Terri, Thanks for saying hi! Yep, we garden pretty close together. What kinds of things do you grow? I just came in from digging in the red clay, digging up weeds, and plopping in some of my seedlings.....I am so over-whelmed.....yet, I'm still sowing seeds in the coffee filter....What is wrong with me??? Do you have the same addiction??? I have no DH to keep me in line, so I just go willy-nilly with whatever is on my mind....:-)) I just keeping it'll be worth all the work when it's all done. If I can just find place to place all my babies!!
Well, thanks again for hollerin' my way....Happy Gardening!
anna ruth
ps. you know we're getting a HD right? More plants. Gosh, somebody lock me up!! Well, at least they won't be available till next year! lol
Mid-Atlantic Roll Call
Anna,
Yes, I can't wait for HD AND Target! Woohoo! Now all I need is a ton of extra money!
I am growing mostly perennials, I have a lot of empty space to fill, builders clay (very little red clay, mostly it's white and black) to grow in and a lot of compaction to break through. There is a great need for real topsoil in bulk here. The garden centers that supply topsoil in bulk have no idea what it really is. They scrape about 2 feet off the surface of land and call it topsoil (and it's NOT screened), sell it for a premium price and the first time it rains, you have a swamp. I've been buying the baps of topsoil and humus from Lowes and that's not of the best quality either. I sure do miss the mushroom compost I would get in PA!
Hi Anna, Just came in myself. got a few more plants in before it got completely dark. I've pretty much been outside since about 9:30. I've been thinking about starting a few more morning glory seeds I just didn't have enough room for all of them. It really is an addiction. Talking about addictions have you visited the co-op forum?
Terri, I try to ammend my little beds with bags of "garden soil" by Miracle Gro, as well as some sand and sphagnum moss. But, I know I can't do this on a large scale. I really need a tiller, so I can make more beds. I really have Lots of stuff to go out...
Holly, it is truly an addiction!! I'm still sowing seeds inside, when I know I'm up to my neck in stuff that needs to be planted now....arrrrrgh....what can't I stop?
Good to talk to you both!! Catch you later.....
Oh, Holly, I have visited the coops, but it seems that I always seem to get in on the back end...I've seen several I would have liked to have been in on, but opps!! too late...
anna ruth
Greetings to all the new folks I've missed! Sorry for my tardiness, but those addictive little co-ops you mentioned have been keeping me busy. What fun though! I hope to be able to meet some folks at a plant swap in the near future. Spring & summer travel has been put on hold. Hopefully this fall, if I can afford the gas, I can attend a few. :))) Welcome everyone!
Hi to the recent new posters--
especially to my soul-sisters of 'stay at home mom' ness
I decided awhile ago that the best way to deal with kids or pets tromping, or little girls picking flowers- is to have more and more garden stuff
I'll let you know when I have enough (chuckle)
Gosh Davis, everyone is suffering due to the gas prices. We will be traveling a good distance next weekend and there is no telling how much gas we will end up using. I feel for you and with you.
Sally, Sally, Sally.....what are we going to do with you? Speaking of more, more, more......John has been saying for two years now that I have enough plants. I just nod my head and then proceed to do whatever I feel like doing. ha-ha He siad that we could attend the swaps, but couldn't bring any thing home. Now, what fun would that be?
I am so glad that you enjoyed your visit to Rome. The pictures that you are posting are just wonderful. I hope to see you at Longwood next weekend.
Ruby
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO YOU ALL MOTHERS OUT THERE.
Have a chuckle......
MY MOTHER
1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE 'If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning.'
2. My mother taught me RELIGION 'You better pray that this will come out of the carpet.'
3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL 'If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!'
4. My mother taught me LOGIC 'Because I said so, that's why.'
5. My mother taught me MO RE LOGIC 'If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me.'
6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT 'Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident.'
7. My mother taught me IRONY 'Keep crying and I'll give you something to cry about.'
8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS 'Shut your mouth and eat your supper.'
9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM 'Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!'
