Best/Worse and What did I learn today? Friends pt.39

I have all the Castor Beans that anyone could need. Let me know and I will send them right out. They are red ones.


I also have to offer the following seeds:

Rose Campion
Marigolds
Dark Purple/Black Columbine
Red Celosia
Lupine

You folks let me know, I would love to share.

For some reason this thread had become "unwatched" so I missed yesterdays posts. I just skimmed to the end here and saw Castor Beans being discussed. Good point on whether they can be mailed to Canada or not Sharran. Interesting.

You folks have a great evening and I will check in early tomorrow.

Ruby

I'm so laughing Jeannine...did mean 'boating' but 'goating' might be a good idea, less work cutting the grass and I'm sure they'd put Murphy in his place...I used to have about 16 of them..real beauties..but, that was on the farm, another time...

Not sure about the mailing either but Gita sent me all kinds of seeds and they went through..guess if you put them in a little box or pkg they'd be ok..

Not sure where I found this on the web but thought it was creative..might look nice in your garden...

morning all

you all look busy busy

now chin up girl......sending hugs... to you and hubby!

not started the mermaid bear yet still finishing the sleeping bear. hope to finish that tomorrow night at class and then i will start the mermaid. have to find fabric for it.

im sorry betty those tops never arrived..... you went to such effort....

well i must get ready for work...

chat later

xx

Sharran (from about a zillion posts ago) -
Black tulips are my favourite flowers. i grow Queen of Night, but there are other kinds. There are black violas, irises, coleus, elephant ears, sweet potato vine, and mondo grass, and blackish hollyhocks, snapdragons, heuchera (the foliage not the flower), scabiosa, and a kind of black and white columbine (william guinness?). O, and for the 2nd year i am trying to grow pennyblacks - not a one came up for me last year. They are supposed to be black with white edges.
i am trying to do a black & white/silver/grey area, with maybe some hot pink blooms from rose campion...

Ruby - i am interested in some castor beans. Are they the ones that make the magenta/red fuzzballs?

amy
*

Hi, Welcome Amy, nice you posted for Shar, You Black garden sounds Absolutley wonderful! I hope you will share photos as she blooms.

OMG, Ves...One of my favorites is Dusty Miller, Yours are coming in so wonderfully. I am glad that you raised them, do you mix them with colius? wow that would be areally nice mix.

Liz, Large spoons, oh now I can't wait to see when you finished! Only two, hmmmm one for you and one for me?? hahahha.
did you see Betty's find on the Planter lighthouse up there? Now there is something I can build and Paint! Ohwah...will have to buy some terrecotta...Tell DH we just have to build em. easypeasy for me...big smiles.

Betty, Thank you for that last Lighthouse, I am definately going to create that one. Was so glad you were able to get in and look at your gardens, yep for sure overwhelming but once we get started, whew work till exhaustion...Got to head out for a bit of work. Once my clean up is done then I can figure out what to plant where. I still have bunches of seed. Expecting rain so will work diligently on clean up.

Shar, So glad you've been able to work out in the gardens. I think having black Garden area will be an elegant touch. wow...

Carol, so nice to see you. Sounds like you'll have a work out too. glad you are able to get some things done...wondering what color you'll do your chairs in.

Laura, hope you the right material for mermaid bear! Have a good day at work.

Ruby, so glad you found us! I know it was nuts when Betty made new thread. I hope all is well with you on home front. Such a nice listing of plants you have.

Lets see...I have been so busy at work. It is absolutley insane right now. Always is this time of year, but it's good for me...keeps mind on other things. Plus today was nice I actually got a little raise! LOL, no review just what increase is, but thats ok, I hate reviews. This month I'll be on the job 21 years on the 21ST! Golden anniversary... Home front has been good just busy.

So I hope you all have a nice evening. See if I don't fall asleep will come and say hi again.

Lets see Best...getting raise, kids got good grades, DH busy.
Worst...well, this too shall pass.
Learned, I am enjoying all of your company. This time of year is awsom, hearing all the plans and watching your dreams comes to life.

Betty have a great class! See you all later.

Shar--

Sometimes just mailing something as if it was any ole' regular stuff is best.

I think if you mail a package--of any size (even a fat bubble envelope), you have to declare what is in it. If you just mail it as first class mail--slap on the regular postage--it will get there OK. What they don't know won't hurt them!

Confession time.......
In the past, I have sent big cuttings of Pssis to Canada (Pam) in a shirt box and, and on the declaration form, said it was a blouse.......

