Hello from a jungle near Philadelphia!

Hello, I am so glad I found this forum! We just bought an adorable bungalow near Philadelphia. My previous gardening experience was merely container gardening at my rowhouse...so I'm gonna need LOTS of guidance!!

The garden was pretty much neglected the past 20 years, as the owner was in her nineties. It's very shady from some beautiful sycamores, but also from some ugly, dying pine trees that I want to remove for more sunlight. There are vines covering everything, also little trees sprouting everywhere. On the good side, so far I've discovered a 20 foot high lilac, 2 huge azaleas, a gorgeous hot pink peony, some kind of lilies which haven't bloomed yet.

Welcome razzie!

Looks like you are going to have fun. Lots of guidance is what you would find here. People here are so nice and helpful. See ya around!

Welcome to Daves Garden from rainy Ia. Enjoy your time here - ask questions, give opinions and advice and have FUN!!

Tha;nks for the welcomes, drop and kooger! I have ALREADY noticed that an hour spent doing ANYTHING outside is way more fun than housework!!

Hi razzie. Welcome to the garden. Sounds like you are going to have a busy summer getting your gardens in order. We love pictures at Daves, so feel free to start with some before pictures and then show us more as you go. Would be fun to garden along with you. Especially since you will be doing all the work. LOL!

welcome from you new york neighbor.

Razzie, Welcome to the garden. Sounds like quite a project, we'd love to see photos of the transformation!

Wow! Thanks for the welcomes!! I will take pictures today, but I have already ripped out tons of weeds! From last year's leaves and the first grass cutting, I have my compost pile already cooking! I have to go check out everyone else's gardens! Can't wait.

Welcome razzie! I grew up in Roxborough. Still have family in the Philly area. Enjoy your new home...there and here at DG.

Welcome, Razzie, it sounds like you have quite a project to keep you away from that dreaded housework! As you clear away the weeds and mess you will continue to discover buried treasures. I had peonys and lilacs come up a couple of years after we moved here, all they needed was a chance to grow and they popped up and said "hello, I'm here, thanks for liberating me". You'll have a lot of fun here on DG and will make friends for life.

Well, Ginger, I grew up in Ft. Lauderdale and still have family there!! :)

Mary, my lilac is a zillion feet tall! I am going to get my husband to prune a third of it down, I read that works to keep blooms while you are taming it. I also have 2 peonies and they are blooming now. So pretty! My biggest issue has been identifying the weeds from the perennials, which there are some still here. I luckily have a gardening friend who did a walk through for me!

Hi Razzie, and welcome!

Welcome, Razzie, Careful out in the garden - 'just a minute' in the garden turns into ''where did the morning go'' as one plant leads to the next and weeding turns to watering to thinning to whatever your eyes hits on next. Then it's time to take a break at Dave's.

**waving from Pittsburgh** Welcome!! :)

Welcome!!

Thank you guys for the welcome!! I belong to an art site that I am addicted to, now comes this siren sweetly singing!! I am even enjoying turning my compost pile, have a feeling that won't last too long!!

razzie:
Welcome from sunny South Florida! :-)

Welcome Razzie, from the mountains of NC. I have started a lilac from a sucker my mother-in-law gave to her daughter. The daughter's lilac is a large tree now and she gave me this sucker.
I would like to know what to fertilize it with and how often. My soil is very acid here so I will be giving it lots of lime...

Welcome! Sounds like you've got your own "Secret Garden". Dave's Garden is a great place for you to discover lots of ideas and maybe help you identify any "unknowns" that pop up in your new garden!

Claire

razzie,

Welcome for Clearfield, PA!

Sandy

Welcome from Kentucky. Sounds like you'll have a busy summer. Good luck and enjoy.
Vicki

Hope you enjoy it here at Dave's Garden! You'll learn a great deal here, but more importantly, you'll have fun while doing so. :)

I grew up in Strafford, outside of Philadelphia, and graduated from Drexel. Welcome.

Have you found Waterloo Gardens yet? How 'bout Styers in Concordville?

You MUST go to Longwood Gardens (when it's not too hot, or for the evening water shows or concerts or fireworks). Also walk Winterthur's gardens....