10. My mother taught me about STAMINA 'You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone.'
11. My mother taught me about WEATHER 'This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it.'
12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY 'If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!'
13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE 'I brought you into this world, and I can take you out.'
14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION 'Stop acting like your father!'
15. My mother taught me about ENVY 'There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do.'
16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION 'Just wait until we get home.'
17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING 'You are going to get it when you get home!'
18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE 'If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way.'
19. My mother taught me ESP 'Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?'
20. My mother taught me HUMOR 'When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me.'
21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT 'If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up.'
22. My mother taught me GENETICS 'You're just like your father.'
23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS 'Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?'
24. My mother taught me WISDOM 'When you get to be my age, you'll understand.'
25. And my favorite: My mother taught me about JUSTICE 'One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you.
I hope you have a wonderful day!!! Gita
Gita, that's great.
Really cute Gita. Thanks for sharing.
Ruby
that is too funny Gita. I'm gonna print it off for my mom & give it to her when I visit Sunday.
I'm taking that to dinner tomorrow- the moms will all get a laugh!
Ahhh I've always loved that one!!!! Sadly...it's true!!!
Bumping so we can welcome the newbies!
Blessings on your gardens!
Elf
Good idea elf.
Ruby
I'm new to DG - just joined a few weeks ago. I was immediately welcomed by Critter and Miatablu when I responded to a thread from a fellow DG newbie looking for people near the Knoxville, MD area. They, and others in the Mid-Atlantic crowd encouraged me to attend the swap at Becky's last weekend, so I've had the pleasure of meeting a few of you. I was amazed at the warmth and enthusiasm this group has for each other and for gardening.
Name: Terri Thomas
Location: Lucketts, VA (a little north of Leesburg, VA and a little south of Frederick, MD). The 35 acre property is primarily wooded, with a meandering creek and a 1 1/2 acre pond. The place is called "Aspen Hill" in honor/memory of an American Eskimo dog. Aspen was a very beloved member of the family (you dog lovers know what I'm talking about) during the years of the house building project. She tragically died not long after the house was completed.
Gardening Level: I've been interested in gardening for about 10 years. I have read a lot of books on garden design and perennials - more theoretical knowledge than practical experience!!!
Gardening Focus: I have tons of ideas of what I want the property to look like. In the past, I've had no focus. I've jumped from area to area, but I haven't been able to achieve the effect I'm after. Pick-up truck loads of plants seem to get lost in such big spaces. I've finally realized that I need to focus on a single area to get the look and practical experience that I'm lacking. For the next few years, I want to concentrate on creating a lush shade garden on the wooded hillside between the house and the pond. I have visions of mountain laurel, azaleas, rhododendrons, spring blooming bulbs, bleeding heart, phlox divaricata, astilbe, helebores, ferns, solomons seal, hostas, sweet woodruff, triliums, virginia bluebells, epimediums, brunnera, and on and on.... Oh, to dream :-)
This message was edited Feb 15, 2013 9:06 PM
Oh my gosh Terri, I was going in to dreamland right along with you. You seem to know exactly what you want and that is a lot more than some folks can say. It will happen for you as you take each necessary step through the process. It was very nice meeting you on Saturday. Your feelings about the group are the same ones that I had last summer when I met some of the DG'ers for the first time. I just could not get over the generosity of everyone.
Wow, 35 acres is a lot of space. What made you decide to purchase (?) so much land, or was it passed through family or something? Not too many people can boast of that much property. Your description of what you would like to have plant wise, sounds wonderful. Did I tell you that we love to see pictures that members post. ha-ha Just a subtle hint, huh?
So glad that you were able to attend the swap on Saturday. Welcome to Dave's. I hope to hear more about your interests. I am one of those dog people that you speak of. Love my guys, for sure.
Ruby
Aspenthomas, welcome! Sorry if I missed earlier post to welcome you. I would LOVE to have 35 acres. My brother-in-law is a civilian working for the Navy too but down in Jacksonville, FL at the Naval hospital.
