Hello fellow Californians....let's introduce ourselves!

Hannelore1, I know how you feel - sometimes I feel like an orphan: not quite Oregon, but so far removed from big cities, that sometimes I don't feel like a Californian. However, born and raised in the Central Valley, I am a California girl.....

I'm going to go check out Gazelle on the map!! Welcome to this forum.....

Sanna

Hannelore1, welcome aboard. I have very best friend in McCloud and I have been to your neck of the woods. Obviously a big draw to the rich and famous. Some of your neighbors are Ophra, Hearst, McCormicks, etc. but I doubt they worry much about the gardening.
But given a choice, I love sannajane's coast. I grew up in Fort Bragg and go back up the coast every chance I get. Love Ferndale and all of our coastal state parks.

Thanks for the welcome! McCloud is cool -- so is the coast. I LOVE Eureka. One of these days we're taking a coast jaunt to get to know all the great places we haven't seen yet. Meanwhile, I'm wondering where those rich and famous could be hiding . . . definitely haven't seen them here yet!

Welcome all new Californians! When I was in the AF, I lived in other states, and none compares to this one! I always yearned to come back. My family has a ranch in Grenada and I spent every summer there growing up. I'd love to buy a big piece of land anywhere with a view of Mt. Shasta. It's so beautiful!!

Hurry, RachaelBee -- there is still some land available! When you come to Grenada (just minutes from here, as I'm sure you know) next time, send me a D-mail. I'd love to meet you! Hannelore

Will do! Is it cooling off any?

we sometimes go up thru Medford & back down 5 to Redding from the coast
just to see Mt Shasta :-) wait until you see it with a halo
http://www.siskiyous.edu/shasta/map/mp/jelen.jpg

Dick

Dick, thank you for that picture. Its awe-inspiring. I saved as my wallpaper.
~Rachael

Anyone who ventures to Eureka better give me a shout!! My garden's not much, but would love to meet and chat with anyone from here. The common ground is a good one!

Sannajane

Same here, Sannajane. If you're ever headed south, stop in Sebastopol and visit me.

Ditto here! Wow, cool halo.
Weather has been more pleasant these last couple of weeks. Colder at night, too.

Wow, look at all these Californians! Hello all, I'm Christina from San Diego. I joined Dave's a few months back and have been hooked ever since. I have a new garden and have been slowly learning the ropes with the help of everyone here. My favorite plants are my vines; passion flower, mandevilla, morning glory, wisteria, red trumpet vine, jasmine (pink and also white) and so many other pretty varieties that I wish I had space for. I just love em! We're blessed in San Diego with pretty temperate weather, so hopefully my garden will remain pretty throughout the year. We shall see... :~)

Hi, Christina, welcome to DG. I've always thought San Diego has the best weather in the world. Never too hot, never too cold. Just perfect. I'm sure your garden will be pretty all year.

Welcome, Christina!! Your garden sounds lovely. Post pics when you can!
~Rachael

Hi all, I am Patricia and live in Livermore which is about 50miles inland from
San Francico. I have always love growing flowers, which I learned from my mom.
We moved to Livermore not quite two years ago, and at that time put in a greenhouse which has opened a whole new world of tropical plants for me. I grow approx. 250 hoya plants as well as brugs, love flowering vine and anything else that flowers. I thank God everyday that he gave me a love of gardening, it has at times been what has kept me going when life has thrown me very hard curves in my life. I love sharing and trading plants and cuttings and do alot of trading on both Daves and another gardening site.

jerodsmom:

Do you know about the Roundup in Castro Valley on Sept. 24? Go to the California Gardening forum and check it out! Love to have you come! We had a great time at the Stockton RU last Saturday, and I'm really looking forward to this next one.

pekasky, I am planning on being there.

Great! See you there!

Hi, I joined the website earlier this month and am finally brave enough to jump into the fray. I live in Emerald Hills (hills above Redwood City - a native of Palo Alto.) My DH & I bought our (dream) house last year, then got married. One of the big draws was the property - 1/3 acre on a hill, with sweeping views of the SF bay. The area is wonderful for plants - more temperate than the flatlands - but there are deer (which I love most of the time)! The yard's been neglected, but has good bones. We have relatively level areas for the first 30 ft. or so, then more of a slope with way too many trees & ivy. We demolished the deck this summer (about 100 ft. of it) and discovered the hedge (around an above ground pool surrounded by tall deck) was really the tops of a wonderful grove of oak trees - lots of other surprises hidden in that yard, like old stone walls... We installed a fence on the back of the property, and in the process re-claimed 20 ft. of our property the back neighbors were using and locked the deer out of back yard (we hope). We're in our mid-50's and wish we could retire and make the house & yard projects our career, but my teenagers wouldn't understand why they can't eat or go to college & I'm not likely to win the lottery, (since I don't even play)! We have a love/hate relationship with our house & yard - lots of charm & character & comfortable to live in, but often think we're crazy for taking on such a big project... Looking forward to comparing notes as we design & landscape.

Welcome lizzipa!
We want pictures!! Sounds like a project and hopefully you are well on your way to the garden you dream of. The weather sure is wonderful for so many things here in the Bay Area. be sure to check out the Annie's Annuals and local nurseries threads, there are quite a few enablers on this forum!

welcome lizzipa! Your house and yard sound awesome! It sounds like a great location too. I love Northern California and always considered it 'home' as I grew up in Pacifica. Definitely post some photos when you can. Glad you jumped in! :) Christina

Thanks for the welcome Calif_Sue & crnswift! Looking forward to getting to know you all! CNSwift, my DH lived in Pacifica for quite a while (in fact his ex grew up there)...

