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The Garden Party

Out from behind a shrub...

16 years ago

...steps an ex-lurker. I heard someone holler, "Olly olly in for free," so I decided to make my presence known. Couldn't find the thread, so I started a new one. I'm Mary from Massachusetts and I've been reading here for years. I feel like I know you all, but I've only posted once. I love dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and all other kinds, too. I used to have about 1/2 an acre of gardens, but divorce took care of that. I now am learning the art (and it is an art) of container gardening, and I pull weeds or deadhead at my church's memorial garden when I feel the need to do more than that. I hope I can find time to post regularly now that I've stepped out of the shadows.

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Comments (10)

Pidge
16 years ago
Hi Mobird, glad you've stripped off your invisibility cloak. Also glad you like chocolate of all kinds, but what about Cosmopolitans?

My garden is a mess but full of flowers anyway, it being June and all. Hope we see you more often.
gandle
16 years ago
Hi Mary, nice to have you join us.
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I'm in Prince William county: growing azaleas here is as easy as falling off a log. Rather than buying big box cheapies, I suggest you visit Merrifield Garden Center and select rebloomers. You're going to enjoy them for decades so spend a little more and get nice ones. Skip laurels and hollies are reliable as well. Rhodies and pieris need careful siting: I seldom ever see a happy looking one. Mahonia haven't been mentioned but they're good and deer resistant to boot. If your neighborhood is governed by a HOA (and many are), removal of a front yard tree won't be allowed (they need to die by natural causes). Anyway, I'd get the replacement tree started before removing the maple since it's your only shade. Generally, trees and shrubs are best planted in October here so they have all winter/spring to establish before summer. Plenty of good nursery stock is available in the fall since we are blessed with several good independent nurseries.
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gabriell_gw
16 years ago
Hello Mobird and welcome. I also enjoy container gardening in addition to the beds in my garden. There are no weeds with the containers. And easy to get to with my arthritic knees.
Josh
16 years ago
Hi Mary and welcome from another container gardener. Gabriell, you're lucky to have no weeds...I find my containers regularly sprout Oaks and attempt Pine trees if I'm not diligent, not to mention innumerable grass seedlings. I've found an old pair of ice tongs from my old cocktail party days are really useful...those serrated tips are just great for reaching below the surface and yanking. I'll confess I used to cut up pine straw for mulching when I only had 20 containers...with 200=300 I try to cover surface with groundcovers but even then I still get weeds. josh
Janis_G
16 years ago
Welcome to the Garden Party, Mary, it's good to see new folks here.
oakleif
16 years ago
Glad you decided to come in from the bushes. LOL
I'm just getting started with container gardening and wondering how come i have'nt done it sooner.
my flower beds are a mess too but blooming too. and i'm frantically trying to get everything into pots.
Josh, i'll probably have trouble with oak seedlings too as i've oak trees all over.
How do you handle 200 plus containers? When i think about it though,it can't be worse than all the flower beds i have and when i think of all the rocks i've had to dig up,it would have been easier to have started with containers.
vickie
andie_rathbone
16 years ago
Welcome Mary! You've passed the chocolate test & Pidge has asked you about Cosmos, but what are your feelings about flamingos in the garden? Looking forward to reading your posts.
mobird
Original Author
16 years ago
Thank you all for the nice welcome. Glad to hear I passed the chocolate test--I didn't even study. I'll have to say, "No," to the Cosmopolitans and the flamingos, too. But unsweetened ice tea? Bring me a trough. And I collect cat and kitten garden statues and hide them around amongst the containers to fool my kitty.
meldy_nva
16 years ago
Ahhh, a cat person. Welcome, welcome.

Although evidently you're not the person to explain the mysteries of "sweet tea" to me. Daughter of my best friend (from Texas) made the most marvelous sweet tea for me whenever I visited. She spent twenty years trying to teach me how to make it, but mine never tasted quite the same.
oakleif
16 years ago
meldy,Had to add, my DD makes the best ice tea and i cannot get the hang of it. The harder i try and using the same recipe the worse it tastes.

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