Garden Design Advice?
Lilly
diggers. Shez, Auntie, Rhy, Sparrow, Jani, Katie, Hecate, Flase, et
all: but first some stats. The farm house we're thinking about moving
into is dreadfully landscaped, but has huge potential. As it stands
specifically round the house itself, large rhodie and hydrangea
bushes, say 4' tall or so, right up against the house, with say 3-4 '
in between them. They look like lonely pod blobs, with nothing to
soften, incorporate, or continue the lines round the house.
My question/s are, what to plant next to them, in between them? They
haven't bloomed yet, so I have no idea the colors, but I'm fairly set
the hydrangea is blue. No idea about the rhodies. Something tall, like
a fairly non-invasive bamboo? I should think same height would be too
blocky. If I do something tallish, I can under plant with plenty of
things just fine. Truth be told, if I had my druthers, I'd love to dig
up the bushes and reposition them after building some retainer walls
round and try to unify them with taller stuff, and since they're so
"bushy" maybe some spikey things, iris at least, I dunno. If I redug a
bed, raised it up, made a small retainer wall against the house, the
bushes themselves would be taller... or I could trellis some areas,
but I'm already trellising the 2 patios... what say youse? Ideas? /=D
~Lilly
"I am not afraid. As a matter of fact, this is one of the
more pleasant evenings I have spent in the catacombs."
-Jeanne St. Remy de Valois-
Shez
<shu...@once.shush> writes
Can you take a photo of the view, and where the bushes are positioned,
If not, then take a look at the view from the house, Should it be
blocked by bushes or should it be framed.
I don't like bushes near a house, though they look nice when they are
flowering they are as gloomy as hell the rest of the year, and they can
and do overgrow and destroy good land,
Hydrangeas can be trimmed and shaped, But take out any bushes that spoil
the view,
hydrangeas can do well on a North wall, they don't like direct
sunlight, and are happy in fairly poor soil.
The colour of hydrangea flowers is optional depending on your soil, if
you want blue you have to add sulphate of iron. You can get feeds with
this in just for Hydrangea.
I would be tempted to take the lot out, and start again, perhaps with a
climbing rose or wisteria on the house wall, or something like Virginia
creeper to soften it. If the building looks a bit harsh in the
landscape,
You can use Russian vine to give an almost instant softening effect, it
grows about 25ft a year, and has white bell flowers, but its to rampant
to keep long term, its fine while other plants grow up and around the
house, and then you need to dig it out and destroy it,
Remember whatever you put near the house, make sure the roots are a good
two or three feet away from the walls, so the roots don't damage the
foundations.
How lovely to have a near virgin landscape to play with, I envy you :)
>
>"I am not afraid. As a matter of fact, this is one of the
>more pleasant evenings I have spent in the catacombs."
>-Jeanne St. Remy de Valois-
--
Shez sh...@oldcity.f2s.com
Shez's Garden at http://www.oldcity.f2s.com/shez/
Aunty Kreist
>From: Shez sh...@oldcity.f2s.com
>Date: 3/29/2004 5:06 PM Eastern Standard Time
>Message-id: <MUW$IuCQ3J...@oldcity.f2s.com>
I wonder how some sort of topiary might look in between the bushes? I can't
recall the specific name of them, but there's a tree I see at many of the
nurseries around here that grows in an upward spiral, sort of like this:
http://www.growinglifestyle.com/article/s0/a251771.html
It'll grow tall and skinny, and won't get bushy, or block the view.
Flase might be able to remember the name of these trees.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Cunning Linguist :Ş
"Aunty Kreist" <aunty...@aol.comeondown> wrote in message
news:20040329213927...@mb-m26.aol.com...
| I wonder how some sort of topiary might look in between the bushes?
Sit in front of a mirror naked with your legs spread
--
Talesin- The Bad Boy of Witchcraft (tm)
"It's gettin' to be ri-god damned-diculous"- John Wayne
Fight for your rights- register to vote http://www.declareyourself.com/
© 2004 by Talesin- The Bad Boy of Witchcraft. All rights reserved
Aunty Kreist
>Date: 3/29/2004 11:07 PM Eastern Standard Time
>Message-id: <Ln6ac.6275$z%1.1...@twister.rdc-kc.rr.com>
>
>
>"Aunty Kreist" <aunty...@aol.comeondown> wrote in message
>news:20040329213927...@mb-m26.aol.com...
