Oops, I've been gone and then had the feast to do - did you make it there? The signs were pretty clear from 31 I think.
Any west Michiganders here...
We planned on going today but I woke up with a bad headache that wouldn't go away so we did't make it, darnit! :(
Maybe next year.
How did it go?
I just joined...I'm your neighbor in Zeeland MI :0)
Welcome...you have joined the best garden site..there..is...sending smiles..welcome
Diana
Hi Christabelle...
Zeeland is a beautiful area!
welcome welcome....do you need rain out your way? It is drier than toast here
christabelle welcome to the michigan forum. I love it. Explore the whole site. There are very intelligent people all over enjoy. Hope to see some of your posts. Ronna
Hey Christabelle. . .
I'm in Jamestown township. . . and desperately hoping for rain this weekend!
Welcome!
Nancy
Thanks for the warm welcomes. It is so dry...but it looks like we have a good chance of rain in the next few days!
Welcome, Christabelle! My dh works in Zeeland at Gentex. We love the small town atmosphere there. Really enjoy the Fall festival too. I'm in Robinson Township.
Hi, WM-ers! I'm here in SE Grand Rapids, and I've got FREE plants to give away. This is our first effort at dividing perennials, and we have more catmint than we can use, among other things. Here's what we've got:
Nepeta (supposed to be Walker's Low, but it's not--it's much bigger)
1 medium clump and 1 extra-large clump--divided, it will make 3 or 4 plants
Hardy oregano--1 medium clump
Kniphofia ‘Flamenco’--1 medium clump
If you're interested in any of these, e-mail me for the address. Help give these nice plants a good home!
Paula
HI MICH-A-GANDERS :)
NEW TO DG TODAY JUST THOUGHT I WOULD BROUSE AROUND & GET TO KNOW A FEW I HOPE :)
I HEAR THAT IT IS A GREAT PLACE TO SWAP PLANTS :) .
I'M FROM OVER BY HASTINGS MI , I TAKE CARE OF MY 95 YR OLD FATHER ALONG WITH PLAYING IN MY GARDENS & I RAISE COCKATIEL BIRDS :) SO IF YOU EVER NEED OR WANT A FRIENDLY SPOILD BIRD
JUST ASK ME :)
LOVE TO SWAP PLANTS , PLAY BINGO, & I LEAD A SIMPLE COUNTRY LIFE STYLE . JUST AS MANY OF YOU.
COOKING,CLEANING (WHEN NEEDED ) PULLING WEEDS, MOWING , CANNING, ECT ECT ECT .
MY DAYS SEEM TO EXSTEND THE 24 HR PERIOD BUT I LOVE THE LIFE I'M IN & LIVE IT A DAY AT A TIME.
I HOPE TO MEET A FEW OF YOU & DO SOME SWAPING I'M LOOKING FOR ANY OF THE FOLLOWING PLANTS .
IF ANYONE IS DOING A BULB SWAP FOR MI AREA I WOULD LOVE TO GET IN ON ONE .
CONEFLOWER
DAHLIAS
ROSES
DAYLILIES
DWARF IRIS'S
TB IRISES
HOSTA S BIG BLUES
DWARF ORNAMENTAL TREES
GAILLARDIA "THE SUN----BURGANDY-----FANFARE---AZ SUN--TOKAJER
HARDY MUM'S ALL COLORS
CLEMATIS
WELL I REALLY NEED TO CLOSE OUT OF HERE FOR AWHILE YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT DAY .
HOPE TO HEAR FROM A FEW IN MY D-MAIL :)
SUSIE
Welcome Susie and Paula! :)
Susie...DG member WigglyPaw is in Hastings too.
Maybe we can do some swaping next spring.
I've got too many projects going on this fall.|
Oy! Not enough hours in the day.
Hello theredeejay9 I live in Plainwell. Would love to do some swapping and meet you.... Just let me know what you are looking for... I already have a lot of what you have there on your list. Nice to hear from you Ronna.
I would love to meet all you ladies :) How about a Spring swap we can all start planning over the winter as to the type of plants we are looking for
& then if you have it just bring it to the swap :)) we can find a local location :) I will help organize it if there are others interrested in doing so.
Notmartha : I Brought Home Many plants from your the plant swap you held a couple ,three yrs ago we had just left about an hour beforw the tornado went through . was so glad to hear it went around you :))
I live just south of Hastings & I went over to Freeport this last sat to a plant swap it was their 1st time trying & only a few of us there . but I don't think wigglepaw was there i ask everyone their names no sheri :( .
anyway if anyone would like for me to set up a spring swap I would love to do so. will try to set-up a swap up & if there is anyone who would like to help me I would love to have a parner on this :))) .
well I look forward to chatting with you all .
susie /deejay9
If I get any further west I'm going to drownd! I'm not on the lake but I can hear it and smell it. I'm a zone 6a in a Zone 5 county. I have one heck of a time getting blooms on hydrangeas!
