I think a new thread devoted ONLY to going to this nursery should be started. It is going to get lost in this thread, plus it won't get enough visibility with 80 some entries! Levilyla or Magoobu, would either of you please start a new thread since you know more about this nursery than I do. Thanks! :~)
Shall We Introduce Ourselves?
Good point, Shirley! I have noticed that, no matter what the initial intent of any given Thread, it usually "dissolves" into other issues as people get side-tracked. Just the friendliness of this bunch!
Is there a way to move the existing threads here to the new Thread???
Could Dave help?
Gita
I don't know how to~~~~
I will start a thread Happy Hollow trip!will link it to here
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/579268/
edit to add link!
This message was edited Feb 27, 2006 6:52 PM
Thank you so much, magoobu!
no problem!!!!
Hi all, Brent you are right you did meet me at the swap, and I too have some fun plants growing from you---they all bloomed for me. Suja's took off too, I have a whole grove of shasta daisies now!
FYI if your in northern virginia and in case you are like me and getting antsy for spring chorses, I just went to reston to pick up some more leaf mulch for my compost pile--- and they have A TON there right now. I had to chip away at the outer layer but inside it was black, steaming and crumbly. Yum. Oh and I finally found some seaweed emulsion at southern states in Purcellville--I also picked up a bag of dry molasses there too (also hard to find around these parts).
What are you doing with the dry molassas? How does it help the soil?
Thanks - Kim
Hi Kim--It apparently 'feeds' the microherd. I'm trying organic gardening and it is an impt. process in compost tea and apparently in the soil too. I went to southern states and got molasses and also asked about alfalfa pellets, and the fella asked me how old my horse was.
EandEsmom: I also make the same compost tea for my garden & get my alfalfa pellets at Southern States. I'll have to check if the store near me carries dry molasses. They also asked about my horse and they gave me the strangest look when I told them it was for my garden!
Hello,
I am a recent transplant to Chesapeake, VA. I have been looking for a while for a good forum to help me get to know the in's and outs of gardening in a whole new climate. My husband and I moved here from San Diego, and I am completely lost. I have survived my first winter, and am looking forward to the spring. We had a beautiful garden at our old house, and now I can't even identify all of the plants in my yard. Can anyone suggest a good book for gardening in this area? I used Sunset when I was in California.
- CG
CG,
Welcome to this Coast! It sure will be different!
Home Depot has an array of good Gardening Books. There is even one called :"Mid-Atlantic Gardening". It is full of great pictures, tips and advice. I think it is $19.95, not sure. You will find it where all the magazines are.
In the Garden Dept. they also have these little. pamphlet-like booklets for .99 cents. There is one on Houseplants, one on Annuals and Perennials, one on Trees and Shrubs and one on Landscaping. Real short, but good advice in there, plus nice photos of each plant.
Go to your nearest HD and ask.
You will learn mountaims just being on Daves Garden.
Gita
Welcome to the east coast, cherryghost. Andre & Mark Viette have written at least two books on gardening in the mid-Atlantic. I have found their Mid-Atlantic Gardener's Guide very useful.
Hello everyone.
My name is Thelma, and I have lived in Virginia just over a year. We are about 10 minutes from DC. I spent the last four years in Savannah, GA, which is full sunshine (good), and bugs (VERY BAD). Prior to that I lived in southeastern CT, near the Coast Guard Academy, but I am orginally from NYC.
We just bought our house in October, so it was too late to see what perrenials were planted. They were already dead or so far gone that I wasn't quite sure. I am hoping to add some of my favorites in the front yard, as well as some ground cover around our trees.
The big challenge is trying to creat some privacy in our back yard. My husband refuses to put up fences (why?!). The four foot high chain link fence on one side has three other yard that abut ours. There is a lovely home directly behind ours -that I really don't want to see, and no fence or anything on the other side - that is the hill that the kids use when in snows; it ends in our yard!
I am looking forward to learning and laughing.
Welcome cherryghost & pennefeather!
Welcome guys,
Pennefeather I also am trying to make a plant/flower perimeter around our property. I've put up a few trees, and I plan to put up arbors, and trellis type walls here and there. I've ordered lots of roses and want rocks around. Rocks and thorny roses might help with your sledding problem. Just so they know ahead of time......ouch. My husband wants all the lawn, but no fence.
Tell me your ideas.....I'll show you my progress.
Nikki
Nikki,
That sound good, but my husband would never go for it. He thinks that it is good that all the kids in the neighborhood will be in our yard when it snows.
