I'm getting into bushes/vines/flowers that attract butterflies.
(By the way.....how's your pond doing?) :)

Don't get me started, I have many.

Putting in a full garden this year, including a couple fruit trees, raspberries, asparagus along the ditch, strawberries, tomato's, potato's, onions, peppers, lettuce, broccoli, cantaloupe and a few more things I can't remember off the top of my head.

This year I am experimenting with tropical beds. I found that it is possible to have tropicals in my climate with a little help during the winter. I am planting Basjoo Banana trees, canna lilies, elephant ears and a hardy dwarf palm.

I am also obsessed with bamboo. I have 2 fargesia rufa, 1 ph. decora and 1 ph. nigra. I am thinking about adding one more runner to the bamboo island this year but have determined which kind.

I like hostas as well and have several placed in some shady spots.

I think I will put in a honeysuckle vine this year and maybe other plants to attract hummingbirds. I am afraid hummingbird plants might become another obsession.

And I want to put in a pond.

Just when I think that's all, I discover something else new like conifers. Now the battle is to fit everything together.

Making room.

Rhododendrons are big around here, and are a natural companion for conifers. Recently I took out two conifers to make a new bed (berm), and planted one new conifer in their place. Rhododendrons etc. are also going in the newly re-opened space.

oh yeah...you have it bad. LOL

how fun! 6 is such a great zone...i covet!

i've just started getting into all things edible the last two years. i'm still very much a novice but look forward to seeing how it all turns out!

besides growing tomatoes, peppers, beans, etc in growing bags (they're great and can go in the driveway!), i have:

hardy kiwi vines (3)
hardy fig 'chicago'
heritage raspberry
anne raspberry
fall gold raspberry of some sort...forgot name
black satin raspberry
jahns prairie gooseberry (new)
pink lemonade blueberry (new)
marquis white grape
glenora grape
Mespilus germanica 'Royal' (where i'm going to fit it..? god only knows and he ain't tellin lol)
a couple of columnar apple trees (two more new ones)

as for the lilies..all i know is i was on brent and becky's....then hallson's perennial gardens...and suddenly i went blind and started clicking madly. lol i'm scared of how many bulbs are going to show up!!!

oh yes...then inside there are the agave from yuccadoo nursery...and the amaryllis....

*sigh*

i need a 12 step group.

ahh, rhodos...the bane of my gardening existence.

they love to sell them to we suckers in their pretty nursery pots from out west...then we stick them in our clay soil and they die a miserable death.

i think they're beautiful and wish i could grow them!!!

Admink, I have a beautiful rhodo getting ready to bloom as we speak. I love it and would plant more if I thought they would live. They are not supposed to live here due to the soil conditions. I have had this one two years now and it is doing great. I think it must be a special spot and I don't dare risk putting one anywhere else in my yard.

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wow - that is beautiful! you'll have to post pics of it in bloom!

Can I say playing softball, hiking, camping, and laying in the hammock? My gardens will never be 'finished' or completely out of room as new plants will displace poor looking specimens over the years but in the next few years I'll need more outdoor hobbies to stay in shape as largely my plantings are finished and now it's time to water and marvel at their growth.

I do dabble in clemetis, hostas and other perennials but I can't say I am overly enamored in any of the smaller portions of gardening.

-Will

Oh yea, I forgot about clematis. I have about 10 of them and need more. :)
I, too, have alot of hostas.

Also, I'm really getting into Japanese and Siberian irises. So pretty.
My mind is going though. Last summer I bought 2 "Temper Tantrum" irises and planted them. Later in the summer I bought 2 more......forgetting I had bought the first 2!

I'm also getting more and more into vertical veggie gardening, since the ground is getting further and further down. :)
I grow pole beans up a couple trellises I made out of galvanized electrical conduit, and then I figured out I could use the kids old swing set and grow cucs and snow peas up it.
For 2 years now I've been growing Waltham butternut squash, and freezing the pulp. Its almost a perfect food. Its so rich and yummy and naturally sweet.
There's so many things I still want to do. I just wish I was about 30 years younger. I'm runnin' out of time! All my parts are falling apart (especially knees). I feel really lucky that we were able to get a "souped-up" golf cart last Fall and now I can zip around the property, like I have wings!

