I'm back, let the party begin. Photos. Intro to newerbies.

14 years ago

Hi All, I'm gramma jan. You will soon learn, I don't believe in taking the time to proof read.

It's been so long, I have missed all my old friends here. I don't know whether GW still has my page or not--must go update it if so. Or do they still have members' pages? Anyway, I used to haunt this-my fav forum, with flowerlady, eduarda, angel cub, girl group girl and many many others. I hope they are all still around. I want to catch up and know how everyone is doing.

As for you whom I have not met. Pleased to meetcha. chuckle

I am looking forward to hearing about and seeing everyone's gardens and even talking about decorating on the flip side.

I have so much to tell you and I hope you have a great deal to tell me, I will try to spread my thoughts out over weeks and months.

Remeber what a horrible time I had learning how to post photos? It's been so long, I've forgotten. But I read someplace that there is a simpler way now. Is this true?

gramma jan

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Comments (17)

janetgia
14 years ago
Hi there, I'm Janet in Des Moines, Iowa. I've been in and out of here so often I don't know if I'm a newbie or not! LOL I used to hang out mostly in the Garden Junk forum, now I'm here a lot and still there sometimes - LOL... I'm building a walk-through garden at a house we just bought last fall - there's a thread here called "The amazing ever-changing almost final plan" or something like that... that's me and my project :)

Can't wait to hear all you've got to share!
janroze
Original Author
14 years ago
"The amazing ever-changing almost final plan" Boy that sounds like my place, especially the bathroom.
Anway, I wanted to tell you that we are headed down to DM next weekend for a tiny family reunion. That's all we can have since we are a teensy family.
DH bro, wife, kids and grandkids, like wise ours. It should be fun. Walk through garden. Wow! You must have the space, I can only dream about.
Thanks for telling me a bit about what's going on with you. I'll keep an eye out for your name.
gramma jan
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Hi Gertrude, Welcome to RMG! And a "future welcome" to Denver! You're gonna love it! Thanks for telling us about yourself! This is going to be uncharacteristically short for me! I'm sitting in a little cabin in Yellow Jacket, and need to get up early in the morning to pack everything in the car and head for another little cabin on Grand Mesa! But when I read your post I had a whole lot of things to say and will try to quickly hit a few of them now. When you're looking for a house: Try to find out what kind of watering restrictions you might have in summer before you buy so you'll know up front how limited you will or won't be in what you can grow (water)! If you're seriously thinking all xeric, look for a yard with as much sun as possible. Most of the truly xeric perennials don't just want a lot of sun, they NEED it. If you buy a house in one of the "older" Denver neighborhoods, you will almost certainly get a yard that comes with built-in weeds. For instance, many years ago I lived in a house in Park Hill (NW Denver) and had some nasty weed I called "carrot weeds" because of the big, nasty taproots they had. After living there for several years, and constantly "fighting" them, they were still there as big and beautiful (NOT) at ever! Newer houses have had the soil dug up more recently and will often not have the "deeply established" weeds you'll find in the older neighborhoods. Many of the older "original" Denver areas--like the Denver Bungalow areas--will also tend to have smaller yards, but not always. The far south side of Denver, like around Parker and Castle Rock, get more snow--usually--than Denver proper, and the north end of the Metro area. That can be good for moisture, but can be bad for plants that are already growing! Double edged sword! Just thought I'd give you a heads up! There are nice areas all over the Metro area. I recommend if you're considering a specific area you come post and get pros and cons from the folks here about it. We have people who live all over the Metro area. I live on the north end in Thornton, and there are some really nice subdivisions up this way, like the Eastlake areas. Don't have time to post links, but when you're looking for plants I recommend Paulino's for nursery stock--trees and bushes. They still carry a pretty good selection in the nursery. Broadway and about 62nd. For the best selection of perennials, including xeric perennials, Timberline gardens on the far west side of town, at 58th Avenue and about Simms. When planning your yard you might want to consider a smaller area that you'll be watering more often where you can plant things like shasta daisies and such that require more water. That way you can have your cake and eat it too! Mostly xeric, but one spot where you can plant things you really love that need to be watered more often so you don't need to go completely without them. What's your biggest problem gonna be? Soil! Somebody mentioned sand or clay--chances are you'll have some pretty bad clay, but either way you'll need to plan to just keep adding organic matter--year after year after.......... I very highly recommend you plan for a compost pile somewhere in your yard (as opposed to some rinky-dink little store-bought "compost bin"), so you can "grow" your own "organic matter," and, if you build it directly on the ground, grow your own worm supply too! I don't have time to reread all the above, but I think somebody mentioned the awful stuff they bought, and even if you find some "good" stuff to buy, it's not gonna be as good at the stuff you make yourself! Now my questions! Where are you moving from? (If I missed it in your post I'm sorry!) Do you have any idea when? You can definitely "make it" in Denver! It just takes a little "adjusted thinking" if you're from a "wet and humid" place--and be sure to bring your Sense of Humor with you! It helps! And there's always moral support here on RMG! Gotta go, Skybird P.S. Almost forgot this! When you get here and come to a swap I can/will very definitely get you some Ajuga to play with! Two or three kinds! But remind me when you're coming to your first swap! This post was edited by skybird on Sat, May 17, 14 at 2:09
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token28001
14 years ago
I'm Tom, one of the few males members (hehehe). I've got a zone 7, NC perennial bed and a veggie patch out back. This is my first year gardening on a large scale and I have learned a lot from the people you named. Glad to meet you. Hope you'll stick around a while.
aftermidnight Zone7b B.C. Canada
14 years ago
Hi Gramma jan, I've only been around for a couple of years, I've heard your name mentioned with great fondness, so I'm very glad to meet you finally. I'm the chatty golden oldie from B.C. who wheedled her way into this very fun group. I have been gardening most of my adult life, I'm a plant collector at heart who wanders her garden day and night with a plant in one hand a trowel in the other, need I say more LOL. My garden is full of happy accidents rather than well planned out placements. I have absolutely no will power when I hit the garden centers and I'm not above knocking on a door or two of people I don't know to beg a cutting or two. I'll be looking forward to reading your posts.