Of course, he is never home when this happens. I am the one who has to contend with our kids watching other kids play in their yard. Then, I have to let them outside because it just isn't fair. I also worry that if someone does get hurt, we will be liable.
Kids have been sliding down this hill for years. We just bought the house in October.
Hello,
I finally had an evening to snoop around DG and see what is going on. Thanks for the heads up Shirley about this forum, I'm just so sorry it took me a while to get here.
I have lived in Hagerstown most of my life. I have only been gardening for 4+ yrs. There's not much to tell about myself. I do love to garden and for the most part it helps to keep my sanity. My favorite garden plants are daylilies, roses and brugs. I have met Shirley and Nancy at the first mid-atlantic round-up 2 summers ago. It's god to know there are so many gardeners so close by.
Dott
EandEsmom, where in Reston are you getting leaf mulch? Do they sell it by the truckload, or what?
Michele
There are piles of it dropped off for free by the county at:
Baron Cameron Park
11300 Baron Cameron Ave.
Reston, Virginia
There is a site that talks about the other drop off areas, in case one is closer to you
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/trash/dispmulch.htm
I can't tell you if leaf mulch is at all of them, I just know it is at Baron Cameron. There was a huge pile last time I was there (last month).
Hello All!!
Been on Dave's as a member for a few months now and have had the pleasure of "meeting" so many nice folks!! Nice to have a place to talk plants without the fear of someone rolling their eyes thinking, "here she goes again." LOL
I'm Chantell (duh, right?) 41 years VERY young...single mom of FOUR (yes you heard right) great teenagers, 2 rotties, and a loveable mix breed. Our beautiful cat unfortunately passed away, prematurely last fall. When I say we've had any and every pet...I'm serious. Rats to Rotties...LOL
Unlike some of you lucky folks...I only have my tiny townhouse yard to work with. Front gets full sun ALL day...the back, you guessed it ALL shade!! I LOVE frangrance!!! I want to fill the front w/beautiful things to fill the air!! Even trying my hand at Plumerias and Ginger this year. And decided I was tired of "trying" to grow grass...so as a true oxy-moron plan I'm filling the lower corner of my front yard w/cold hardy cacti/succulents...suggestions welcomed here. Already have a few friendly folks here at Dave's doing trades so I'm getting in some Agave and Yucca...so excited!!
Love plants...love photography...love animals...ah heck...love the kids too. So that's "me" Cliff Notes Version.
Hope to get to know some of the rest of you soon!!
Chantell
Chantell, It was a townhouse garden with front yard shade and back yard sun that started me gardening; but it was primarily a desire to have no grass to mow. DH decided we needed a townhouse when we moved back to NoVA so "he" wouldn't have so much yard work to do. After 2 years of still getting stuck with it, we tore out all the grass and had lovely hostas, azaleas, lily of the valley, and helleri hollies under the maples in the front; and daylilies, barberries, a dogwood, and more hostas in the back. I knew nothing about gardening when we started down that road (probably the reason my grass was so ugly) and have much enjoyed the 14 years or so of learning to the point that I am today gardening on 5 acres (haven't gotten to most of the last 4 yet!) If I'd known more then, I could have had an even nicer garden then the one I was enjoying.
I planted my first yucca last year but it hasn't done much. And this year I want to start some large planters of succulents. Where have you been getting yours and what do you have so far?
I too have discovered the joys of fragrance and try to balance that with my desire to provide wildlife habitat. I also have dogs, cats, a guinea, and, in the summer, when he's around, Bert the bat, who is definitely not a pet but we consider him "ours" because he's been here every year since we moved in.
Nice to meet you!
Michele
Hi guys, I'm Thistle/Linda, we live on a not quite half acre suburban lot, just south of Mt. Vernon. We moved in 2 years ago & I'm still in the early stages of what I would like to do to our yard. The front yard (around a conventional pseudoColonial house) faces south, on a diagonal-We have a large red maple, w/ a small raised bed, that I have some hellebores in (& have just put in some violas). Back yard is heavily shaded by maples, a pin oak, a beech,pines-we have a small semicircle of grass/green weeds in the center & I'm slowly planting the edges-camellia sasanquas, hydrangea querquifolia, blueberries, pachysandra, hosta, tricyrtis, sambucas.
