The first bed!!

During a hectic, fun filled week with my grandkids I managed to sneak in a quiet, early morning moment when the air was still and listened to the the bird chorus welcoming this newcomer to their neighborhood. They have already used the bird tables and baths so I think they are happy to see us. I set my first 4 plants in their new home at the front of the porch and near the path. Lantanas for ground cover. It is the only bed that has been dug so far, but then we have only been here a little over 3 weeks. But it felt so good.......after a year of not having a garden, to actually tend to my own plot again. I am happy and wanted to share this moment with you. :-)

I'm happy another soul made it "...back to the Garden". Blessings to you.

YEAH! Louisa, I am so happy to hear you are finally able to get going again! It is going to be great seeing what you decide to do with your new gardens!

Louisa - your words sound like poetry. I am so happy for you - I wish you the best in your new home and with your new garden!

You are really the kindest and sweetest people. I know that you know deep down exactly what I was talking about and how much it meant to me to actually get my hands into the soil once again. I was really quite emotional about it, but then it has been that type of year for me. Lots of niggling worries about home and family, health problems and the building of our house and then of course, my little cat Brandy being ill. But just as sure as these new plantings send down their roots into the ground, we too will go from strength to strength and before you know it our feet will be truly and firmly planted in this lovely Virginia countryside. It's been a long road since birth many moons ago, travelling all over the world and finally ending up in America. A far, far cry from my English home. I vow never to move again if I can help it :-)

I KNEW you'd play in the dirt as soon as you could!

LOL Kathleen - it was just a matter of time. A LITTLE time!!

The next time you have a spare year let me know. You could have come to my yard and played and I would have let you take the goodies to the new yard.

Well that's very generous and gracious of you GRC - why didn't you let me know sooner :-) - It took two days to grapple with the 'red clay' here and I'm still not satisfied with the amended soil. However, I failed to mention that we also erected post and trellis around the two a/c units and it makes such a difference. Now to amend the soil there and we can plant Tim's passiflora - I can't wait!!

Louisa
I have those pages copied,and will send them out Monday. Soil should be well drained, a bit of compost, but not too rich or you will have growth with no flowers.

I'm so pleased that you've started on your new garden. I'm sure it'll be beautiful.

This message was edited Saturday, Jun 30th 6:23 PM

Great Tim - look forward to that info and thanks Diane for your kind words :-)

Louisa, I am so happy to hear you have your first garden plot started! I hope the humidity there hasn't been as bad as it has been here this week. I'm about ready to attach a flashlight to one of my old hardhats and start gardening by moonlight! lol

Louisa
Can we play in your dirty when we head up that way?

ROFL - Tim???? Play in my dirty what???? My dirty clay!! Too funny!! When are you coming up here? Carol, yes it has been very hot, but not humid. I almost flaked out yesterday when we took the kids to a mine in Morefield, Amelia County. My grandson loves rocks!! We found amethyst, amazonite and others and we panned the dirt just as the gold miners used to. Great fun! I find the early mornings and evenings are best for gardening now and yes I believe you would go out in the moonlight with your hardhat - I can picture it now...lol! Will email you soon -let me get my breath back :-)

Now how did that y get there!
Louisa, 8/04-8/08.

Removed by member request

Louisa
i can just picture you with a big smile on your face!
thanks for sharing your special time =]
happy gardens
dori

I do have a big smile on my face because I'm still thinking of Tim's "y".....lol. Thanks MM and Dori.

Hi Louisa, It is good to hear you are in the yard. Now about the red clay. I have been amending mine for 3 years now. It is a neverending chore. However, the red clay is not all that bad. I have a beautiful perennial bed in the stuff, you just have to keep working at it. The weeds love it too...LOL

I need some rain if anyone has some to spare send it my way. I sprung a leak in my water line to the house. I dread the next water bill. It leaked all night before I realized why the water pressure was so low. Now I am afraid to water because the bill will be even higher.


puttyrat

Hi Sally - Are you still very busy in the garden center? I was going to mail you soon. Red clay has an abundance of nutrients I know, but we had lots of rain during the Spring and so the ground is still soggy and unworkable in places. Sorry about the leak in your water line. Just hang on in there, I think the storms are coming this evening.

I sure hope so.. looks like I may have to go out and water a few things just in case no rain.

I should just let it go. Most of my perennials should be drought tolerant. However the lobelia is laying flat on the ground. I also still have lots of plants in pots. I was hoping to sell some of my daylilies and hostas, but I haven't had the time. That stuff needs watering most every day.

I best get out and do it. It has barely cooled off.

puttyrat

Sally, did you realize from one of my posts that we actually went through your town a couple of day's ago!! I forgot you lived there!! We were on our way to Amelia County.

Louisa
How absolutely wonderful for you!! I can just imagine how happy you are!!!
If you need some help filling those new gardens up let me know, I'd be happy to help! :)

Jody thanks for your kind offer. I do have quite a few plants - lor I've been babying them and potting them on for a year now...lol!! You are not far from me - under three hours away! So our soil could be quite similar - am I right or not? So what do you grow and if you do have clay, how do you manage it? Remember now, the area for my house was cleared of trees here, although they removed too many for my liking, so I am working on land that has not been worked for many a year. It was used for the timber trade years ago. I think the builder also managed to 'lose' the top soil because I don't see any sign of good soil at all. I am left with a wet, compacted red goo!!