Kris
Your not alone krissy on the Hydrangeas I'm about center state but I cannot get them to grow here on my place .
they just don't like it here .
have a great day all .
susie
Susie:
For years I thought it was the deer. Last year we finally inclosed the garden with a 7 foot fence and had beautiful hydrangeas. Coincidence? I wasn't here last winter so don't know how they may have been affected by weather. I've stored some nice Red Karmma Dahlia bulbs. If they make through the winter and I can make it to the swap, you're welcome to them.
I really love the Karmma series. Unfortunately, I have mixed results when I try to store bulbs.
Kris
Hi Krissy
Some of the new Hydrangeas that are suppose bloom on new growth like Endless Summer don;t bloom well or at all for me and I'm a one hour drive inland, but I've had great luck with Limelight and Annabelle. You might nwant to try those varieties. How blessed to live so close to the big lake. We love to spend time at the beach in the summer. We usually go to North Shore which is just north of Grand Haven State Park. We've been to Ludington too. My Mom was born in Ludington but only spent a few years there before they moved to Grand Rapids.
The deer didn't get mine it was my ground we have clay & sand I amend the soil with all types of Goodies & I still have no luck
here . I do want to get into the dahlias but I also have a hard time storing them . I have taken mine or what few cannas & dahlias I had over to my brothers to store in their basement , its not hot but it don't freeze down there either so he says . we will see .
looking forward to meeting many Gardeners this spring :))
well I have pies to bake today so have to get out of here .
HAPPY TURKEY DAY
susie
Hi All:
Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving. I sure did. For the first time in 15 years hubby and I spent it by ourselves. It was actually quite pleasant. Smell of Turkey, football on TV, and me working on a website for my son. Nice.
I have had some luck with the Limelight and Annabelles. Even the Endless Summer, although I don't like the color much. The plants giving me fits are Oregon Pride (I've never seen it bloom and I've had it four years!) and Glowing Embers. I'm gardending in pretty much beach sand. Garden is too big to ammend so I just pour the 12-12-12 to it.
I've tried everything to store bulbs. Unheated basement, garage, under the porch with a shop light. Geeze, they make it sound so simple in the catalogs and magazines.
Well, on my way to Muskegon for a doctor's appointment. Don't know what I was thinking. I NEVER go out on black Friday. :-}
Kris
Hi everyone I feel like the stuff turkey & will be eating left overs for weeks . say anyone here have any extra seeds you've saved out of your gardens
that you might want to share with me :))) ???
looking for sages- salvia - agastache- vines of all type - trees of all types -mexican zinnias -lilliums - tiger lilies yellows or pinks
scented herbs like apple, lime, chocolate, pineapple , cinnamon
any coneflowers except purple i have . I want to do some winter sowing this year maybe we can get a seed robin going for michigan
group . I could start the box or maybe one of you might want to start it :)) let me know .
well its time to clean up the kitchen one last time for the day so i can lay back .
chat again later .
OH Let me know what you have & what you might be looking for :)
Have a great evening
susie
First time here. Just wanted to give a holler out from Sand Lake. It's about 30 minutes north of Grand Rapids.
Hey Bizzie...I'm in Cedar Springs.
Hey Susie!! Hi why don't we start a seed and whatever gardening surprise box. How about ideas like books we no longer want, seeds of course and well may be some garden surprises. I have never done one but somebody starts one packed with goodies and the person who gets it can take all of those goodies but must replace each one with some goodies of his own. Or he can just take some repackage it and send it on it's way!! Does anybody want to get in on it?? We would post a list and each person would ship to the next!!
The person who started it should get it back last and with a whole bunch of different things than when he/she sent it!!
What do you all think?
Julie
i sure would like one of those "Ballet skirted" looking gees that Cottage has!! Hello Rose!
But I don't think we can ship live animals or i would send someone this crazy little dog I've got!
LOL! What do you all say?? About a mystery box????
Julie
I'm in Muskegon and work in Fruitport so I know I'm near some of you. The MI Perennial group on yahoo has two plant exchanges every year if anyone is interested.
Helen
Helen where do they have the plant swap?
deann and i are on that site but dont follow it much since we are over here on the east side!