>
>| I wonder how some sort of topiary might look in between the bushes?
>
>Sit in front of a mirror naked with your legs spread
>
>--
>Talesin- The Bad Boy of Witchcraft (tm)
>
Poor fOtty. Once again, his jealousy of other's talents shines thru. What a
sad, fat old man you are. Imagine being jealous of gardening, for heaven's
sakes. I can only imagine the Sanford and Son yard you must have.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Cunning Linguist :Ş
"Aunty Kreist" <aunty...@aol.comeondown> wrote in message
| >Subject: Re: Garden Design Advice?
| >From: "The Cunning Linguist :Ş" the_wi...@XyahooX.com
| >Date: 3/29/2004 11:07 PM Eastern Standard Time
| >Message-id: <Ln6ac.6275$z%1.1...@twister.rdc-kc.rr.com>
| >
| >
| >"Aunty Kreist" <aunty...@aol.comeondown> wrote in message
| >news:20040329213927...@mb-m26.aol.com...
| >
| >| I wonder how some sort of topiary might look in between the bushes?
| >
| >Sit in front of a mirror naked with your legs spread
| >
| >--
| >Talesin- The Bad Boy of Witchcraft (tm)
| >
|
|
| Poor fOtty. Once again, his jealousy of other's talents shines thru. What
a
| sad, fat old man you are. Imagine being jealous of gardening, for heaven's
| sakes. I can only imagine the Sanford and Son yard you must have.
Why don't you just beam in with your satellite camera, psycho skank?
So how did your topiary look?
--
Talesin- The Bad Boy of Witchcraft (tm)
"It's gettin' to be ri-god damned-diculous"- John Wayne
Fight for your rights- register to vote http://www.declareyourself.com/
© 2004 by Talesin- The Bad Boy of Witchcraft. All rights reserved
theoneflasehaddock
>Date: 3/29/2004 9:39 PM Eastern Standard Time
>Message-id: <20040329213927...@mb-m26.aol.com>
>
I'm piggybacking, as I seem to have missed the original message.
The only reason to grow virginia creeper is if you have good habitat for poison
ivy. As long as it's planted first, it'll overgrow it. Otherwise, it's invasive
and weedlike. Not bad for shade underneath trees.
If you have warm enough winters for Wisteria (you might) they are incredible in
bloom.
Of course, you can't go wrong with some type of lilly. Real lillies, not the
daylillies that grow like weeds, are always nice. Turks cap lillies (there are
at least 5 species, at least 4 colors) are among the nicest.
There are a few orchids that can be grown in gardens... Unfortunately, most are
hard to come by (but cheaper that other orchids).
I'd advise whatever you get, if it grows in 1-2 years, and is for a flower
garden, grow from seed. You'll save tons of money over plants, and you'll be
able to weed out the weaker individuals. Plus, most nurseries only sell rather
common plants, seeds are easier to find with anything more interesting.
If you like Arisaema (jack-in-the-pulpits) I believe Heronswood (a huge
nursery) may be out towards where you are. Or it might not, I might be
confused. They have a website though somewhere... For the most part, they are a
rip-off, but they have things not available elsewhere.
Shasta daisies can grow real fast from seed for sunny spots.
I've actually got the same kind of problem. Me and Froggie have a house that
hasn't been landscaped. So far, we've added tulip bulbs (pink and black, as
well as some pink lilly-flowered tulips, and Tulipa greigii (a red species with
allegedly variegated leaves.... guess we'll see if they are...)
You can never go wrong with tulips.
So far I've had the best results with shasta diasies, but I've also got
forget-me-nots, campanula (canturbury bells), and black sweet williams already
coming up...
Daffodils are nice. Supposedly, if interspersed with other bulbs, squirrels
won't dig them, because they taste real bad.
Anyways, I'm ignoring our bushes. Gave them a pruning, and they'll come out
when flowers have had a few years to spread...
A few evening primroses (Oononthera), if left up all year and not cut, will
attract birds in the winter looking for seeds sometimes. They're biennials
though, so expect some time for them to get going. And the roots can supposedly
be brewed into a tea.
If you've got rhododendrons growing, you've got acidic soil. Instead of adding
lime, avoid plants that like real rocky areas, and avoid ones that need basic
substrate. Most plants prefer semi-acidic. Be especially careful with ferns or
orchids, that you know they like acidic soil if you get any.