Louisa unfortunately I do not have the nice red clay soil that I've seen in VA :) I live right on the Chesapeak Bay so a lot of my soil is very sandy and in a few areas of the yard there is some clay but not like yours, sorry I can't help you there. LOL about losing the top soil, you may have to bring in a few loads of it, thats what I have done here. Over the last couple of years I bring in a few loads a year to mix into my "sand". Still have a long way to go but it's slowly getting there. It also stays very wet here so I've done a lot of raised beds, only have a few areas that were high enough that I didn't have to. Once the beds were made and good soil and compost were added the plants have thrived beautifully. You might want to consider some raised beds.

Happy to hear you have lots of plants to start with, but the offer still stands so if you find you need some more just let me know.

Jody

Thanks again Jody - but hey!!!! I will swop my soil for yours anytime. If you need anything let me know :-)

Louisa, I have not kept up with DG lately , so I did not know you have been though Powhatan. I just came back frm Amelia myself. My bother decided last Friday to get married today. The wedding was in Amelia, which is where he lives.

OK abut the red clay. That is what you get here, no real topsoil. I know this because I watched them clear the adjacent lot to me which has a steep slope. The soil was red down as far as he excavated. It compacts easlily when wet and with all the equipment the used to build your house I bet you got a real brick there. The good news is you can get it in working order. I don't know if I would fool around getting topsoil. I would just get a good admendment for it.

Here you can busy compost by the truckload. I would start with that.

By the way no rain for me :-(

Puttyrat

The rain virtually missed us also, but know that you needed it more than us. The sky was so black I could have sworn we were in for a really bad storm. Did you get the pipe fixed? Will let you know when we are up your way again and yes, about the clay - I have used compost :-)

Planted my first rose yesterday. It was climbing "Iceberg" of course :-)

louisa, i am so happy you are going to be digging again! I know you must have missed it so much. when you are ready, let me know, i will be so happy to send you a box of goodies! Lisa

Oops Lisa - missed your post - sorry!! And thanks for the offer. I shall be sending you goodies also. We have almost completed one bed to the left of the front porch - it's quite big! Now I just have to infill with the smaller plants. I feel 10 years younger :-)

Congratulations! I'm so very happy you're home. Best wishes with all your new gardens! Hugs.

Hugs back Helen - I hope you don't mind but I posted on General Discussion that you had been hurt. I know a lot of people love you :-) Take plenty of rest, mend those bones and hurry back into the garden!

Louisa,
congratulations on your new home and gardens. it does feel wonderful to plant and "mess around" out in the yard.

here in massachusetts we are also at 100% humidity, with no break in sight. oh well. it beats the heck out of the other....snow.

enjoy and god bless you , your grandchildren and your garden.

What a caring bunch of people you are! Thanks debi!! I hate the humidity and we are getting it also. I can't work when conditions are like this because of asthma, so on such days I just turn to my old, old English garden books and 'dream'!

Louisa, I'm so happy that you are settled into your new home. My best wishes to you...

I bet you are soo happy to get some dirt under your nails.

Let me know when you are ready for some rose cuttings....
(yves piaget)
cheers
pebble

Hi pebble - been meaning to mail you!! Yes we are glad to be in at last but it's getting so hot and humid can't really do much. I should be ready to exchange sometime in the fall, so if you would like to hold up till then, it's fine with me. Mail me with your wants OK :-)

Good morning' Louisa could ya quit smilin' so much,the light is blinding me''LOL Ohhhh I love it when we get back in your neck of the woods,soo lush and beautiful'' I live on the prairie,beautiful too but BORING''EXCEPT OF COURSE MY PLACE' I've created a heaven on earth(20+yrs) The elders can't believe it either' I'm doing xeriscaping now and installed a small courtyard for my containers' Before I go to the great beyond I'm gonna get in your ocean'''DH changed jobs so am homebound now,get only one"granny ride" a year with this company' We still keep in touch with many we met through the 35 yrs. of trucking'I still get teary eyed,like now, when I see another little seedling coming up,ya see for fun, I collected pine cones' Coast to coast and Canada' Had to watch our weight with our loads' Well,thank you for sharing all of you'' Sis''Z5(NE KS)

Hey Sis, I did the same as you. Collected pine cones whenever I could. Now I have my own supply for Christmas decorations etc., not to mention the 'greenery' for wreaths. I just realized that I don't have to hunt for the 'stuff' anymore!!! Now there's a thought and it has brought a smile to my face. I am sure your garden is very beautiful and you are so lucky to have been in the same place for 20 years. There's a lot to be said for travelling but there were many times when I would have gladly traded for something permanent and established. To be able to say "this is where my kids grew up" is a line I have long coveted. If you are ever up this way Sis, please drop in - would love to meet you. That goes for everyone else. :-)