Our yard backs to a county park (we're right behind the basketball court) & I love seeing the open space (& dog walkers, bball players, softball in the summer). I work p/t at a local garden center, which is dangerous, especially this time of year-I spend all my paycheck at work on new plants. I love shrubs, woody perennials, tropicals (had a gorgeous tropical area last year, banana, cannas, palms, cannas, assorted coleus, ipomeae, peppers-in pots). I'm glad I found Dave's Garden...Linda
Michele,
You've given me hope re the TH size yard - not to mention hearing someone else successfully replace what little grass is growing...with much more interesting plants. I just don't understand the effort putting into something so boring...just my humble opinion. Did you say you had some Hostas in full sun? I didn't know there was any that would tolerate that...share please.
As for the C & S' - I love my Walmart! If you look in the Cactus forum I posted pics of the shells I filled w/hens and chicks type plants http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/582712/ ...those go in my rock garden side of the front yard. Have naturalizing type plants there along with sedums, mints - just a whole hodge podge - lavender, rosemary...confederate jasmine (inside now...going out as soon as it warms). Squaw Mountain Gardens http://davesgarden.com/gwd/c/412/ has a very diversified selection - I've been happy with orders I received from them. I received some beautiful sedum from an ebay seller last fall...but their prices have gone up quite a bit...maybe I was getting "fall" specials. Good thing about the Sedums is they're cold hardy to our areas.
We'll have to share ideas and places to buy from.
Chantell
Chantell, hostas definitely don't prefer or do their absolute best in full sun, even with loads of water. The constant dampness was what mine in Reston had going for them. I had August Moon in the sunniest area. In this house, I have not only August Moon but also Sum and Substance and Sum It Up doing well in full sun but a very wet area that is in the path of my back yard's drainage. But by August, they definitely haven't looked their best in the last few years that we haven't had "normal" summer rainfall. I keep hoping that "this will be the year that the trees have grown up enough to shade them adequately." I'm still waiting! :)
Thank you for the succulent sources.
thistle5, hello and welcome! I hope you'll post some pics of that tropical area you had last year.
Michele
Hi Dott! Glad you finally wandered over!! Hope to see you posting a lot more!!
Welcome Thistle/Linda! It's great to meet another Mid-Atlantic gardener!!
Thanks all, I just had to post again, because I've hit so many garden sales this season-I have alot to plant-thanks to my proximity to so many nurseries & local sales, I have more desirable plant material than I know what to do with...this is supposed to be a rainy weekend, hope I can get alot of things planted-I hope everyone else is having a good spring!....Thistle
Thanks for bumping this. I hadn't seen it.
I'm Diane and I live in Fort Valley in the heart of the northern Shenandoah Valley. It's really pretty here - mountains on both sides no more than a mile away and the George Washington National Forest pretty much all around me.
I'm a native Virginian, born and raised in Manassas but I've also lived in Richmond.
I have a bit over 4 acres and am a gardening nut.
Michelle, if you need some more yucca, let me know. I have oodles of it growing all over my property and would be glad to dig you up some. I could meet you in Front Royal.
Diane, you have d-mail.
Michele
Hi I am Roxann and while I am a native of the Washington dc metro area I haven’t lived there since 1984. I moved to Fort Valley then and now live in a 1927 arts and crafts house in downtown Winchester VA - servants to Monster Kay and Oat – and live with my DH Karl. Our ages are 47 and 55 respectively. My DDs are both grown and gone on to their own lives. I work for the city school system as a network engineer and have for some years
My garden is ˝ acre that unfortunately is mostly shade. And with the lack of rain this past year it is dry shade - the worst. I have carved out a vegetable garden. Also was lucky enough to have some fairly established landscaping going before I came here (lilacs, daylilies, trees etc.)
Discovered DG on the internet several years back and the rest is history.
Welcom Roxann - looks like you've got plenty of "neighbors" here at Dave's. :)
Hi, I'm Lesley and have lived in Bel Air since 1991. I began gardening when we lived in San Antonio, TX during the 80s. I can vouch for the weather up here being less suffocating than in TX, although it's all relative. I guess. I'm happily married to my husband of 30 years and have 3 adult children.
Gardening is my joy, my therapy, my passion. We live in a regular subdivision, so I have limited space for gardening compared to those of you with acreage. That said, I have a lot of my available space in gardens rather than lawns. Since our trees have matured I find myself more and more needing shade plants, and dry shade at that, since the trees grab most of the moisture. Anyone interested in investigating native nurseries in the Baltimore area (trying to conserve water whenever possible).