If you are planting iris, be careful of squirrels. We've lost almost all of our
Iris. First I chased it off, then an hour later, I went back, and had ten neat
little holes... goddamned squirrel.
BTW, if you hear that bloodroot will repel them, it won't. Don't bother them at
all.
And mothballs are very bad (poisonous) so shoudn't be used either... Damn I
hate squirrels.
a bit harsh in the
>>landscape,
>>You can use Russian vine to give an almost instant softening effect, it
>>grows about 25ft a year, and has white bell flowers, but its to rampant
>>to keep long term, its fine while other plants grow up and around the
>>house, and then you need to dig it out and destroy it,
>>Remember whatever you put near the house, make sure the roots are a good
>>two or three feet away from the walls, so the roots don't damage the
>>foundations.
>>
>>How lovely to have a near virgin landscape to play with, I envy you :)
>
>
>I wonder how some sort of topiary might look in between the bushes? I can't
>recall the specific name of them, but there's a tree I see at many of the
>nurseries around here that grows in an upward spiral, sort of like this:
>
>http://www.growinglifestyle.com/article/s0/a251771.html
Unless they switched pages, that is not a tree, it's English Ivy growing up a
shaped trellis. They do that around here too. It's actually just climbing
something. It's much more of a vine than a tree.
>
>It'll grow tall and skinny, and won't get bushy, or block the view.
>
>Flase might be able to remember the name of these trees.
>
>
>
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
>http://hometown.aol.com/auntykreist/myhomepage/profile.html
>
>
>
>
>
>
theoneflasehaddock
Sparrow's Wench
news:o83h60t32j5kvj55r...@4ax.com...
> I've got a question to bounce on all you illustrious fellow dirt
> diggers. Shez, Auntie, Rhy, Sparrow, Jani, Katie, Hecate, Flase, et
> all: but first some stats. The farm house we're thinking about moving
> into is dreadfully landscaped, but has huge potential. As it stands
> specifically round the house itself, large rhodie and hydrangea
> bushes, say 4' tall or so, right up against the house, with say 3-4 '
> in between them. They look like lonely pod blobs, with nothing to
> soften, incorporate, or continue the lines round the house.
Heya Sweetie! I like some of Shez's ideas on this, and the topiary idea
from Aunty too. I've always wanted an Edward Scissorhands-type garden. Too
kewl.
Shez is totally right about your hydrangeas. The color will depend on the
iron content in the soil. If you want your flowers a beautiful deep blue,
dig it up and put about a pound of NON-galvinized, iron nails under the root
ball of the plant (hardware store, lol). As for the rhododendrons, they
could be any color. Deep purple, white, pink, or fuschia. If they're like
the majority of the rhodies up here (the wild ones that grow on our
islands), they're gonna be fuschia though. :P
If you want to go with the vines Shez mentioned, clematis grows excellent up
here. It's a very delicate, pretty plant of the buttercup family. Here's a
couple links to what it looks like:
http://www.vvm.com/~jevans/sfbotany/folderwildflowers/clemantis.html
http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/clematis/
> My question/s are, what to plant next to them, in between them? They
> haven't bloomed yet, so I have no idea the colors, but I'm fairly set
> the hydrangea is blue. No idea about the rhodies. Something tall, like
> a fairly non-invasive bamboo? I should think same height would be too
> blocky. If I do something tallish, I can under plant with plenty of
> things just fine. Truth be told, if I had my druthers, I'd love to dig
> up the bushes and reposition them after building some retainer walls
> round and try to unify them with taller stuff, and since they're so
> "bushy" maybe some spikey things, iris at least, I dunno. If I redug a
> bed, raised it up, made a small retainer wall against the house, the
> bushes themselves would be taller... or I could trellis some areas,
> but I'm already trellising the 2 patios... what say youse? Ideas? /=D
> ~Lilly
If you want to move them I'd say go for it. It's fairly easy to do,
providing they aren't massively hugh. :O Now's a good time as the plant's
*energy* is moving from the rootball into the leaves and eventual flowers.
Bad to dig them up in the Winter or heat of Summer (due to the heat, can
kill the root pretty quickly on smaller plants). Iris are beautiful! You
could put some daffodils/jonquils/tulips too. Those have spikey leaves when
they come up. Unfortunately we only get them this time of year for about a
month, maybe 2 if we're lucky. Dood, speaking of these flowers, you HAVE to
check out the Skagit Valley! I drove through there yesterday and it's just
beautiful. =) No tourists yet either, lol. (Best Road, going to La
Conner, has the lion's share of the tulips far as I could tell).