I knew Deann was on but didn't realize you were too. It's held in Wayland (south of GR) and the city park. We pretty much make a day of it and have lots of fun. Helen
Hi
Just wanted to let some all of you know that I ALONG with a few friends will be Holding a plant swap this spring also
Here is the link if you want more info or hadn't seen it yet .
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/778693/
I've Been sorta under the weather since Jan 15th & Haven't been over to post much . But it is still In the works .
I also Have been to the MI Perennial swaps in Wayland & I hope Mine with be just as a success as theirs .
If you would like more info you may Dmail me . at this time I can only access my computer in the mornings .
But I will get back with you .
Hope to Meet a few or all of you :))
susie /deejay9
Anyone on the west side of MI going to the Stuck on Gardening conference 3/1 in Grand Rapids? It would be fun if we could figure out a place to meet up. Helen
Hey Helen.....I was there!! Sat in the middle section third row from the back! I wasn't impressed with this years gala. Tracy was way over my head and I found myself daydreaming while she was speaking. I did get a kick out of looking at her hair and it sure appears she has had some aaahhhh surgery since the last time I saw her speak! LOL
I went with my gardening neighbor and we both took our lunch instead of paying the 20 bucks for a dried out sandwich! I did see the big cookies that they had in the lunches and I was having second thoughts!
I won the $50 gift certificate too!! Can you believe it....I never win anything!
Sarv - I actually saw your name tag and wondered if that was you! We were in the same general area, I was 5 rows from the front. I enjoyed the presentation Traci did and felt like I learned a lot. I didn't win anything and we brown bagged it too! I ran into so many people I knew and just loved the whole day. Helen
Helen...how funny that you saw my name tag. I only saw one person that I knew out of all those people! I am always surprised I don't know more of them. In just watching people it seems that many of them know each other - I suspect from Master Gardener classes. I am not a master gardener...just love gardening!
I've heard Tracy speak before about 'perennial gardening' and liked that better. I actually enjoyed the 'weed' talk!
I probably saw the back of your head if you were in front of me!!
ok, i can't keep referring to you as Sarv - what's your first name? I remember seeing a tag that was for a 'sarver' or something close and thought of you.
I think you are correct; many of us are master gardens. In fact almost everyone I knew was a master gardener. You need to take that class! It creates a nice circle of friends with common interests and opens up a whole new world to you.
I enjoyed the talk on weeds and thought Ron was pretty funny. I've never heard Traci before but did enjoy her presentation. Barb and I were wondering how our gardens would rate with her! Kind of makes you cringe to think of someone like Traci ever seeing your back yard. I love mine but it's not everyone's taste.
Did I invite you to the plant swap in Wayland? If not, I can. Helen
My first name is Sue! My neighbor and I have considered taking the MG classes here, but we're both so busy with our own gardens that finding time to complete the hours of volunteering held us both back. Plus the thought of taking tests about sends me over the edge.
We both joined our local gardening club - it is just getting started and we have several irons in the fire there too.
I've never attended a plant swap - I know there is one in Freeport MI in June and I am just waiting to see when we have open houses this spring to see if I have the day open. When is the one in Wayland? My problem is that I've been gardening for so long that my beds are pretty much established. I do buy a zillion annuals, but few perennials. (other than the co-ops on here which I cannot stay away from!)
I'm sure Traci wouldn't approve of my gardens at all...I'm one of those that plants in 'waves of one!'
Hi gang
I am in throes of college right now and i should be doing my midterms right now.
there is a nice plant swop in freeport that we are going to. i will be bringing
my team of horses and pulling a cart of plants. hopefully!
it looks like snow out, thunderstorms right now expected and the turning
snow, snow tonight, snow tomorrow. its good for the ground! Michigan
has been so dry since like 1995?
I hope this is how the summer goes also. It will be good for the great lakes
and for peoples souls.
regards to everyone here
sheri
this is one of our assignments. draw our self portrait in contour lines.
Sheri you're right about the winter/snow this year.
We need it bad and the constant cold is good for the
farmers fruit trees and everything else.
We've actually had quite mild winters the last 10 years or so and
this is more like a typical Michigan winter.
I think everybody has been spoiled by the mild winters and
I'm sick of the droughty summers where stuff barely survives
even with constant watering.
Your picture is quite good. I can see you have talent but I think I saw your pic on your website a long time ago and as I recall you look alot prettier in real life. ;o)
Hi Sue
The MG class isn't that tough and the test is take home. Sounds like you already know plenty anyway. The plant swap in Wayland is the first week in June, the 7th but I'd have to check to be sure. I take far more plants to share then I ever come home with. I do it more for the fun than to get more plants.