Garden Projects #4

We needed a new thread
we came from here :http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1172539/

This message was edited May 7, 2011 12:24 PM

Oh, Jan....love that descript. of grandy!

Nice, Jo. I didn't realize you had such a huge expanse of lawn!

I did a lot of potting up of plants to sell today. Lots and lots and lots! I did a bit of edging, too. That's about it, but it kept me busy pretty darn all day!

Karen

My son used to hum when he was falling asleep

Karen,my property stops at the back edge of the garden.The expanse and framed berry bushes belong to the neighbors back yards that converge in that corner.
Right now I am trying to get a property layout from DD or the neighbor so I wont do something wrong when I get that edged next spring.
He is being nice about the fact I am a few inches over the line."Its not that it isnt beautiful" I just dont want any disputes in a few years.
Its hard to believe not everyone likes gardening.
They raised 7 kids and she didnt want a garden.
They grow the black raspberries in the raised bed. Weeds all summer. No one weeds it.

Ge1836, I hope they let you raid it, considering the fact that they get to enjoy your beautiful garden and you get to enjoy looking at their weeds.

I went to the Tower Hill show,. I did not see Mr. Green Narcissus, but did find out that green Narcissus bulb called Mesa Verde is being sold for 150.00 per bulb. So I am obviously not seeing any green in my future. But I did see some lovely ones.

On the home front. My mothers day gift of3 garden helpers for 2 days to mulch all the beds as well as properly edge and do some more weeding, all got finished yesterday. DH said it looked good.

Before I left yesterday morning I emailed a mushroom fanatic friend a photo of something coming up in our Rosa Rugosa bed. He said they were Morels, so he as well as son when he saw them in our email to him went nuts. They told us that we had to saute them up in butter and shallots and have them with scrambled eggs. I added a bit of pepper and fresh thyme. They were right, divine and we are still alive. No mistaking a Morel with any other mushroom. They sell for 40.00 a pound so I will be looking for more when I get home.

Off to the studio for the final day of sales. I have sold a few more things. Pleased with my first efforts. Inspired to do more. Patti

oh, to all the Moms and to all that have one or had one, which I assume is everyone, Happy Mother's Day. New holiday, Happy Everybody Day. Hallmark will be happy. Patti

DD and I took a better look at that border. I had planned to hire the edging done next spring.
I am so obcessed about the border ,we decided not to edge it and not to plant anything more forward than the plants that were put in-in '08.
Its not possible to tell exactly where the property line is with a survayer. I am not going to spend that kind of money.

Jo, some people are just not gardeners. In fact, I think we are in the minority. Most of my neighbors are not gardeners. In fact I think there is only one other gardener on my street, and she's just not as into it as I am. This one couple down the street who have been there even longer than I have, have a large expanse of empty bed under some evergreens in their front yard. They put red mulch down there every year with nothing there except maybe one container. Oh, the things I could put in that bed!

I don't blame you for not wanting to pay for a surveyor.

Patti, you're lucky to find those morels. I don't think I've ever found one. Glad you enjoyed the show. I hope you sell more pottery.

You know I just don't understand charging such a high price for a newer intro of any plant. If it's the exception to what's normally charged for new intros because they are in very short supply, then I can understand. Mostly I'm thinking of daylily intros. Seems to be that across the board most newer intros in the the $100 plus range. To me that is way out of whack. I have seen new iris intros that sell for much less. In fact I don't think I've every seen an iris intro priced that high. Why is that? Does it really take that much longer to grow and evaluate a daylily, and take more money than it does to do the same for an iris? IrisMA, maybe you could answer that question. And there are lots of people who will actually pay those high prices for the new daylily intros, too. I will eventually have new intros myself, but I don't feel right about charging over $100 for a daylily.

Karen

Karen. Some people have no vision for what might be.
Alas.

Yes, so sad.

I cant imagine what it would be like to have no awareness of the out doors.

Patti, thrilled you are selling the pottery! About the morels....there is a false morel that is poisonous! I found 2 clumps of what I thought were morels in the yard, but I wouldn't eat them, because I didn't have a positive ID.....

Karen, I have a similar neighbor. They created a huge red mulch bed in the middle of their lawn. It must be 75 x 50 feet - and the only thing planted is one tiny hydrangea tree. It looked better when it was grass - I have no idea why they turned it into a mulch bed.

Thought I'd share some before and after pictures of my latest garden project - a couple years in the making:

This message was edited May 8, 2011 8:15 PM

After - it looks better in person. I've got about seven different peonies bushes and peony trees, japanese irises, azaleas, wolf eyes dogwood, hostas, creeping phlox, PJM Rhodies, grape hyacinth, lots of vinca and other things I can't recall right now. I am pleasantly surprised at how it came out. I really struggled with this area. I just didn't have a vision for it, but it's coming along nicely. Can't wait to see it in a few years once it's filled in some more.

Beautiful SOJ!!!!!!!

no kidding.. just beautiful!!!