Anyways, um...for a year-round spikey plant I'm drawing a blank. Bamboo is
about it as far as I know. You could use those little rose bushes you buy
in the grocery stores (the ones with roses about the size of a quarter or
thereabouts) for ground filler. They won't grow fer shit in the house, but
they thrive outside. I had a miniature rose garden a couple years ago. It
was so cute, lol. They also come in all sorts of colors, including the fire
and ice (red and white striped, like mint candies). Hostus is also an
awesome ground cover. All grow easy up here, and are very low-maintenance.
We're really lucky here as most plants will grow well with little or no
work.
Hope some of this helps.
Many Blessings,
Tegan
--
~When it blows, the mountain wind is boisterous, but when it blows not, it
simply blows not. However, this just blows...~ *zen for today*
Shez
<sa...@thecaribbean.com> writes
Much as I like tulips and daffs, they do look unsightly after they have
flowered, its best to grow them as under planting, where other plants
will grow and cover them after the flowering period
Their is a lovely climbing rose, Called New Dawn, it only climbs to
about 8ft high, so it doesn't take over a wall, its got small roses,
with a nice scent, its a very pale pink almost like porcelain. Its also
tough and a repeat flowerier, it flowers from June to November in my
garden.
That is a very easy rose to keep in shape. Plenty of thorns to,
If you want topiary the best plant is bay, box or privet, all small
leafed and slow growing, It would take a few years to get them to a
height where they make good topiary subjects... all are thick enough to
keep out most animals, and stop people climbing into windows.
Lavender is a good plant for near a door, you get the lovely smell and
with old fashioned lavenders they are spiky, some of the dwarf lavenders
like Munstead dwarf are very pretty and have a spectacular scent and
huge amounts of flowers, French lavender has an almost butterfly shaped
flower in a rich violet to mauve colour wonderful scent and its a nice
low growing and spiky bush.
The Cunning Linguist :Ş
"theoneflasehaddock" <oneflas...@aol.comfuckoff> wrote in message
news:20040330132529...@mb-m11.aol.com...
Faggot
Lilly
<snippety my blatherings>
>Can you take a photo of the view, and where the bushes are positioned,
>If not, then take a look at the view from the house, Should it be
>blocked by bushes or should it be framed.
Interesting point. I'm going to do that. Look at "views" from
different angles/perspectives and see what I think. As to a pic, no
digi, but I could snap reg'ler film and have it put on disc. Eh, we're
not even sure we're going to take this place yet. The commute would be
a kick in the pants for the husband.
>I don't like bushes near a house, though they look nice when they are
>flowering they are as gloomy as hell the rest of the year, and they can
>and do overgrow and destroy good land,
Amen to that, and usually, people plant too close together for my
druthers, but this isn't the case here. Big bald empty spots, and the
grass is patchy at best. Then again, I don't like grass at all. I'd
take it all out and plant with ground covers good for the animals and
the enviro if I could.
>Hydrangeas can be trimmed and shaped, But take out any bushes that spoil
>the view,
> hydrangeas can do well on a North wall, they don't like direct
>sunlight, and are happy in fairly poor soil.
>The colour of hydrangea flowers is optional depending on your soil, if
>you want blue you have to add sulphate of iron. You can get feeds with
>this in just for Hydrangea.
Ya, I love them. I'd say the blue/purple, the greenish blue, and the
white are my favs. I learned that if I feed more acid grow, the
purple-er they get. If I feed every other dose with african violet
food, they get a gorgeous greenish tinge. I always et confuzzeled on
the pruning though. Bloom on old wood, yes?
>I would be tempted to take the lot out, and start again, perhaps with a
>climbing rose or wisteria on the house wall, or something like Virginia
>creeper to soften it. If the building looks a bit harsh in the
>landscape,
This is what I was thinking I'd end up doing at the end of the day
anyway. Better to do it right, one time, than constantly redo and
patch things up because of poor planning. I love wisteria, but I have
a devil of a time getting the white one I have to bloom. Carted that
one clear from Calif I did, here to Washington, and I don't think it
much likes the new climate despite it being the right zone for it. As
for an evergreen vine, I was thinking of honeysuckle (white) and blue
passion flower. I love trumpet vines (lav/blue) and morning glories
but they're not evergreen are they? Going to have to look up Virginia
Creeper now.
