Well, if you missed either of the sales today, you probably didn't miss much. Fewer vendors were at each locations. And, generally, the plants were the same stuff you find at Walmart, but just a lot more expensive. The really cool things often seen at the Ijams sales were just not there. Next up will be... Saturday, 8 May 2010, 9am - 2pm : Spring Plant Sale at the UT Gardens in Knoxville Here is a link that might be useful: UT Gardens

If anyone in the Knoxville area is interested in knowing more about growing or showing irises, please feel free to attend our meetings. They are held at 7 pm on the second Monday of the months March through October at Bethel United Methodist Church, 5955 West Emory Road, Knoxville, TN 37931. Doors are open at 6:30 pm for socializing and refreshments.

Well, having now relocated from Dandridge up on a ridge that had it's own micro-climate where I'd gardened for 13 years into Greeneville, I am amazed that Greeneville has gotten rain, rain, rain........the heatwave we had, everyone had. It acted like it was going to be dry and then it started pouring. We're still needing anything we can get, but apparently the storms come southwards and west and stall for a bit. I live in a rental with a half decent place to grow beans, tomatos, herbs, radishes,burgundy okra, rhubarb, a few cukes, zucchini, and whatever I can shove against the south and west fence in back and on the side of the house where it gets full western exposure (where the herbs are, an already established bed or rosemary, oregano, Lemon verbena and ackkk, spearmint) heirlooms mostly as I found them and am germinating a bit late, Aunt Ruby's Green and Sungold cherry tomato's. As hot as it is I'm hoping the tomato's will catch up. day before yesterday we got not one rain but three that thumped down quite a bit. now I wish I had rain catchers underneath the gutterpipes, but consider myself lucky I was able to bring my cast iron leaf bin that an old neighbor gifted me with before her untimely stroke and relocation to a nursing home. Then add the find of the end of Sam's Club garden discounts........a black composter reduced to $20!! and the neighbor's grass for a middle pile and I'm happily making compost since I had to leave behind 45 cubic feet of finished compost at the former homestead due to a messy but necessairy divorce, foreclosure and eviction....... tomato's are now thumping along, beans are four foot on the canes I had to purchase as I've not found cane growing nearby to harvest my own yet. bad enough I had to leave those 75 oak tomato sticks Mr. Leonard made me that were eight foot tall that have lasted me 15 years...........checked out that link for the growing zone change and was shocked at the remarkable difference. since the bulk of my gardens are staying at a friend's acreage in Jefferson City and last visit showed me that SHE wasn't getting rain either, I realize most of my containers there are probably fried. I had close to 200 assorted sizes with shrubs, perennials and what not. But apparently Greeneville catches the weather as it slides up north eastwards. maddie in the green bowl, gardening in the old historical downtown part of Greeneville in zone 7b surrounded by the Cherokee National Forest and Appalachians

I wish someone would talk about this East version of Knoxville Botanical garden. I recall a failed attempt to have one at Northshore. Amazindirt: I believe there is a nursery that may be inside the Cookeville city limits which I have not been to. Burgess Falls is a different nursery a few miles below I-40 near the waterfalls. I didn't check, but my recollection is that their website is burgessfallsnursery.com-----otherwise google for them---they do have a simple website that lists a lot of what they have. My recollection is that there is yet a third nursery somewhere above Cookeville that specializes in only fruit. I am including the pick tn. website that lists a lot of nurseries in the state. I have found a lot of "neat little off the beaten path" nurseries that way. It has been a while since I've been there but I think there is a way to sort by county....and I think Cookeville is Putnam county. Michaela: I've tried e-mailing you twice---both returned with errors. Annas gardens is open this time of year by appointment only---ph 423-753-9314 Here is a link that might be useful: Tennessee nurseries