Introducing Myself from Central Illinois

Greetings to everyone! I'm an avid gardener living between St. Louis, Missouri and Springfield, Illinois (officially Zone 5b). My husband and I live with our two teenage sons in the country with loads of land so we can dabble in lots of gardening. My husband raises English pointer hunting dogs as a hobby as well. My dream when we built the house was wide cottage style borders surrounding it - so perennial borders with lots of peonies, clematis, roses, lilies in all forms, and a heavy sprinkle of self-sowing annuals are in place. I've been working at it for years now getting a succession of bloom from early daffodils through the asters, mums and late roses in September. We also have a big vegetable garden where we specialize in tomatoes, peppers and sweet corn and enjoy a big variety of early head lettuces. Part of the vegie garden is devoted to small fruits - red and black raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, and grapes. As you come up the drive we planted fruit trees which after 12 years have made a pretty productive orchard of cherries, peaches, plums, apples, pears, and this year I added apricots (I'm hopeful). I love to cook - which is a good thing with the plentiful harvests!

Our latest project is a big country pond which we did last fall (2000) - as dry as it's been this year it still doesn't really look like anything, but we've started a few planting areas and did wildflowers on the back side of the dam. Lots of work left out there. We have a big deck and I dabble in tropicals - hibiscus and brugmansia as well as herbs and fragrant flowers. And I adore dahlias - loads of them scattered throughout the borders to give me beautiful bouquets in the fall. While I always gardened, these last 10 years since we've been in the new house has really turned it from a hobby to a passion. I've met a few of you in the brug and tomato forums but am looking forward to exploring more of them. Hello to everyone!

Welcome CindyB from the Sunflower State' Sis'

welcome to davesgarden from MICHIGAN land of the great lakes
welcome,
dori

Cindy..Your place sounds wonderful ...welcome..Dee

Welcome to Dave's Garden, CindyB!

A big Texas welcome to you CindyB. Get yourself a comfy chair, 'cause you're gonna be here a while...LOL.

"eyes"

Cindy....Whew....sounds like heaven !
How did you find time to do all this and raise
your children as well ! Ambitious arent we ?
Welcome to DG and have fun getting to know all
us 'garden nuts'.
Val :-)

Don't I know you from somewhere?

LOL!!!!

Cindi

Welcome to Dave's Garden, CindyB. Get yourself a cup of coffee and join in the fun. You'll be here a while.
CoCo

Welcome. I just moved to Alabama from across the river from St. Louis. (Belleville, IL). I hope you like Dave's Garden. I'm fairly new, too, and love it.

Carla

Welcome - I'm very familiar with your area - am originally from Mt. Olive, Illinois - your place sounds wonderful.

Good morning everyone - juja I can't believe you're from Mt. Olive - what's that maybe 25 miles from here? And Smilin3 from Belleville? It's a small world! Thanks to everyone for the warm welcome and yes I'm pretty much a garden nut - LOL.