>You can use Russian vine to give an almost instant softening effect, it
>grows about 25ft a year, and has white bell flowers, but its to rampant
>to keep long term, its fine while other plants grow up and around the
>house, and then you need to dig it out and destroy it,
This sounds excellent! Just my style, I'll look this one up as well,
thank you!
>Remember whatever you put near the house, make sure the roots are a good
>two or three feet away from the walls, so the roots don't damage the
>foundations.
Oh, so I shouldn't plant say a river willow near the pipes? LOL! Ack!
>How lovely to have a near virgin landscape to play with, I envy you :)
Well, virgin should we take the house, and after a few weeks of
digging and moving things all about. =D
~L
Why are you wearing that stupid bunny suit?
Why are you wearing that stupid man suit?
Donnie Darko & Frank
Lilly
<sa...@thecaribbean.com> wrote:
<snip blathering>
>Heya Sweetie!
Hey babe! By the by... I'm having trouble seeing some of your posts!
Dammititalltohell, I can't for the life of me figger out why. >=/
> I like some of Shez's ideas on this, and the topiary idea
>from Aunty too. I've always wanted an Edward Scissorhands-type garden. Too
>kewl.
LOL! Just as long as you don't get the hairdos! Heh, ya, so many
talented dirt diggers here! All good ideas, too.
>Shez is totally right about your hydrangeas. The color will depend on the
>iron content in the soil. If you want your flowers a beautiful deep blue,
>dig it up and put about a pound of NON-galvinized, iron nails under the root
>ball of the plant (hardware store, lol). As for the rhododendrons, they
>could be any color. Deep purple, white, pink, or fuschia. If they're like
>the majority of the rhodies up here (the wild ones that grow on our
>islands), they're gonna be fuschia though. :P
Ok, so iron is what causes the "acid" in the acid grow? Nails??? What
a great idea! As for rhodies, like em, but not my favorite because of
the fushia/reddish color. Blerg. We have some gorgeous violet and
lavender rhodies here at this house though so I'm thinking of buying
some root-o and taking some cuttings. Plus, they have a white
hydrangea, a white lilac (I only have purple), and some bush that has
amazing tiny fragrant blue flowers on it, and I wanted cuttings of
them as well. Then there's the neighbors giant bush that I guess is
some type of magnolia (the blooms look like pale pink and cream lotus
almost) and I was thinking of knocking on their door and asking if I
could have a few cuttings of those as well... <sigh>.
>If you want to go with the vines Shez mentioned, clematis grows excellent up
>here. It's a very delicate, pretty plant of the buttercup family. Here's a
>couple links to what it looks like:
>
>http://www.vvm.com/~jevans/sfbotany/folderwildflowers/clemantis.html
>
>http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/clematis/
Oh wow! I LOVE clematis! This Spring is the first time I got some. 2
of em, they had them on sale at Walmart, so I got a blue-violet type
and a blue type. I was going to put them in a big terra cotta pot with
a trellis, do you think they'd do better in the ground?
<snip blathering>
>
>If you want to move them I'd say go for it. It's fairly easy to do,
>providing they aren't massively hugh. :O Now's a good time as the plant's
>*energy* is moving from the rootball into the leaves and eventual flowers.
>Bad to dig them up in the Winter or heat of Summer (due to the heat, can
>kill the root pretty quickly on smaller plants). Iris are beautiful! You
>could put some daffodils/jonquils/tulips too. Those have spikey leaves when
>they come up. Unfortunately we only get them this time of year for about a
>month, maybe 2 if we're lucky. Dood, speaking of these flowers, you HAVE to
>check out the Skagit Valley! I drove through there yesterday and it's just
>beautiful. =) No tourists yet either, lol. (Best Road, going to La
>Conner, has the lion's share of the tulips far as I could tell).
La Conner is amazing! Such a cute little town and so many gorgeous
farm houses and victorians as well, anyway, tulips, jonquils (are they
the same as narcissus?) and I'd love to naturalize some daffies if I
can. I hear that rhodies has a fairly shallow root ball anyway, so I
think they'd be pretty easy to dig up. Anyways, I'll check out skagit
valley again, we go through there to get to our favorite creek in the
concrete area.
