bit. Due to the summers being so hot and humid; some plants that require full sun in North get part shade, I also have a lot of what I consider "easy maintenance" plants such as day lilies, hosta's, spring bulbs of all sorts etc. I could talk about it for ever....there is just so much so...

Is there something specific you are wanting to know? Please let me know...I'll try to help.

You are such great gals! I love your replies! Jody, that was quite an epistle - thanks so much. I guess it has to be a case of trial and error, which can be fun in a way. Your climate must be very similar to ours.
Trish - Don't leave it too late before you move down here. I'm so excited - Farmville is but a stone's throw away from us. Land is still pretty inexpensive and plentiful. I do know of one lady who bought Sissy Spacek's house and is selling off some of her 800 acres at Keswick. She only wanted $8 an acre. She sells her produce on the local farmers' market and apparently it took her almost four years to decide where to buy the land and found that the land she eventually ended up with is one of the best for growing. Trouble is, even our land was 'dirt' cheap a couple of years ago but unfortunately when we bought it the prices started to soar - I suppose it's where one builds really. The more rural - the cheaper it gets. It is so beautiful around here. I can't tell you how grateful and blessed I am.

Welcome Louisa! I've been here since Dec, and I thought I was always going to be the lone Virginian. I just left the Lake Anna area this morning to come home for the weekend -it sure was snowing. We really love being near the water so we made our home here, but we go camping in your neck of the woods during the late spring... it is really a beautiful area.

Hi Carol - Glad I'm not alone then. Maybe there are a few more Virginians out there. I know your neck of the woods, we used to live in Hampton and took many excursions around the 'waters'. Lovely!

speaking of Virginia.......I am kinda p*issed that TNN isnt playing The Waltons anymore at 11am or 5pm anymore. Am I the only person who ever watched that show or are there any other Walton fans out there?
I really think I was born in the wrong time. People have told me that "back when" was alot harder as far as work goes, but I feel I work pretty hard as it is and I would much rather be in that time then this time.
Anyone want to go back to the good ol' days with me if I ever figure it out?
Janice

You are not alone Janice. There's nothing wrong with loving a programme which portrays the essence of family life. Alas, lifestyles today are too demanding and values are sometimes lost along the line. As a matter of fact, Walton's Mountain is not too far from here. I am a bit of a family person, having come from a large family myself. I love the idea of sitting down to meals together and sharing stories.