Thanks. I can't wait till the phlox is in full bloom. It's just starting now - probably another day or two. Remembered some of the other things in the bed: daylilies, mock orange, weigelia, mugo pine, yews, clematis and bloodgood maple.

Fantastic job, SOJ!

looks great!!

Very nice, Christina!

SOJ, The best! You do such great work. I guess you have the vision thing, no big patch of red mulch for you, ever. Patti

Robindog, False Morels, now you tell me, but I am still alive. My friend gave us the thumbs up to eat them and he has studied them for years, but he only saw a photo we sent him. They sure were yummy.

Sold more pottery today. Then show was over at 5 and we had to break it down and put the studio back to a working space rather than a gallery. I am pleased with my first efforts but will be more aware of what seems to sell and what doesn't for the Dec show. I went over to see the Harvard Pottery Show this afternoon and was blown away by some of the work being sold. I could have spent a fortune if I had taken a credit card which I intentionally left behind.

Pottery pricing and plant pricing have a lot in common. Both make no sense and often are illogical. Patti

Jo, you have to be real careful with encroaching on neighbor's property, some people get real hinky about things like that, don't you have the original survey when you bought the house? Should have the lot lines on that.

Patti, that's a great Mother's Day gift, help in the yard. I'm not surprised you're selling your pottery, it's gorgeous.

SOJ if that looks better in person it must be really something else because it looks FANTASTIC!!!!

Wonderful garden development SOJ.

I only know iris prices, the tall beardeds being most expensive. It takes time & work to develop a new plant. Then you have to increase the variety so there will be enough to sell. That takes several years. AIS suggests having 50 new plants of a variety before introduction, although with the TBs it is more like a hundred. the big outfits like Schreiners really make their money by selling to wholesalers & have a price on that. As more plants of a variety become available, the price drops. If you MUST have an iris, buy it, but if you can wait, a few years will drop the price.

If you are a judge, buy as many as you can afford of the type you like. An iris appears on the ballot the 2nd yr after introduction & stays on the ballot for 3 yrs unless it receives an award.. As a result of limited space judges travel to other iris gardens during the season & see other plants than those which they grow. The national conventions give a chance to see seedlings & introductions. Those people living in the Pacific NW have a chance to see irises in the fields & the rest of us rely on pictures or visits to hybridizers' gardens in a local region.

Hey Jen and others.
DD and I found our tract map and took a tape to measure where I wanted to edge.
The plants I have now are just barely on the line.
If I edged with Landscapers help.it would mean moveing 80 plants,some 4 year old huge hostas.
NOT THIS GAL!!.
DD said just dont edge it. I am taking her advise. The neighbors are OK with things as they are, he said "Its not that it isnt beautiful" they comment on how much they enjoy their side ,so,.
I will put planned iris in other spots further back in that garden.
Leaving well enough alone.

good solution

its a non thing that side of the property.

SOJ, I really loved what you did with that space....hard to work something out on the hillside, but you did! Patti, I knew you had sent a photo to your friend about the morels.....I had no one to help me with the ID, so better safe than sorry! Jo, good solution to your problem....my new bed is also on my neighbor's line, but she was trying to give me the whole side yard since she can't take care of it anymore, but neither can I!

Christina, what a fantastic job! That was a big project, and now it looks wonderful. I love it!

Patti, that's nice you sold more pottery. Good for you.

Iris, thanks for the input on that.

Jo, yes, I would leave it alone if the neighbors are fine with it. No sense in messing things up if you don't have to. Might be a different story if they ever sell and new people move in.

Karen

Karen: Thats what I had in mind. I believe I am over the line about 6-8 inches but DD said the grass will migrate back so I should be OK.
I dont know why I am so anal about this issue.
I just like to know where the boundries are so I can take off with a free consciance.

Ge1836, loved the new picasa pics. Thanks

Went to Boston for a few days. I sold a bunch more pottery, and better yet, I got a get out of Jail Free Card for one year with my doctors on Monday! Hooray! Then I went to NYC on Tues for a couple of days to do a design job. I got to see my son for a belated Mother's Day dinner. Then back late last night to a much colder and windy Nantucket. Tulips took a big hit. Patti

Arent pottery sales a lift?

Sure are. Hope they give them good homes. Patti

Cograts on the good check up Patti!

I second that.

ditto on the good check up

how much did my pot sell for?

This message was edited May 13, 2011 12:04 PM

Thanks all. I might just be healthy this summer.

Wha, Did not sell it or even try to , but think you are up for an upgrade now that I look at it with newer stuff I am doing. Patience. Patti

Spoken like a true optimistical crafts person.

Great news, Patti!!! Congrats on the pottery sales.

DH biult me a raised bed a few years ago and I asked for another to plant my herbs in. Tomorrow is our Anniversary and my brother showed up today with a lovely gift.....herbs!
I had:
Orange Mint
German Thyme
Scallion
Rosemary

He bought us:

Lemon Basil
Dill
Parsley
Cilantro
Thyme Orange Balsam
Italian Large Leaf Basil
Chocolate Mint
Oregano Hot & Spicey

Everything is all planted!