I have sent other cuttings/plants in a smaller box and declared them to be a pair of gloves and a scarf--a birthday gift. Even put "Happy Birthday" stickers all over the box....:o)
It is only your own conscience you have to live with. Anything to help out a fellow DG'er!

I never take a bubble Envelope to the PO. I have a small postal scale. I weigh the envelope and then put the correct amount of stamps on it and off it goes into my mail box to be picked up. So far--nothing has come back.....

Betty--you are correct. HD DOES come in different "sizes". The one I work in is, probably, on the bottom of the list. VERY low volume! But--we still carry all the seeds!

Gita

o, i don't have all those black and white things - just the tulips, rose campion, and pennyblacks, and my silver lace dusty miller. ("That is, that's all i have so far", says she...) Though i don't neccessarily want all of them. Just some more black foliage. And irisene.
Sharran, there is also a kind of double dianthus that is blackish with white edges...

Hi Amy.....thanks...I do have black sweet potato vine, black iris, black daylily, and black elephant ears...so I am taking your list and I am going looking this weekend! Thank you... Glad somebody else likes black, too. Must be the theatre thing we also share. the dianthus sounds really really pretty.

OK, got my list made.....Whoo hoooooo...gonna have a black garden!!!! Thanks!!

Oh, and Amy I have dusty miller to add too....what a neat idea with silver and hot pink.

This message was edited Apr 9, 2008 8:10 PM

Shar...LOL better watch for the limit!
hehehe.

i think that black tulips look like the flower Erte would have designed if he could design a flower...

(the thumbnail thing doesn't work so good with vertical pics...)

Ruby I could use some, I just planted some that were soaking too long and I doubt they will grow, they are probably all moldy.

I can send a SASE, Are you in the directory here? If I can have some, please.

I am all bossy, Look here Ruby you will be sending me these seeds. lol

Cute light house Betty. You can't eat that kind of breafast lady, your GB is going to hate you.

Yes our dusty millers grow all year here and look slightly less attractive in my area because of the cold but they are quite monsterous now. I have one planted with artemisia and they merged as one giant plant.

I am on baby sitting mode with my seedlings. I want to go see Debbie tomorrow in Vegas, but I don't think Greg will take care of the baby plants. He doesn't even know where they all are. growl

That is beautiful...OK, gotta have all of them.

Seed....I will keep to the limit, I promise. Besides that sweet wonderful cop drives around my block every day!!!

Amy, do you think I should plant this in full sun or partial? Some black blooms fade by afternoon if they are in full sun. Guess I should read on the packets, now shouldn't I??

This what?

The black garden....

A special welcome to our group Amethystsm..friendlier, kinder, more loving group you'll not find anywhere..glad you are joining us..you'll be welcomed by all...

Hello there friendly gabbers, nice to see you planning yet more gardens..Shar and Amethyst, you'll have me convinced into starting one as well...

Painters just left and all but one finished their projects so next week they want to start floormats..yuk, one wants a mat that it 60" long by 38 inches wide, it's cut to look like a zebra pelt (I just teach, I don't pick the projects..lol) and then one has chosen a lab in a boat on water..imagine..hate to think what the others are going to choose...

Had to go out and take a picture of my pond..looks pretty pitiful, hopefully on Sunday I'll get to empty it and clean it and put the pump in..but I'm impressed, I bought solar lights for it and how I forgot to take them out at the end of the season I'll never know but there they were under all that ice and today the last of the ice on the pond left and voila, tonight they are shinning..can you believe it????

Gita, got to take photo's of my lovelies...guess when you (ahum/ahum- .....across the border) they are more special and they are growing to beat the dickens...I'm being a good mother, watching them daily, making sure they are watered, you all know how I am with indoor plants..lol...I've had some pretty sickly specimens to show you..lol..tomorrow night I'll take a photo for you...

Shar, when I was at Canadian Tire the other day I picked a package of seeds for miniature flowers and they were black..I'll check this weekend and if I can find them I'll send them off to you..

Laura, I'm not giving up on the 2 blouses..remember, it took about 3 months for you to get the stained glass things I sent you..seems you get things easier when they are sent from USA so maybe the trick is to post it to someone in the USA and have them mail it for me..went looking for receipts and I'm sure but will go back in my posts found the receipts..Shar's outfit went out the same day and I think it was Feb.23 so if I find they are the receipts I'll drop them into post office on Friday and have them trace it...so don't give up..might just be on some slow boat to China first..lol

Judy (and I know you will soon follow Liz) if you are picking up pots for this project DO NOT tell DH it's another one of Betty's projects..they'll be telling you to stop hanging out with me...lol is cute though and simple to do...

