Greenshed Party

Okay, I'm starting to get nervous about coming. Ridiculous I know, please excuse the newbie shyness. If anyone would mind reassuring me that y'all won't judge how spindly my veggie starts are that I have to share, or draw back in horror that I found aphids on my borage seedlings (how did they even get in the house?) - that would quiet my nerves.

And Willow, would you mind dmailing me the directions/location? If anyone wants to carpool, I'm driving and will be heading (to wherever I'm going) from Seattle!

Kym, aphids manifest themselves out of simple air & water. They just think themselves into being.

And my nasturtiums are spindly too -- so thank you for standing in solidarity with me & my paltry offerings. We will be newbies together.

Ah, Summer, that explains it - I knew aphids could get around the laws of physics somehow. Thanks for the offer of newbie kinship :)

Kymmco, I'm getting on the 8:35 ferry in West Seattle - wanna meet me there? I'm taking the 2:30-ish ferry back (so will have to leave Willow's at about 1:00 or a little after).

Please don't stress, either of you. We are not a "judgy" group. And "trades" are so informal.

Kymmco - I've been looking for Borage. Can I claim one of your Borage seedlings?

New people ... I want my mom .... waaaaaah!

8:45 in the what now? The AM? Hmmm... who knew ferries ran that early on Saturday. Okay, so I've been outed as a non-morning person, but I would be love to join you on the W. Seattle ferry (actually my house is probably on the way from Woodinville to West Seattle, if you wanted to park at my place I'd be happy to drive - just dmail me)

I'm thinking I'm going to have to resow the Borage - after starting it indoors I actually read up on it and found it does much better sown directly outside after the first frost. So I'll probably bring seeds rather than seedlings - they really are looking pretty sad.

I definitely don't like the getting up part, but I love to be going places in the morning. And I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we'll have good weather for an awesome ferry ride. We may be meeting Holly on the ferry (she lives on Vashon) once she knows what's going on with her family's activities. I don't mind driving at all.

And ordinarily I'd love to see your place, but I really also want to make sure to stay on sort of a schedule, being as there's ferry travel in involved. :-)

So if you're up for meeting me at the ferry terminal at around 8:30 - that should work just fine. Oh, and I'd love a few of your seeds (or just let me know where you got them; I haven't been able to find any). Thank you.

My vege starts are little and spindly, also. The plants in the GH have aphids and are getting chewed up by slugs (found one little buggar this morning, hiding in a Brugsmansia pot. Of course, he and his cohorts have chewed just about every leaf they could slime across.)

Here's the West Seattle to Southworth Ferry schedule for anyone who needs it:

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Ferries/Schedule/ScheduleDetail.aspx?tripdate=20100410&departingterm=9&arrivingterm=20&roundtrip=true

Directions to the ferry on the Seattle side:

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl

Pony, I have a little Dahlia seedling that you might like. I think it like the orange ones that Pixy has. I also have a magenta seedling. I will bring them to the Greenshed party.

I am so sorry to be missing this fun event. I hope you all have good weather. I will be tasting wine for my daughter's wedding! Her sweetie's parents will be going with us as well, and they are fun. And we decided to have a friend come along as the safe driver. Have a wonderful time and I hope I get to meet all of you sometime!

Katie, is there parking at that ferry if we wanted to leave our car there?

Have a great time everyone, sounds like a fun party. Pictures next week?

Kymmco, Don't be nervous at all. This is a great group, and you will be happily welcomed without bringing a thing.

I would love to say that I had a ton of plants to offer this go-around, but I just haven't had the time to divide or pot anything other than what I have promised people in the past, and a few little things that will be un-potted but were easy for me to gather in a short time. It will be great to meet you, and Summer, and Patricia... whom I have never met either.. There is something special about being able to put a face/personality with the posts, and I am really looking forward to being able to say hi to everyone in person again!

We will definitely miss everyone who can't make it, and I am sure in the PNW tradition that there will be plenty of pictures to share!

Gwen, I'm not sure. I haven't ever parked there before. I took this ferry for the first time a couple of years ago when we went to see Jim's place and I got there just in time to head straight to the ferry. It's quite a ways down into West Seattle to get there, so be sure to allot some time for that. I didn't, really, and just about missed my ride!

The site says that there's limited on-street parking and I would guess that on a Saturday morning your passenger would be much more likely to be able to nab one of those spots than later in the day.

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/info_desk/terminals/index.cfm?terminal_id=9

Hi guys, I can tell you a little more about the parking situation, The Fauntleroy ferry terminal in West Seattle has a very small parking lot, and when I say small, I mean small, with maybe 10 parking spaces. I have never used it, so I can't tell you for sure if there is a parking time limit, like half hour parking or something like that. The neighborhood is residential with some on-street parking on the side streets.

Holly, what time in the morning do you think I'd need to get there to get one of those 10 parkings spots? I'm trying to figure out how kymmco and I can hook up with Katie on that ferry and carpool together.

Is anyone going across on the Edmonds ferry?

My other options is going across on the Pt Townsend ferry myself, which would be a nice drive! I'm wondering: Which route is faster from Whidbey - Clinton/Mulkilteo ferry, then Edmonds ferry and down...or Clinton Mukilteo ferry, then W Seattle ferry......or Pt Townsend ferry (only one ferry) and down. I'm also wondering which is the most scenic. I've never been to Union so would like to see some nice views along the way. I have driven the Kingston to Pt Townsend route before a couple times, so that part wouldn't be new. I have never taken the W Seattle ferry. Decisions decision.

The sun it out - going outside to pot up lily of the valley and see what else I can find...

Gwen, coming along Hwy#106 you will have thirteen miles of Hood Canal shoreline, water and mountains, to look at plus the homes and gardens.