Annette
plantmaven
14 years ago
Jan!
I have wondered about you for so long.
I posted as natvtxn. After a pc crash I had to pick another name as "they' said natvtxn was already taken...well duh.
So, plantmaven it is.

I sold my house in the county and moved back into San Antonio Nov. 2007. I just love being back in town.
My DH died 5 years ago tomorrow. It does not seem possible that it has been that long.

Kathy
Eduarda
14 years ago
Hi Jan, I'm still around! And so are Diana (angelcub), Edna, Mary Lu, Martha, and many other old timers! :-) Glad to have you back, we want to hear what happened to you in the meantime.

Eduarda
gldno1
14 years ago
I remember you Grammajan!

I can't remember if I was posting then or lurking.

I am another oldie, gardening in southwest Missouri on a farm and am definitely a plant collector and not a planner/designer. I have a vegetable garden, berries, fruit trees, cattle, cats and dogs and, of course, lots of flowers.

Hope you will fill us in on what's been happening in your life since you took a "vacation".

Glenda
mary_lu_gw
14 years ago
Welcome back! You have been missed. Will look forward to hearing everything that has happened since you've been gone. Yup, I'm still around. Don't post as often as I used to, as life has gotten busy here as well, but I do try to keep up with what is happening with everyone.
Marylu
girlgroupgirl
14 years ago
BIG HUG Gramma Jan!!! It is so good to see you back!
BecR
14 years ago
Hi there~ WELCOME BACK Gramma Jan!!! Good to see you posting again! Becky
angelcub
14 years ago
Welcome back! Hope you and your DH are doing well. Lots of new faces around here so just start clicking on threads to catch up. As for your page, there's still a link next to your name so check there first and update if necessary. Pic posting instructions are in the gallery, courtesy of Memo. : )