Tonight 4 of the girls that came are newbies and saw now that snow is gone, all the garden art..i.e. rhubbarb leave walkways, stained glass blue heron and it's 'can we do that, can we do that'..lordy I don't have enough energy left to teach them everything I know..lol..but I'll try..one girl finished 2 of the daisy muskoka chairs..she was on cloud nine..

Shar sounds as though you are up on gardening this week..know you've had weather in the 70's and I'm pleased to say it was in the mid 60's here today..

Dawn, I called the doctor's office this morning to see what the results were and it's his day off, so, will try again in the morning...couldn't resist the breakfast though as I hadn't eaten anything before leaving for the city and I was so very hungry and choices there are limited..

Ruby so nice of you to offer seeds..a few of the ones you mentioned were in Gita's gift pack...next year I promise, I'll be organized and have little packets ready to ship out myself..

I'd love to show you all my seeds that I got last year but I'd be in big trouble...I've a big box about 3' x 4' and they are all thrown together and I'm not going to seperate them...I'll prepare a bed, throw them all in and if any grow, then I'll simply transplant them to a proper bed...

Girls I've come up with a wonderful idea for my garden..you know I said I was making a friendship garden in honor of you all well I've decided I know what I want to do..

First of all I'm getting a 4 x 4 cemented in, I'm going to router out signs and paint all your names on them with to mileage to each of your homes and the direction in which you live..that's step 1 - step 2 is I have molds for hexagon stepping stones and plenty of glass, so I'm going to ask you all for your favorite flower and color and will attempt to make a stepping stone..when all done I'll place them in a checkerboard fashion placed going to your flower bed..that's my mission over the next month or so..deadline..let's say June 1st.

Just another quick note..mega tired tonight but wanted to post so if my previous post makes no sense at all because of the rambling just smile and shake your head and call me 'Aunt Muriel...

Betty----Whass the matter?????????????????? Did you run out of other things to do?????....:o)) Geeeshhhh!

Cute idea, the stepping stones, but as fast as this Thread moves--you will need to send us many reminders about letting you know WHEN you actually need to know this......

You never cease to amaze us!!!!!

Gita

Oops - yes, i just dive right on in sometimes... i know Sharran because she visits us on the NE forum frequently, and Ruby from that and Mid-Atlantic ithink.
As far as the black garden sun vs shade - i dunno... Probably some of each, that's how it usually works for me - the stuff i want to plant together always have opposite needs...

amy
*

Thanks, Amy..I tend to do the same thing with sun/shade. Usually works.

Greetings All - Okay, so far I need to send Castor Beans to:

Sharran - plus Black Columbine
Amethystem
Hellnzn11

Last call for Castor Beans. Nah, I have loads of them and can mail anytime. No postage refund needed, I am glad to do it.

I hope that everyone is in Address Exchange, or I am gonna come lookin' for ya. I will try to package these up later today. I go for a massage later this morning and hope to do some outside planting when I get back home. I do have my seed container sitting on my kitchen counter, so there is no missing it. I will be reminded several times before I actually get them in envelopes.


I hope that everyone will have a good day. Take care everyone.

Ruby

Morning all,

Hi Amy..welcome..Interesting to learn about all the black plants.

Well the load to the dump from taking down the wall cost $25.20...441 lbs.
I went with my son and we off loaded it together. My first time to go to the dump.

I was outside for awhile yesterday afternoon and took some photos. Got a little cleanup done.
Talk about work to do..Whew! I know what you mean Betty..at first you just don't know where to start.
This is my tiny pond..empty..but I wnated to show you my new crane I bought last week.

This is the Secret Garden..look at all the squishy apples and leaves to clean up.

morning all,

amy, welcome to our group nice group of girls here you to herrbie:)

vicki, thanks for the info on the dusty miller how's the snow can you see ground yet? oh funny story, our theif thinks she is loosing her other job lol
and she asked me how would one become a sales rep??? lol(sorry this is awfully funny) omg can you just see her going into salon after salon i think her goal is to get into our main warehouse and rip the company off blind, i gave her the corporate office number and said call for a application.
guess her new employer is finding things missing....

betty, LOL paul is so funny... oh sad about kims mom, wow you will have a interesting outing i cant wait to hear about it :) now i was thinking along the same lines to lol about being butterflys but i think someone placed a claim on one (grinnnn)
oh betty your poor sis she has alot to deal with now with brian,
oh already printed a picture have a load of pots on the side of the house and dh saw it already and said who did this?
i told him oh betty posted it she came across it he said oh its pots.. so this one he probably didnt worry to much about he knows its a easy one lol.
now what a wonderful idea , betty, maby we could send you a package of our favorite flower ?