You def have to do small areas at a time or you'll drive yourself nuts. So much to choose from and now with everybody running sales.....
Hi Ruby. I really enjoyed talking to you and John at the swap. To answer your question about the land - I grew up in the suburbs of DC but always wanted to live in the country. We originally purchased a 10 acre wood lot and spent the next few years putting in a road, clearing for a house site, getting utilities to it, and eventually building the house. About ten years ago, an adjoining 30 acre lot came up for sale. My parents purchased it, and we helped them build their house. Then two years ago, we purchased an additional 25 acre lot when it came up for sale. With the building boom in Loudoun County that peaked a few years ago, and large parcels of land being sectioned off to builders of McMansions, I feel extremely fortunate that my family has been able to preserve/protect a 65 acre tract of woodland. I don't have any pictures yet, but I'll start photo documenting my progress to share with you.
Hi Flowerjen. Thanks for the welcome. I've already taken advantage of the Bluestone 50% off sale that was a tip off in this forum, and folks were extremely generous at the swap!!! I'm really enjoying this on-line stuff - never knew there were so many gardening enthusiasts out there :-)
Yes indeed you are very lucky to have that much property in the area that you live in. If you hang out with us for very long it won't take you very long before you have ideas to cover all 35 acres. ha-ha Anyway, looking forward to seeing pictures at some point. I also enjoyed meeting and talking with you at the swap.
Ruby
Hi-
I'm a relatively new member at Dave's and just found this thread.
Location: My "full time" residence is Severn, MD. I live between Arundel Mills and Ft Meade. Moved to the area 14 yrs ago sxpecting to be here for 3 years or so.
Employment: Darn it, Yes, I'm employed. DH & I are both retired Army. Now I work as a Systems Engineer - a jack of all trades & master of none. We are planning to "retire" in 3 years and move to the FL location and start our 3rd careers - quilting & gardening for me.
Gardening Level: I dabble in anything that is perennial and blooms!!!!! We bought the house new and were given 3 shrubs and a few Mums. None of that remains. I've cleared the brush that was in the back of our property and added a few beds - a new bed every couple years.
Gardening Focus: If it looks pretty, and is hardy in MD, I will try it. I use all my focus up at work and gardening is just my relaxation. Since we are moving in FL in a couple years, I've actually been focusing on the garden there and letting the ones in MD just mature,
I love tropicals. We were stationed in HI 1986-1993 and I collected Orchids. Now I have to keep mine indoors for a good part of the year.
I also have a vegetable garden. I do tomaotes, peppers, green beans, carrots, & lettuce. There is nothing tastier than a tomato right off the vine.
Welcome, Qwilter! So nice to see another former Hawaii resident here! I was in the Navy and stationed at Kunia from '95 to '00 and worked in Waikiki from '00 to '02. I miss being able to just put my orchids on the lanai and having them grow and bloom like crazy. It takes a little (okay, a lot) more work up here in the chilly north. But, I can grow roses now without much problem, so I guess it's a trade-off. :-)
Kubileya-
I started off in the 25th Inf Div on Schofield then moved to the Field Station in '88. I lived on Schofield and used to grow green beans and tomatoes year round. I was so spoiled!!!!
Hi, I'm finally, formally checking in, though I've been lurking for awhile, just don't monitor this forum as closely as some others.
Name: Laura
Location: Newport News, VA
Family: Hubby and fur and feather kids
Employment: Geek
Gardening Level: Experienced but always learning
Gardening Focus: Hostas and Japanese maples, but I'm landscaping my home with all sorts of perrenials, more sun than shade.
Thanks for introducing yourself Laura. I believe that you and I will be meeting on Saturday at Jody's swap. I have had the good fortune to meet several of the folks who keep the Mid Atlantic Gardeners boards active. All have been of very high character from what I could tell. The two swaps sponsored by this group that I have been able to attend had people sharing so freely of their goodies. Such a giving group of people.
I am looking forward to meeting you on Saturday.
Ruby
See you Sunday, Ruby! :-)
Edited...I meant to say Saturday, you were right, lol!