Welcome lizzipa, i hear you on the deer, so if you ever need any help on questions please d mail me, i live in santa cruz in the redwood area so deer are my pet hate, or where before i ousted them from the yard....

oh and gophers but i took out all those as well, so now no more gopher baskets for me :)

Defianelty post a picture as it sounds gorgous...

Diane

Hi, I'm new to this websight. So far its great. I live in Concord about 30 miles east of Oakland. Zone 9B ( I think). My home is about 1/2 acre on a hill and has everything from Giant redwood trees to giant black walnut trees. Of course I try to grow all the things that shouldn't grow here like tropicals. We live next to an open space so deal with gophers, mice and other bad guys. I am always looking for unusual plants and all the advice I can get.
I work in the Albany-Berkeley area. So i get two totally different types of weather. 60 in Albany and 90 at home.
I think I am addicted to plants.
Linda

Welcome Linda - You should fit right in. Most of us are addicts and I think many of us do not believe that the zonal ratings are right. Redwoods to Oaks? Sounds like a lot on a 1/2 acre. I look forward to seeing you at one of our Roundups or other gatherings.
George

Hi Linda...welcome to DG and the CA forum...are you into daylilies by any chance? Some of our local meetings will be held in concord! Our Regional VP lives in the hills of concord too! Maybe you are neighbors! Looking forward to hearing your interests and getting to meet you at a get together!


Welcome to the other new forum members too...Linda's location caught my eye so I stopped by to say "hi"...but it is nice to meet you others too!

Margie

YES! Welcome to all new members.... DG can be very addicting. Plan on hours and hours your first month here! And then still more hours from that point!

Sanna in Eureka

Hiya Lizzipa! Welcome to DG! I love pics of project progress...maybe you can post some of the pics of your yard. Sounds like you have some treasures hidden over there.

Hi, I'm new here as well.. Although this isn't my first post. I live in Union City very close to the bay. Sunset zone 17.

I have a lot of fruit trees on my property including plum, apple, and citrus. I'm also interested in chile peppers and tropical plants (esp. palms and cycads).

--Adam

Hiya GEG,

Welcome!

You'll find lots of people here with similar tastes and passions. Also, this place is a treasure trove of information and experience.

best to you,
don

Hi bncybncytigger,

Thanks for the offer of deer tip - may take you up on that. Was on vacation last week & happy to see that my garden didn't become deer food, while I was gone. Recently sprinkling bloodmeal, on a new bed, after they munched the new flowering maples I planted.... so far, so good, but my husband hates the smell! He lived in the Santa Cruz mountains for 17 years (think it's called Redwood Estates - near you?), but relied on deer fencing, which isn't very pretty in the front yard - pretty flowers gotta can't be surrounded by ugly fencing!

No gopher issues, so far, but can see their holes on the hills across the street, and the cats dragged one into the house one day (YUCK!), but we do have moles.... though the cats seem to be taking care of those, too, judging by the corpses in my bedroom (double-YUCK).

Liz

Thanks for the interest in seeing pictures. I will defintely start posting some soon and asking for suggestions, as I will be in design mode this winter!

I can't wait for the photos too!

Another California member. San Jose near Milpitas. We are at 1300' so get cool/cold nights and lots of wind. We purchased a working cattle ranch five years ago and have been turning some pastures into gardens. We probably have about an acre (or more) planted of bearded iris and the collection is growing. We will have approximately 1400 varieties by next spring. Dabbling in daylilies too.

Made our own compost over the past three years to amend our horrible clay soil - the compost is ready and beautiful. You realize that when you have that much land, you can't just go buy bags of compost - plus not to mention the cost.

Have approximately 30 varieties in bloom right now (probably more). I am fortunate and have blooming iris almost year-round.

Your iris plantation sounds like paradise, especially to those of us (probably the majority) who never feel we have enough room for all the things we want to plant. Of course, with 1400 varieties, you may feel the same way too.

Any relation to Don and Cathy Prevost in El Granada?

WOW...another member near San Jose! Welcome gprovost! Your land and blooms sound gorgeous. Are you planning on opening a public nursery or display garden?

Margie

BTW...Cal Sue and Lilystorm are also from San Jose and also plant_fiend and mmqc!

Fortunate enough to be in a 10a San Gabriel garden. Front of back garden is roses, iris, azaleas, etc. on one side and cactus and succulents on the other side. Middle yard has converted from vegetables to tarragon, lavender, sage, etc. in front of the back yard with citrus and avocado trees. Looking for suggestions to enhance front of garden and to find some way to trade.

I looked through really quickly and don't think I ever replied to this. Anyhow, my name is Mark and I am an addict.........I mean a Passiflora nut. Passiflora are the main thing around my place. Before the storms last year that tore up my greenhouse, I was up around 120 to 140 different types of Passiflora. I also grow Amorphophallus, wow, what a wierd plant. Ok, that's about all for now, nice meeting some of you at the So. Cal roundup this past season.
Mark

Hiya Mark. . . it seems like ages ago since that roundup. Sure was fun and nice to be able to put faces with names when I read a post from someone that I met there. Have you rebuilt your greenhouse yet? I'm familiar w/ Passie's (sp?) but what variety of Amorphophallus do you have? There are several listed in the plant files. That's the one that has the awful smell isn't it? Never seen one, but have read about them.

Good to have you in the California forum. 8-) Janet

wow, mark. love the fruit. i want to grow a few that are fruit-bearing (is that a term?). that's the secret ingredient to my sangria. lol.

hi, janet. i have to attend a round-up one of these days.