jeannine, LOL omg he is so funny! hopefully he will be the perfect gentleman when the new one arrives!!

ruby, how did the mangos turn out? you have lots of seeds are there any columbine left??? i would love a few of them, how is the garde comming along?

shar, your black garden is going to be lovely cant wait for the transformation,
is it going to be a large bed? it will look just lovely cant wait to see

laura, what are you doing still sewing?

hi carol, gita, cat,gilli

everyone have a great day

Judy..I am wondering about painting the furniture I was given too. There are two more chairs and a table that match these...and I also have another two chairs and table the same that I had painted a soft green a few years ago.
I am leaning toward a taupe colour..but not sure..The 4 cushions that came with them are yellow and orange striped.
I will think on it for now.

ha ha crossed again with you carol wow you have ground!!! cant wait to se your yard it will be beautiful!!

oh betty what a wonderful and thoughtful idea!! cant wait to see it!!

am i the furtherest from you?

welcome amy nice to have you on board the good ol friendship train... we go over mountains and through valleys and storms and sunshine and we go through them together. so all aboard... to obtain your ticket, go to the ticket master and give him a smile, a drop of compassion, a dash of understanding, a good dollop of humour and he will give you your ticket!

xx

Beautifully said Wonder...

Hi Liz...loving your stories...
thanks....I am quite excited about seeing things growing again.

Morning and it's an early morning, at 6:15 the telephone rings and it's Suzanne wanting to leave early..yuk, I had just gone to bed it seems but everything was ready so off I went..we got to the office at 8am and just as we're pulling a call comes in it's Paul trying to leave a message so nice for him to see he's got staff that don't mind putting in extra time...

Liz, can see you this weekend, outside painting clay pots and coming up with some inovative garden art piece... do you have a little pond in the yard you could put it close to? If you don't you could find a tub of some kind or small swimming pool used for children and make a little area all of it's own..I'm going to Costco at lunch to try and find a solar light for the wooden lighthouse I'm doing Sat. - even wondered what it would look like if I bought another package if they have them of the round ever changing colors of the globes like I have in my pond? got to think about that one..

Ruby,Ruby...do you think you could just try and send me a seed or two of the castor beans? please please, I've been looking all over for them..worth a try right..

Been thinking about my walking stones and this is what I found that I'll do in Judy's name for my garden..what do you think Judy Babe???

Carol, does the set have a sealer on it, if it does, that means mega work prior to painting it..does look rustic and am sure it's beautiful with the bright cushions you have for it...

Be back in a sec...restaurant called, breakfast is ready..lol

Laura, just went back into time, read some wonderful posts..lol..found Feb. 22 post saying I was shopping and found 2 lovely tops for you and then reference on Feb. 23 saying I posted them..the receipts I found last were dated Feb.23 and there were 2 receipts..on to Shar and one to you..so tomorrow aft. will drop into the P.O. and inquire as to 'where are they'?????..can't believe I saved the receipts..lol so don't give up hope just yet...

Carol, you are so on-top of things you'll be done before I even start..already your pond is ready to go...adorable yard sculpture..where have you been purchasing your pieces..there is a wonderful country store in Midland, should be side-tracking it on Friday's when I'm in town..so much I'd love to buy that is unusual..they've a welcome plant holder that will be coming home if not this weekend, next for sure....don't you just love unique boutiques..

Liz, must tell you (DO NOT tell DH) lol but there was the cutest little project, doesn't need a whole lot of cutting expertice and great for leftover glass...so adorable..a must have..lol (lots/lots of must haves for the garden at this time of year...) but this one is to die for...agree? not agree?

Betty, those are lovely! And love your idea for the stepping stones, how nice!

Bretty,

So glad your seeds are growing well! I just wanted to say that there should be no need to water them every day! The roots need to 'air out" now and then, and if you keep the soil constantly wet, it won't happen...

Love your stones idea! That will be so special! I think my favorite color combo in the garden is fuschia. deep, deep blues and deep reds.....Will you be wanting a picture suggestion from each of us?
Talking about pictures........I still would like to see a good picture of the painting Shar did with all of us seated at the table. The one you posted when you got it was all blurry. PLEASE!

My tomatoes are going wild!!!! They are now 8"-9" tall! I had to dismantle and raise the shelving up as they no longer fit under the lights. I took them outside yesterday and I swear! They grew more than an inch!!! I know they did, because when I brought them back in, they no longer fit under the lights.....