>Anyways, um...for a year-round spikey plant I'm drawing a blank. Bamboo is
>about it as far as I know. You could use those little rose bushes you buy
>in the grocery stores (the ones with roses about the size of a quarter or
>thereabouts) for ground filler. They won't grow fer shit in the house, but
>they thrive outside. I had a miniature rose garden a couple years ago. It
>was so cute, lol. They also come in all sorts of colors, including the fire
>and ice (red and white striped, like mint candies). Hostus is also an
>awesome ground cover. All grow easy up here, and are very low-maintenance.
Aww man, I kill those small roses no matter what I do. Haven't tried
them outdoors though. And hostas is great, I love those as well. Good
ground covers, thanks!
>We're really lucky here as most plants will grow well with little or no
>work.
>
>Hope some of this helps.
It does, thanks goilie!
Lilly
wrote:
<schnippen>
Thanks, these look fun too!
Lilly
<the_wi...@XyahooX.com> wrote:
>
>"Aunty Kreist" <aunty...@aol.comeondown> wrote in message
>news:20040329213927...@mb-m26.aol.com...
>
>| I wonder how some sort of topiary might look in between the bushes?
>
>Sit in front of a mirror naked with your legs spread
Gosh you're clever.
~Lilly
Lilly
(theoneflasehaddock) wrote:
>>Subject: Re: Garden Design Advice?
>>From: aunty...@aol.comeondown (Aunty Kreist)
>>Date: 3/29/2004 9:39 PM Eastern Standard Time
>>Message-id: <20040329213927...@mb-m26.aol.com>
>>
>
>I'm piggybacking, as I seem to have missed the original message.
Thanks Flase!
<snip>
>>>
>>>Can you take a photo of the view, and where the bushes are positioned,
>>>If not, then take a look at the view from the house, Should it be
>>>blocked by bushes or should it be framed.
>>>
>>>I don't like bushes near a house, though they look nice when they are
>>>flowering they are as gloomy as hell the rest of the year, and they can
>>>and do overgrow and destroy good land,
>>>Hydrangeas can be trimmed and shaped, But take out any bushes that spoil
>>>the view,
>>> hydrangeas can do well on a North wall, they don't like direct
>>>sunlight, and are happy in fairly poor soil.
>>>The colour of hydrangea flowers is optional depending on your soil, if
>>>you want blue you have to add sulphate of iron. You can get feeds with
>>>this in just for Hydrangea.
>>>
>>>I would be tempted to take the lot out, and start again, perhaps with a
>>>climbing rose or wisteria on the house wall, or something like Virginia
>>>creeper to soften it. If the building looks
>
>The only reason to grow virginia creeper is if you have good habitat for poison
>ivy. As long as it's planted first, it'll overgrow it. Otherwise, it's invasive
>and weedlike. Not bad for shade underneath trees.
Ahh, ok, I was going to look that one up. As its a new area, I'm not
sure if there's poison ivy or not, but I think not. Lots of good
ground covers, though.
>If you have warm enough winters for Wisteria (you might) they are incredible in
>bloom.
As I said to Shez, lol, I'm crazy about wisteria, I might just need to
purchase some that are used to this climate. Are they tricky to get to
bloom? And despite this being explained to my silly self a million
times, I STILL don't get how to prune them to encourage bloom and
growth.
>Of course, you can't go wrong with some type of lilly. Real lillies, not the
>daylillies that grow like weeds, are always nice. Turks cap lillies (there are
>at least 5 species, at least 4 colors) are among the nicest.
I collect lilies, and I'll definitely look this up. I have day lilies,
but I'm confining themto a giant whiskey barrel.
>There are a few orchids that can be grown in gardens... Unfortunately, most are
>hard to come by (but cheaper that other orchids).
OMGawd, the husband and I love them, but can't seem to keep them alive
after their blooms die. I'd LOV to have some outdoors! Any
suggestions? We're zone 8...
>I'd advise whatever you get, if it grows in 1-2 years, and is for a flower
>garden, grow from seed. You'll save tons of money over plants, and you'll be
>able to weed out the weaker individuals. Plus, most nurseries only sell rather
>common plants, seeds are easier to find with anything more interesting.
I'm doing this as we speak. Hoping to have some good specimens to take
with us, regardless of the house we ultimately end up choosing.