Diana
janroze
Original Author
14 years ago
In & out, that would be my story too.
Hi Tom, I started a pottage garden this year, so I will have veggies too. I am thrilled. My garden guy put a stone wall in for about 10' and leveled off the hill, so I would have my "place in the sun." On it I had a 12" raised lasagne garden - board sides, layers of newspaper, leaves, peat, compost, top soil and chips--you know the routine. It's my first official veggie garden. I was soooo excited I couldn't wait to plant it. I feared with the heat of the compost it would all burn up, but it is doing well. EXCEPT now I have dots on the lower leaves of most of my tomato plants. Ugh!
Oh that's right, this is the hosta forum, not cottage.
I have bought lotsa hosta this year--that would be about 30 for me. I am running out of space and still want more. I hate to think what it will be if they grow to their predicted size. See what all of you did to me--hosta lusta.
More later. gramma jan
godsacre
14 years ago
HI GRAMMA JAN!
I'M DUANE. I AM A "NEWBIE". WE RE-ENTERED THE COMPUTER AGE A FEW MONTHS BACK, AND I DISCOVERED GARDEN WEB. THIS IS WONDERFUL!
WE HAVE A COTTAGE ON AN ESTATE: A FULL ACRE TO PLAY WITH, THE PREVIOUS OWNERS DID VERY LITTLE WITH, I'M STAYING MOSTLY NATIVE WITH MY PERMANENT PLANTINGS, PERENNIALS AND ANNUALS NOT SO MUCH. BEAUTIFUL VIEW OF RURAL PENNSYLVANIA SUNSETS OVER THE BACK NEIGHBOR'S MENNONITE CORN FIELD. AND MY LOVELY WIFE, TWO DOGS, DAUGHTER, AND TWO TOE-HEADED GRAND-DAUGHTERS TO SHARE IT ALL WITH. ISN'T GOD GOOD! A SMALL KITCHEN GARDEN, SOME FRUIT TREES AND BLUEBERRY BUSHES, EVERGREENS, SUNFLOWERS AND BUGS (LIGHTNING BUGS, LADY BUGS) IT'S ALL A WONDER TO A 2 AND 4 YEAR OLD (THEIR COMBINED B-DAY PARTY IS TOMORROW. AND THE JACK RUSSELL LOVES THE GRUBS AND JAPANESE BEETLES (SHE'S BEEN SCOLDED FOR EATING BEES). SHE LOVES TO FETCH, AND SHE'S THE ONLY DOG I'VE EVER KNOWN TO BEG TO PLAY IN THE WATER HOSE. AND MY WIFE (DID I MENTION SHES'S LOVELY?) LOVES TO BEAT ME AT CROQUET!
I'M THANKFUL TO BE HERE AND LOOK FORWARD TO ENJOYING THE COMPANY OF LIKE MINDED FOLKS LIKE YOU.
gldno1
14 years ago
Welcome godsacre! Sounds like you are in a beautiful place to live and garden.

I think of our area in southwest Missouri as "God's Country"!

Please keep posting.

glenda
lavendrfem
14 years ago
Hi gramma jan!

I guess in the scheme of things here, I'm a newbie! :) I've been coming to the GW since '05. I lived in condos most of my adult life until I divorced and then bought a house. I finally get to garden my heart out. I've also gotten to like the mosaics and stained glass forum and garden junk.

Nice to meet you too!
Estelle
skibby (zone 4 Vermont)
14 years ago
Hi Gramma Jan. I'm pretty new here, since March. I'm also zone 4 - Central Vermont. This is my first year of cottage gardening so I don't really have much yet and the woodchucks have been a nuisance. I used to think they were cute. Hmmm. Looking forward to reading about your garden.
libbyshome
14 years ago
gramma jan! Lovely to see you again.

Libby

I'm back, let the party begin. Photos. Intro to newerbies.

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janetgia

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