Good weather is here all right--for now.......Can't jump to any conclusions! Out frost free date is still 4 weeks away......Have NO idea what i will do with all these giant seedlings.....:o((

Betty--your pond is lovely!

Gita

Here are the tomato seedlings (??) outside yesterday.....

And look what my girl-friend gave me yesterday!!!!!! It is a Clivia that has lived in this pot for 30 years. NOTHING has been done to it--NO fertilizing! NO dividing! Not much watering!
I tried to read up about it a bit--and these are the conditions it really thrives in.

Here's a close-up of one of the bloom clusters...

I think she kept the smaller of the two. I am now the new "keeper" of this "monstrosity". It weighs at least 40 lbs! The pot is maybe a 14" pot.

Gita it's beautiful..doesn't it make you extremely nervous though when someone has had a plant for so many years and entrusts it to you..remember my ivy that Aunt Muriel gave me, she was so proud of it and I did well for 2 years then it up and died on me.. I love the color, so, will you be thinking of transplanting it?

Ohhh, Starzz you have a birch tree...lovely! I had forgotten about it.

All your pictures are great, and Betty I love the lighthouse and the stone. Also love your idea of a friends garden.

My mind is whirling with black garden ideas. I have some blacks, it is just a matter of transplanting and putting them all together. Not sure where, just yet, but need to think fast.

Liz, glad you are back to being Liz again....you/he will be fine. Just a little stumble in your path, but now just keep on going.

Hi everybody.....this is laundry day, am out of jammies, and that is a terrible place to be! Gotta get busy.

Aunt Bett is up again today, you might like.

Be back later.

Nope! Read on the Tropicals Forum where a couple of people have tried dividing it or transplanting it and it nearly killed the plant!

Betty--I don't generally assign any "personal" attributes to plants. They are just PLANTS!
Non-personal things......Been working with them for too many years to feel any guilt trips over any mishaps.

YES! I agree--this Clivia is spectacular! Monika (from Germany--the Brug expert) posted a picture of a Clivia that has been in the same pot for 50 years. So you see--I shall just be it's "keeper" maybe for the rest of my life.....That would be for 15 -20 more years.

Here's something to make you think of Spring.....

We're all not happy here, the owner from the building just called and threw another dead'lock request into the deal..shucks..thought it was finally over..seems like an eternity but Paul said he started the true negotiations sometimes in October...sooo I heard him tell them that we are here till noon tomorrow and if the papers are not signed then forget the deal and he'll look for another building, but, it would still be in the city..so dear friends..keep your fingers crossed...

Hi Everyone- I must have missed some things that I now need an explanation for. First, Starzz, what wall did you take out? We are thinking of taking down one of our inside walls and doing away with a bedroom. That will make the back of the house all one room basically. It is the bedroom where Tucker now sleeps, so I don't know when it will be available.

Explanation number two is for Betty. What have you got up your sleeve now girl? Someone said something about a friendship garden? I missed that evidently. Of course I will send you some castor beans. It might be Monday before I get them in the mail. I have quite a few packets to make up and send out.

Liz, are you the one who took the picture of the all the mangos in a bowl? I saw their color and figured that my mango was not ripe yet. I have had it in a window all week and it is yellowing very nicely. I might try tasting it today or in the next couple of days anyway. Thanks to all who send directions on how to peel and eat. Hopefully I can peel it without too much of a mess.

Betty, I second Gita's request for seeing the group painting that came along with your birthday gifts. I would like to print a copy to have at my desk. Sharran, did you take pictures of it that you might want to share???

I think that is it for now. To all those who made seed requests, I have your name and will get your addresses from the exchange and hope that you all don't mind if it is Monday before I mail them. I might be done sooner than that, but am going to allow myself till Monday at the latest.

I hope that everyone is having a good day. Will check in later on.

Ruby

Good Day All!

Wow, Betty, I am deeply touched you will be making that stone in my honor. Thank you.
Your friendship garden is going to be so much fun to watch. I love the idea of your post. Well, now will keep my fingers crossed on the building.

Today is raining and gloomy but I am in a most excellent mood. You bring such happiness with all your plans to beautiful gardens. Sharing your pictures of Lovely blooming Sping flowers.

Betty, Would you like me to post The painting for you? LOL will pretend you said yes.
For everyone else, Shar and I had many late night as I had a bit of trouble on a few of the photos. Was alot of fun and even she did not see the final one. So I will be glad to post for Betty.

This is Sharon's Original Painting of Betty's Garden