This message was edited Jun 3, 2008 7:25 AM
I'm new to DG so this is a good time for introductions.
Name: Patty
Location: (Out) Wayne, WV (you other wayners will understand that one!)
Family: 2 dds (24 & 22)... moved out a month ago to another property we have 30 mins away. 1 ds (18)...still at home, sorta. 1 grandson (3) ...nana's delight! Married to my dh for nearly 27 years. 3 cats, 2 fish, 23 laying hens.
Employment: left the business world to write full-time...still working on getting published...well, I've been published...want pay for it now! ;->
Gardening Level: Master Gardener certificate (no active groups in my area)
Gardening Focus: My goal is to provide as much organic, home-grown food to my family as possible. I'm that lady who stops and gathers dandelions from the yard, to eat in my salad or on my sandwich, on the way in the house for lunch.
I have plans from the Paul Revere House garden in Boston, MA that I am converting to a medicinal and tea herb garden. I also am working on putting fruit trees (cherries, apples, & peaches) throughout our 1 1/2 acre property. I have a dry, sunny spot where I want to put a mint garden.
Our property is between a very busy country highway and a large creek--privacy in the back, almost none in the front. In order to remedy the privacy thing, my dh came up with the idea of putting a wall (using privacy fence panels) at the mid-point in our shady front yard. It has been fun softening this hardscape with flowers. I had avoided using any plants I couldn't eat since I spend so much time maintaining the vegetable garden. But in front of the wall (highway side, sun to part-shade) I've planted yarrow (pink & yellow), clematis, honeysuckle, roses, lavender, purple coneflower, monarda, lilies, poppies.
The best part of the wall is all the speculation from friends and family about what's on the back side. Today a couple guys at my dh's office guessed it was for a rooster fighting pit (of course, I just raise hens for eggs...no roosters in the flock). It's part to full shade and I'm looking forward to putting in a white garden for nighttime viewing. I'm searching for white varieties of bleeding heart, hostas with white edges, white astilbe and any other shade-loving, white plants I can find. I have a stack of rocks to use in a pond/waterfall that will help disguise some of the highway noises.
As we put fencing around the front of the property (so the hens can be more free-range), I want to use red raspberries, blackberries, and grapes to aid in privacy and provide more fun foods. I already have 3 blueberry bushes that have very tasty berries.
Ultimately (within the next two years), I want to put in a small greenhouse and give tours of the property and offer free classes on organic gardening and making the best use of small properties.
Welcome Qwilter, Laura and Patty.
Qwilter and Kubileya That's so cool that both of you used to live in HI.
Welcome Patty. Sounds like you have a plan. Sounds good. Hope to hear more from you as you navigate through Dave's forums.
Ruby
Welcome Patty! Congrats on being a Master Gardner. I'd just like to have the ability (and time) to keep track of what Ihave in my gardens!!!!! One of these days.
Have you tried Golden Raspberries. The spread like crazy but the berries are sweet. I get 1 crop in early summer on old growth and a 2nd crop in early fall on new growth.
I've seen some mostly white colous also, for your white garden.
Ok so better late then never right!
Name: Angie (aka ldy_gardenermd)
Location: Highland, Maryland
Family: 2 Rhodesian Ridgebacks, 2 cats, 1 husband
Employment: Domestic Engineer/Independent Demonstrator for The Angel Company
Gardening Level: Um..I have been gardening since I was a preteen, maybe longer what level is that lol...
Gardening Focus: wildlife, native, pleasure...
I have been in a garden I think since I was a baby! I remember being a toddler and seeing grass between my little pink toes. I remember as a kid playing in the rows of the vegetable garden and how much I loved peas and snap beans right off the vine! I know as a teen I grumbled about going to all the plant sales and lugging plants for my mom and I really didn't enjoy the garden club meetings with the old people and the boring lectures lol.. I remember that I used to only plant annuals and then I only planted perennials as a teenager with my first flower beds. I also still love marigolds as much now as I ever have, there is just something wonderful about them, sturdy and pretty little flowers.
