The photographer took the pictures in September 2009 and I took the pictures in October. I love my October gardens...maybe it's the gardener in me wanting to hold on just a little longer. I do have well over 300 different species of plants. I keep a data base because I started having a hard time remembering all the names. I spend several hours in my gardens most days cutting back flowers that are done for the season...I get lost in my gardening. I do not have to weed much because the gardens are so full. I do not buy annuals for the gardens, only the window boxes. I do use some throw and grow annuals that reseed some...but really, the gardens are so full that seeds have a hard time taking any more. Now that I am close to 60, I have planted several Serbian Spruce in the gardens. I want to be able to take care of my gardens myself as long as possible. I figure that as the spruce trees grow they will take up more of the gardens. Sharing my plants with friends and family is one of the greatest rewards of gardening.

Lavender lass, thanks, we no longer have horses (did for years) but like to have the pasture grass eaten to prevent it being a fire hazard when it dries in the fall so we 'rent' it out (mostly accept what neighbors/friends offer) to people with horses or cattle. We had a hobby farm for years altho when the animal census here went over 70 it was no longer a hobby but a lot of work. There are quite a few hardy perennials that do well here altho I don't have a fraction of what I could have. For years, because of said 'hobby' farm I didn't have time and now I don't care to try for a showcase garden - it just has to please me. I grow the plants I like and occasionally try new things by seeding perennials. I like deer resistant plants for the obvious reason that we live in their forest. I'll just c&p my plant list for you of what's growing here altho it's not complete. I haven't put most var. as they are just common garden plants. I haven't done roses since my most wonderful heritage rose died the first year I gardened here. I hate seeing plants succumb so stick with very hardy ones. Plants I have: Leopard's Bane (Doronicum plantagineum), Dwarf Siberian Irises, Autumn Joy Sedum, Hens & Chickens, Blue (creeping) sedum, Green (creeping) sedum, creeping thyme, Bugleweed (Ajuga), spotted deadnettle (lamium maculatum), Bearded Iris, Shasta Daisies, Feverfew, Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla), Pulmonaria, Blue Fescue (Festuca glauca 'Elijah Blue'), variegated ribbon grass (invasive, not recommended), Perennial sunflower (Heliopsis), Jacob's Ladder, Potentilla shrub, Spirea shrub, lilac shrubs, Lily of the Valley, Golden Marguerite (Anthemis tinctoria 'Kelwayi'), Oriental poppies, Iceland poppies, peony poppies (not hardy but self-seed) Coralbell, Columbine, Pasque Flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris), Cranesbill, Creeping Jenny, Daylily, Delphinium (tall & medium), Bleeding Heart, various lilies, Purple loosestrife, Campanula glomerata (clustered bellflower), Fleabane, Monkshood, Mountain Bluet (Centaurea montana), Dwarf Spike Speedwell (pink), blue flax, Maltese Cross, lavender 'Munstead', red/pink/yellow yarrow, lamb's ears, heuchera 'Stormy Seas', dianthus (Sweet William & Maiden Pink), plus one struggling peony that I'm afraid to transplant! Several different trees that are DH's (maples, Russian olive, some fancy birch?, and a caragana). We also have native alder, spruce, fir, and pine in our house yard. Thanks gldno1, yes, I hope to use the garden house as sort of a greenhouse as here in zone 3 we can't even grow tomatoes in the ground due to possibility of frost at any time. When I grew them on the deck they were safe from frost but not from the squirrels. So I *might* grow them in my little house if we stay home long enough. We're retired so travel a bit. Darstar0301, thanks, I'm glad to inspire as I receive so much inspiration from others. We had this house built 14 years ago in the middle of a forest and, believe me, it was 'interesting' for the first few years. I redid the garden several times even tho I initially had a plan which quickly went south. We learn as we go and every little change adds up. Gardening has certainly helped me learn patience altho it's still not my strong suit. Christinmk - thanks, I don't think I can 'let' ;-) my DH hire out as I don't consider my garden house finished. There will be a porch with potting shed added, it needs a floor (concrete pavers we will do ourselves), stairs to the loft, outside battens, and maybe more window trim. He did get a kick out of the compliments tho as he downplays his woodworking talents.

That's what I like about you Jane, you just put yourself right out there... :-) It doesn't seem like 2 years since you first started posting. I remember how impressed I was with how you just took the bull by the horn and had those trees out and the new shrubs selected and planted in a flash. I wonder if we could get an update? If I remember right, you bought a whole lot of new plants and I wonder how they all worked out. You have me thinking of how long I've been coming to GW forums and it's actually been about 12 years. Long time. You're right, I don't stop and think about how much of my gardening is effected by everyone I meet here on the forums, but I am sure it is a lot. I have two favorite shrubs, Viburnum maresii in the garden, that I wouldn't have selected if someone on the shrub forums hadn't suggested they would work in my shady border and if I hadn't seen a photo that ego45 posted of this huge, gorgeous Viburnum maresii the next week. And I was just thinking of idabean the other day when I was updating my plant inventory, since I have at least 5 of my favorite plants that she shared from her garden at the first swap I ever went to. Lots of other plants in my garden with NE forum names on them too. And Trudi in the Winter Sowing forum added a completely new and exciting element with her winter sowing method that I had never heard of or tried. Claire's bird photos have brightened up the winter. Lot's of nurseries I wouldn't have known about if Sedum37 had not started that thread on Favorite Garden Centers and Nurseries in 2006. I could go on and on. I'm sure we don't stop and appreciate what we receive from each other often enough, so you had a good idea with your post. :-) Really funny story about the shy GW member living in the same town as a friend of yours. I'm sure she was very happy she posted to GW and look how it brightened your day. Hope you will post more, Jane, I enjoy your posts. :-) pm2

I am new to the seed trading too. These past few months is the first time I ever did it over the net. I usually just share some with neighbors. If you do have seeds to trade, it would be worth putting up a trade list anyway. You can post it on your profile too under seeds you have to trade. You would be surprised what people want or need. I know that I can always use a few standards every year! The seed trading is very nice here I find. They have a lot of specials for newbies--people just starting in gardening and have only been on the site for a few months. There are a few heavy duty gardening people that have quite a spectacular list of plant seeds for trade. Sometimes if you just ask for what you are looking for, someone will offer it for a self-adressed-stamped-envelope (SASE). SASBE is an self-addressed-stamped-bubble-envelope. Most people will ask for those so that your seeds do not get crunched in the mail. If you have a lot of left over seeds to trade, you may want to take your chances in some of the round robin exchanges too. For something very specific, like you are looking for, I would just make a post requesting it. You can also explain that you are a little new to the exchange and I am sure that people will welcome you.