>If you like Arisaema (jack-in-the-pulpits) I believe Heronswood (a huge
>nursery) may be out towards where you are. Or it might not, I might be
>confused. They have a website though somewhere... For the most part, they are a
>rip-off, but they have things not available elsewhere.
They have a wonderful website! I love jack-in-the-pulpits...
>Shasta daisies can grow real fast from seed for sunny spots.
Do they stay short?
>I've actually got the same kind of problem. Me and Froggie have a house that
>hasn't been landscaped. So far, we've added tulip bulbs (pink and black, as
>well as some pink lilly-flowered tulips, and Tulipa greigii (a red species with
>allegedly variegated leaves.... guess we'll see if they are...)
>You can never go wrong with tulips.
LOL, good point!
>So far I've had the best results with shasta diasies, but I've also got
>forget-me-nots, campanula (canturbury bells), and black sweet williams already
>coming up...
I don't think I've ever seen black sweet william, wow. Can you believe
I have a hard time growing sweet violets from seed? They're supposed
to be so invasive and hard to kill...
>Daffodils are nice. Supposedly, if interspersed with other bulbs, squirrels
>won't dig them, because they taste real bad.
Really... that's cool, because I was thinking of trying to naturalize
daffies and some other bulbs along the long, long driveway area.
Coolio.
>Anyways, I'm ignoring our bushes. Gave them a pruning, and they'll come out
>when flowers have had a few years to spread...
Hrm, well, if we don't take that house, guess it won't matter, heh. If
we do, I'm thinking I should just dig the bastards up n' move em to a
better location. That way I can pick their light exactly, their
spacing, underplantings, etc...
>A few evening primroses (Oononthera), if left up all year and not cut, will
>attract birds in the winter looking for seeds sometimes. They're biennials
>though, so expect some time for them to get going. And the roots can supposedly
>be brewed into a tea.
Ah, this is why I had no blooms this season, thanks. I've been waiting
for my foxglove all last year with just leaves, knowing that I'd get
spectacular blooms this year, apricot n' cream color, now I'm thinking
of starting with some prims that are already in blooms so they'll be
on the same cycle, lol!
>If you've got rhododendrons growing, you've got acidic soil. Instead of adding
>lime, avoid plants that like real rocky areas, and avoid ones that need basic
>substrate. Most plants prefer semi-acidic. Be especially careful with ferns or
>orchids, that you know they like acidic soil if you get any.
Ahh, thanks. I saw naturalized sword ferns all over towards the
forest, but I love all kinds of ferns. Love to collect them someday
actually. Gardenias for sure.
>If you are planting iris, be careful of squirrels. We've lost almost all of our
>Iris. First I chased it off, then an hour later, I went back, and had ten neat
>little holes... goddamned squirrel.
Ahh! Damn! Well I had some that I was going to plant in the whiskey
barrel with the day lilies, so maybe I'll cover them with a squirrel
cage.
>BTW, if you hear that bloodroot will repel them, it won't. Don't bother them at
>all.
>And mothballs are very bad (poisonous) so shoudn't be used either... Damn I
>hate squirrels.
No I wouldn't. Usually I just try to distract and bribe them in some
other area of the garden. The little turds planted peanuts, sunflowers
and corn in my ceramic special species pots!
>>http://www.growinglifestyle.com/article/s0/a251771.html
>
>Unless they switched pages, that is not a tree, it's English Ivy growing up a
>shaped trellis. They do that around here too. It's actually just climbing
>something. It's much more of a vine than a tree.
Ah, I've been wanting to try boston ivy as well. Isn't that the one
that turns reddish?
~L
Aunty Kreist
>Date: 3/30/2004 11:32 PM Eastern Standard Time
>Message-id: <crhk601tc9ba0bsl7...@4ax.com>
Wisteria can take 5 years to bloom. Also, you have to look at the soil- is your
soil similar to the soil the wisteria came from, or is it different? Cally soil
might be of a sandier texture.
As
>for an evergreen vine, I was thinking of honeysuckle (white) and blue
>passion flower. I love trumpet vines (lav/blue)
Trumpet vines and honeysuckle both attract hummingbirds, if you're into that.
:)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Aunty Kreist
>Date: 3/30/2004 1:25 PM Eastern Standard Time
>Message-id: <20040330132529...@mb-m11.aol.com>
Yeah, I couldn't find the tree I was describing, and that was the only photo I
could find of a similar shape. The actual tree I was describing is some sort of
smallish evergreen, I believe. IIRC, they are about 6 feet tall.