I am married to my best friend and high school prom date it will be 13 years this December. We live in the log home that he and his family built in 1985 on five acres of woods. When his parents moved to NJ we bought the house from them, I was 16 the first time I saw it and it was my dream home, so don't ever think that dreams don't come true I know they can! I used to work full time but when dh said I didn't have to I was ok with that. I am a Demonstrator for The Angel Company which is rubber stamping and scrapbooking supplies and I sell my handmade cards and creations as well. In addition to gardening I have been writing forever it seems and get almost as much pleasure out of that as I do spending time in my gardens.
I have a vision in my head of how I want my gardens to be, not like an English cottage though sometimes one of my beds looks like that. But more a place of peace and beauty, somewhere that is full of native plants, that butterfly, bees and dragonfly's flit about. A quiet place that chipmunks can scuttle under the brush pile for safety and where there is also a bird song in the air to lift your spirits no matter what. I relish the days when I hear nothing but nature and forget that there is a bustling world away from here. I don't use chemicals of any kind on any of my plants, I don't want them on my plants, I don't want them harming anything that might be food for something else and I don't want them in my ground water since we are on a well.
I am not a fussy gardener, if it can't grow without having special treatment it isn't meant for my yard. I look for the most natural way to deal with problems and sometimes that requires patients above all else and that is one thing that I am so glad to be learning. I have visions of nooks and specials places in my garden, a rock here to sit on, a quiet spot by the pond to listen to the water and a warm spot of sun to watch the flowers bloom. I think as long as I keep that vision in my head I will be ok!
I want to say thank you to my mom for teaching me early on about having the grass between my little pink toes, it was a gift to last a lifetime!
welcome, ldy and all.
So many great gardening ideas from everybody! Wouldn't this place really be something if everybody was a gardener?
Angie,
What a lovely essay about your gardening experiences, hopes and dreams!
You DO write well! I could almost visualize all the areas you were describing....
A BIG welcome to out whacky crowd here!!!!! ((((Idy)))) (that's a hug).
Please tell me where Highland is???
Gita
Welcome Angie, what beautiful thoughts, where did your hubby's parents move to in NJ?
First thanks for the welcomes!
Gita Highland is outside of Clarksville, we are about as far west as you can go in Howard County. Thanks also for the compliments of the writing, your poems are wonderful so I take that as a high compliment!
Jen they were in Neshanic Station for about 5 years, they have since built a home in Pine Hurst, NC and have moved there well, sort of lol. FIL is still living in Princeton half time and working at JNJ up there, then he flies to NC and works from home lol...
I have been hanging around here for years, just reading and taking it all in so I feel like I "know" many of you already!
My friends parents are in Neshanic and I live about 15mins from Princeton and ,of course, living in NJ for so long everyone knows at least 1 person that works for J & J.
Lol, somehow that doesn't surprise me, the last name is Secrest and no we aren't related to Ryan hahahah!
Welcome, Angie and Patty! You both are wonderful writers, and say that you love to write. What kind of writing do you like to create (if you don't mind my curiosity)?
happy I write everything from poems to short stories, I write about gardening, love, life, and I even write romance stories sometimes! It is whatever hits me and moves me to write, sometimes it just comes out without a plan even!
Hi! Mary here from the Valley Forge Pa. area.
Single, 50's with a very significant other, and a life full of wonderful nieces and nephews.
25 years this summer of stockbrokering!!!!
Lower range of intermediate. Know enough to know what I don't know!! The earth is a great educator.
3 years ago I moved into a property whose grounds had been neglected for 20 years. It's a one acre corner lot. Not a flower in sight!!! Every bed was mulched with straw except the hugh 350' by 25' one, which was covered in pine bark. The beds around the house had only anceint ugly ewes. The hugh bed is back bordered by mixed hardwood trees that were covered in woody vines up to 80" tall. Didn't know where to start first so I tried to do a little bit everywhere.