As I mentioned earlier, I'm getting into attracting butterflies. Last summer I planted 2 spicebushes, a button bush, swamp milkweed, several kinds of echinachea and butterfly weed, and a Dutchman's pipevine. Help! I can't stop!!

...oh yeah...i forgot about all of my japanese and siberian iris.LOL i was eyeballing TT - do you like it (them...all four? ha!)

i remember when you were daylily queen too, catherine! i still have the ones i got from you! :D

will, that's a good obsession. definitely cheaper!

Hmmmm......I'm thinking someone else gave you the daylilies Andrea.
Yes, I really like the temper tantrum lilies! I can't wait for them to bloom.

hmmm...scratching head. omg, i have lost my mind again. LOL i thought we did a trade. i am crazy.

sorry! lol

Don't worry about it Andrea! I'm lucky these days to even remember my name and where I live! :)

My second secret obsession resides in my garage.

A 2008 C6 Corvette convertible. When I get bummed over conifers and need a break I put the top down...fire up this beast and do a Jay Leno burn out and a few hot laps.

Mind cleared of all the fuzzy thinking it's back to conifers and being creative...out of room or not. I can always crowd one more in. LOL.

Dave

Dave, that sounds like a great second obsession.

Japanese Maples and hybridizing hostas are my two passions after conifers.

Dan

Before leaving the last home I was really into Hydrangeas and shrub roses. I'm not sure what I'm gong to get into with the new house...I have a feeling its going to be dwarf conifers!

Music, music and music are my first obsessions. Gardening replaced my second obessession, football, after I blew out my knee.

When I run out of room for conifers my passion turns to sod-busting.

tj

Let me think:
Women
Whiskey
hunting witches' brooms/trees

( ( ( ( ((not necessarily in that order) ) ) ) )

Dax

whiskey before hunting the witches brooms would definitely be interesting. lol

I think I might drive right up to it - no matter where the location. I'll drive thru houses, fences, whatever it takes in order to get to that broom.

Dax

omg, complete belly laugh on that one!!!

Now whiskey is something I can discuss.

Mmmmm KY Bourbon and Scotch are held close to my heart.

I also don't find much more enjoyable than having a cold good beer on a hot day while working in the yard. It is as close to heaven as I can get.

And.... after all that I am still sitting at work :(

Bonsai!

Especially bonsai-ing conifers!

i have seen several witches brooms but dont know what to even do with them.....?

conifers were the second obsession

ken

now what?

What are witches brooms?

"What are witches brooms?"

See the link.

tj

Here is a link that might be useful: From a broomer

This takes more time than I'd like to admit.

Here is a link that might be useful: RockinChristmas

"Gardening replaced my second obessession, football, after I blew out my knee."

Ey Whaas, what did you do to that knee? Roller Hockey of all things claimed my ACL 18 months ago. Had the patellar tendon swap. Good enough I have been trail skating since but I was paying to play not the other way around so no more hockey.

Bunkers! Wow!! Those dueling banjos rock!

Bunkers - that was really neat. I also picked the Dueling Banjos; tight man.

I once fell in love with a woman drinking whiskey; I walked into my bar and was the place empty except one woman in a black leather coat sitting alone, drinking whiskey. I sat right next to her and we both (continued) - and then all of a sudden, "wham" she fell backwards off her seat and crashed to the floor. It was from that moment forward we fell in love for, more than a year. I still talk to her to this day on the telephone.

Check out one of my all time favorite movies: 'Barfly'

Daxman

Thanks.

Yes, the dueling banjos seems to be a favorite of most viewers.

Nate, you need to bring down the kids in December, they will love it ! I got in the Denver Post last year as one of the top 10 must see Christmas Displays. I'll never be know for my conifers, but there are some special ones there also.

Andrea, can you tell us more about the brooms you've seen?

Scott, we'll definitely be there in December!

sluice - I go visit my dad in Michigan quite often and I often see them in the various areas we go to bike/hike/etc. Also, I have oddly seen several in my neighborhood (now I need to go find them again lol). My 'hood is historic and so the trees are pretty old by US standards

Sounds interesting! If possible, please keep us posted on those!