Gwen, possibly that little parking lot is what they are calling "permit only" on the WSF site. They do say "avoid" rather than "you will be towed if you dare to park here" at least on the site Kathy linked to. I have only driven by it on my way to points beyond, except once when my kid was an infant and I stopped briefly in that lot to take care of a spit-up event all over his car seat. I couldn't tell you for sure when to get there to be sure of parking availability in that lot or on a nearby street, except to say there are not likely to be as many commuters that early in the morning on a Saturday as on a weekday. It is a smaller terminal than some of the others in the ferry system.

I think what I'm going to do is come via the Pt Townsend ferry. It will get me there around 10:30ish. Then I'll come home via Bremerton and the Edmonds ferry. You have to make reservations on the PT ferry now and it's hard on the return trip cuz you never know quite when you're goinig to arrive there! This way I'll get to see two different routes, altho I'm not keen on taking two ferries on the way home. Wish you lived closer! ;)

Scratch that. I was going the wrong direction! I'll get there right around 10 I think, maybe even a few minutes early, unless I stop for coffee....

looking at the menu, it seems like about the only thing that I can think to add would be chips/crackers to go with the various dips.

Willow, I am sure that you are frantic right about now, but would you mind d-mailing your phone number "just in case"? If other's want it and you are OK with it, I could do a "reply all" to the e-mail that Gwen sent with directions. I just get very aprehensive about wandering around in unfamiliar areas without at least some way of asking for help if I get lost!

Sadly, events have not conspired to allow me to come to this party in honor of Willow's greenshed. I am really disappointed not to be able to meet you Willow, and several other members of the forum who I have not yet met in person. My DH is dealing with some plumbing problems at the health center where he does maintenance, and there are a lot of other pressures on our family just now, so I don't want to leave him to shoulder the whole load tomorrow. I do wish for everyone to have a fabulous time, and I will eagerly await pictures in the days to come.

Holly, we're sorry we won't see you, but you know there will be pictures!

Well gang, guess who's flaking out again? *raises hand* I was really hoping I'd have perked up by now, but I'm still feeling like cr... uh, compost. :( Just running a couple of errands today was enough to completely wipe me out, and I just don't feel up to going anywhere that I can't get back home within a few minutes if I start to fade out. I apologize for backing out on you again. :(

Healthy & unstressed here ... so you won't be rid of MOI! Or Susybell, because I will be honking in her driveway bright 'n early!!!!!

Also, since I'm packed & ready to go, have been going through books, some of mine, mostly what was left here by the PO. Here's what I'll be bringing so far:
Penelope Hobhouse's Plants in Garden History
Cox's Guide to Choosing Rhododendrons
The Complete Book of the Water Garden
The Pond Doctor
Our Sustainable Favorite (one of my must-reads, an extra copy)
The Gardener's Guide to Growing Peonies

Oh pony that makes me sad and Holly too. Darn.

That's too bad, Pony. I have some plants for you. Do you want me to give them to Julie and Sharon?

Maybe I can stop by for a visit sometime this Summer. My mother lives in Lacey, and I may be going to visit her via the "back route" on route 3 down through Shelton because there is going to be major construction happening on interstate 5 for several months. It might be fun to take a side trip along the scenic Hood Canal and even go camping for a night over there with my family.

Good thing I didn't sign up for plants. I have enough poor things sitting in pots on the porch, slowly finding homes in the landscape.

I did sign up for a piece of garden art, so....Summerkid, if someone else takes a liking to the glass sun, by all means give it to them, or to the guy collecting for that plant sale.

Katie- thank you- that would be great, if they don't mind plantsitting for me. I can always meet Julie at work once I'm feeling a little better. It's not much of a drive from here.

Lynn- same goes... I would love to have them, especially the dahlia, because the tubers Pix gave me didn't make it, and I am so sad about it. If Julie doesn't mind taking them to work in the near future, could you send them home with her?

Gah, I feel so terrible not coming out... I'm so sorry. I suck. :(

Pony and Holly, we will miss you both!

Pony, If you want Kathy to leave your plants with us, that would be fine. Either you and I could hook up, or we are making a clem run way down south on May first, and dropping stuff off at Pixy's that afternoon, so we could always tend the plants till then and drop them there so you could pick up. Round about way I know, but it would work. Let us know!

Pony: You legitimately have a reason for backing out, I assume?
So then. Spare us the sackcloth & ashes. It's OK.

And go to bed. That's what I'm going to do right now. See some of you tomorrow.

Pony, we cross posted, and you do not suck...you are under the weather...... no sense in making yourself miserable! I have been fighting off some crud for the last week and a half, and Mom and my brother's family got it full force. No energy, just want to ignore everything and sleep..... We are finally coming out of it, but it has been depressing and if you would have talked with either of us last weekend, we were no company at all. Get better, and we will figure out the best way to get your babies to you!

Holly and Pony, I'm sorry you won't be joining us! Holly, one of us can pick up your garden art and hold it til next we meet. I know my yard would be happy to be an interim gallery!

I'll be leaving in a little bit and I'm bringing grapes! See everyone soon...

Anxiously waiting for pictures. In your honor I went to an Open House at Fariweather Gardens about 20 miles from me. They only have open days about 5 times a year. I had a $ amount in mind and tried to keep within it. Only off by a bit. Now, to figure out where everything is going.

I just got back. It was a fun time. I idn't get many pictures, but I know that several people did. They should be trickling in soon.

The food was great, Willow's house and the setting is marvelous, tucked away in the big woods. The wind was blowing, but the sun was out in full force and it was beautiful there.

Jan, so glad you had a good nursery day. Dare I say it? Maybe we're over the hump.