Someone else said that while their writing may appear stilted, they're really a fun person. I fit into that category, too. Years of writing tax research memos. Look forward to seeing some of you at Happy Hollows.
kiwigal
I understand I too spend a lot of time writing technical information documents......not exactly creative writing but we all know what happens when we write something that is not clear enough.
I have had luck with ajuga in dry shade so far and am now considering sweet woodruff - for my areas that are too shaded to grow anything but weeds - and I am tired of mowing. Bishops weed is also a consideration. In fact I was going to plant all three and let them duke it out. I wonder who would win.
My parents used to live in Bel Aire MD (note the spelling) when they were first married - I never knew where it was....up near Baltimore huh?
Thanks for bumping this!!
My name is Julie and I'm in Harrisonburg, VA in the shenandoah valley. I live in an old house that used to be a tavern from the late 1800's until the 1920's. My landlord is a country boy who "likes his brush" so I've been trying to do things a little at a time. I'm getting married this July fourth in my front yard so I'm gearing up for that. The side yard was compleley over grown with brush until last year. This springs project is to get some native trees, shrubs and flowers in that area and to fix the front yard. The front yard was a mess because my border collie liked to "help" but she now has her own fenced in area so I can finally have some flowers!!
So far I've gotten clemantis, lobelia, rose, foxglove, delphinium, salvia, heather and dianthus in.
This weekend I'm hoping to make it to the native plant sale at the James Madison University aboretum so I can get some dogwoods, redbuds, sourwood, virginia bluebells, jack in the pulpits, trillium, Wild ginger and sweetspire.
The rest of the list is creeping thyme for the sidewalks, cottage garden wildflowers for the front fence, lilly of the valleys, Galdiolas, perewinkle, russian sage, blazing star, butterfly bush, mock orange, bluebeard, snapdragons, sweet peas, geraniums, summersweet, carolina allspice, sweet bay magnolia, strawberries, Queen Anne's Lace, Lavendar, Joe Pye Wee, Baby's breath, Bog Rosemary.
Quite a list, I know, but I figure if I can get 5 plants in each weekend before the wedding I should be good.
Juls
Hi all,
I'm just south of Fredericksburg VA. I have moved back into a house that I reclaimed from one of my grown children. House and yard were very neglected so I have spent the last year getting the inside of the house livable and now I am ready to start on the outside. There is so much to do. The gardens consist of 8 azalea bushes that are in sad shape, one tree, a bed of hostas (in full sun) and a clump of iris and a few daylilies that no one managed to kill. The only other thing that is recognizable is a trumpet vine that is responsible for the sad shape of at least half the azaleas and is rather insistent on growing up through my front porch floor.
I am looking forward to getting my hands in the dirt and making things grow. My favorite flowers are daffodils and any plants that I acquire from friends. I love being able to go out in the garden and have a story behind each plant. At one time I had tulips from Belmont, Daffodils from Chatham Manor, iris from my great grandmother along with various plants from friends. Everything in my garden meant something to me. Sadly my house and garden was sold and the plants along with it.
Now I am ready to start again and this time I am really starting from scratch.
Cindy
Cindy,
Sorry about the "state" of things...but it sounds like you'll have a wonderful time fixing up the outside the way you like it!! Where are you at south of Fred'burg?
Chantell
Chantell,
I am in Partlow out near Lake Anna. I work on Rt 17 in Stafford. I am looking forward to having a blank slate. It should be fun and there are lots of things that can be turned into Garden "rooms" so it should be really fun if I can slow down and work on one area at a time.
Ah beautiful areas down that-a-way!! Not like the hustle and bustle up Garrisonville-way now. Mercy!!
cindy, it certainly sounds like you have your work cut out for you; but that you are in the right frame of mind to make it beautiful. What are your plant interests?
mickgene,
I don't know if I am far enough along to really know what I want. My favorite gardens are cottage gardens types. I love almost every kind of perennial. I only have one tree near the house so almost all full sun as the front of the house faces west. In the past I have mixed herbs and flowers rather than having a separate herb garden and have been known to throw a pepper plant or two in there too. Daffodils are my absolute favorite and this is the first house I have ever had that doesn't have a single one. I have ordered a couple of climbing roses for the fence and would like to get a couple of clematis and then I will start working on planning beds. A master plan seems rather daunting as my gardens have been rather haphazard in the past, mostly consisting of whatever plants friends give/trade and filling the rest in with annuals. But I think with so much space and so little structure, I need some type of plan.
Oh... and for the local gardeners, if you are into organic gardening, I can provide/trade horse manure. I have a pretty steady stream of that. :)