The vines are all gone. May I never in my life, plant a vine!!!! I used lopers, machetes, axes,, and several chain saws. I pruned all of the trees and raised the canopy by 20'. I haven't had to buy firewood in 3 years. I bought a used chipper and ground all of the prunings and the entire bed of pine bark mulch. I chopped and dug the roots of vines that rivaled those of medium sized trees. I keep a constant vigilance with tough brush killer against their return. Pretty good sucess, except last year the wild climbing roses appeared. Not to mention, the wild grape ivy. As I cleared, I started planting shrubs, perennials and bulbs.
We ripped out the ewes with an old pickup truck and chain. We brought in about 60 truckloads of humus to mix with the clay. The bank in front of the house had depressed over time and required 30 trucks of dirt to rebuild to the stairway level.
There was not a single living worm anywhere. Just snails, grubs, spiders ants and moles. The large bed had an artificially built hill that housed at least 10 groundhogs. I'm so happy that I had watched "Caddyshack" enough times to be familiar with Bill Murray's techniques!!! Just kidding!!!
The power lines were completely eaten through by squirrels. The bunnies kept leaving fur balls inside of the clump birch. gypsy moths everywhere. enough japanese beetles to fill 6 bags repeatedly.
If it weren't for weeds, the grass would be nothing but bare patches. I aerated and seeded and fertilized and weed treated and have a fairly presentable lawn, which I've hired someone to cut.
I grow a few vegetables and herbs in large pots and troughs.
I dug enough rocks out of the beds to border all of the beds. One bed along the garage had been used as a builders dump and I'm sure that I removed 2 complete tiled baths from it. I can't believe, I'm still finding some. Another bed had a completely rolled up wall to all carpet buried in it. Tree roots had grown through it and It had to be sawed out in spots. I also dug out a fossilized bag of cement. Go figure.
I'm still finding large pieces of glass in the beds and I'm sure that I've passed 10,000 corona beer caps!!!!! I moved here because I thought that my life style had gotten too sedentary and the care of a large property would do me good. LOL LOL!!!!!!!
I've made lot of mistakes in my plantings, but the earth keeps up it's continuing ed.
This year, I'm focusing on shrubery. I put in quite a few in the last 3 years, but I've come the conclusion that my large bed has to be at least 65 to 70% shrubs, just to keep the maintenance doable. Last year I raised a lot of perennials from seed in cold frames. I also purchased a lot but would have gone broke without the seeded ones. Most of the beds around the house are about 85 to 90% complete and now just need fill ins due to death!!
I've got a bunch more perennial seedlings under way and they should be ready to go into the big bed about the time that I'm finshed planting the rest of the shrubs. My front border of the big bed is almost done. I'm weeding as I plant because some of my markers got dislodged during the fall leaf clean up and I'm still waiting for everything to grow larger so that I don't weed any perenials. So far the big bed has taken 15 scoops of mulch and it's only about 1/3 done.
The squirrels dug out the last 24 lilies that I planted. Someone also dug up 10 of the 15 astilbe that I put in. Some of the perennials need to be divided and others moved around.
I'm hoping that I'll get to ride my bike or go to the beach this summer, but who knows???
I also plan to dig up the rock borders and put some of those rubber mulch strips under them. I have enough bricks to make a walway around the front of the big bed.
There is a path down the deepest section of the big bed that I want to fill with gravel,, but may not get to this until next year.
I've looked everywhere but cannot locate any Daphne Cneorum. Does anyone know where some can be located?
I've been a member of the site for 3 years, but until recently have only used it for research. It's great to read all of your comments and I'm looking forward to some more fun interaction. I'm happy to report that there are worms everywhere!!! You'd have thought that I struck gold when I found the first one this spring!!!!
There are 2 schools of thought on cheesesteaks. In south Phila. where they originated, the 2 most famous places serve them two ways. Cheese whiz for people with a love of processed vegetable goo or provolone for the rest of us!!!! They keep the cheesewhiz warm in gallon jars and apply it with paint stirers. YUKKK!!!