>>It'll grow tall and skinny, and won't get bushy, or block the view.
>>
>>Flase might be able to remember the name of these trees.
>>
>>
>>
>>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>
>>http://hometown.aol.com/auntykreist/myhomepage/profile.html
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>theoneflasehaddock
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Aunty Kreist
>Date: 3/31/2004 12:04 AM Eastern Standard Time
>Message-id: <9cjk60h3u71drigkc...@4ax.com>
They can take 5 years to bloom, and I've even heard cases of it taking 10. I
ordered one from a nursery, so I'll be experimenting with it over the summer,
I'll let ya know what I learn. :)
They grow very easily down south- Louisiana has them everywhere, so think
swamp, mucky soil, lots of moisture.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shez
<aunty...@aol.comeondown> writes
Not to much wet. and their roots can reach 16ft long, so be prepared for
a long root system... They don't take much looking after. Just cutting
regularly after flowering, and in the winter.
>
>
>
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
>http://hometown.aol.com/auntykreist/myhomepage/profile.html
Shez
<shu...@once.shush> writes
>>If you have warm enough winters for Wisteria (you might) they are incredible in
>>bloom.
>
>As I said to Shez, lol, I'm crazy about wisteria, I might just need to
>purchase some that are used to this climate. Are they tricky to get to
>bloom? And despite this being explained to my silly self a million
>times, I STILL don't get how to prune them to encourage bloom and
>growth.
>
after its settled in for a few months. Cut back all the suckers. ( vine
like branches) to every third along that branch. And then let it do its
own thing :)
Keep it trimmed that way, and the branch will thicken and thicken like a
tree trunk you can while its young and supple train it along a wall or
trellis to the shape you want.
It takes three to five years to get a wisteria to flower, but if you cut
it every year then you will see flowers quicker. Each successive year
gives you more and more flowers.
Shez
<aunty...@aol.comeondown> writes
>>Subject: Re: Garden Design Advice?
>>From: oneflas...@aol.comfuckoff (theoneflasehaddock)
>>Date: 3/30/2004 1:25 PM Eastern Standard Time
>>Message-id: <20040330132529...@mb-m11.aol.com>
>>
>>
>
>Yeah, I couldn't find the tree I was describing, and that was the only photo I
>could find of a similar shape. The actual tree I was describing is some sort of
>smallish evergreen, I believe. IIRC, they are about 6 feet tall.
>
privet.
>
>>>It'll grow tall and skinny, and won't get bushy, or block the view.
>>>
>>>Flase might be able to remember the name of these trees.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>>
>>>http://hometown.aol.com/auntykreist/myhomepage/profile.html
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>theoneflasehaddock
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
>
>
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
>http://hometown.aol.com/auntykreist/myhomepage/profile.html
--
Shez
<aunty...@aol.comeondown> writes
attracted humming birds, we don't have them in England. And I think they
are so beautiful.
Shez
<shu...@once.shush> writes
>On Mon, 29 Mar 2004 23:06:08 +0100, Shez <sh...@oldcity.f2s.com> wrote:
>
><snippety my blatherings>
>
>>Can you take a photo of the view, and where the bushes are positioned,
>>If not, then take a look at the view from the house, Should it be
>>blocked by bushes or should it be framed.
People often forget to look out of their windows to see if the view is
worthwhile, If you have a fantastic view then use a garden design that
frames the view, or highlights it.
>
>Interesting point. I'm going to do that. Look at "views" from
>different angles/perspectives and see what I think. As to a pic, no
>digi, but I could snap reg'ler film and have it put on disc. Eh, we're
>not even sure we're going to take this place yet. The commute would be
>a kick in the pants for the husband.
But it would be lovely to have a house and the land to play with :)
>
>>I don't like bushes near a house, though they look nice when they are
>>flowering they are as gloomy as hell the rest of the year, and they can
>>and do overgrow and destroy good land,
>
>Amen to that, and usually, people plant too close together for my
>druthers, but this isn't the case here. Big bald empty spots, and the
>grass is patchy at best. Then again, I don't like grass at all. I'd
>take it all out and plant with ground covers good for the animals and
>the enviro if I could.
Will you need a veranda or patio area near the house, somewhere you can
sit and enjoy the garden, the further away from the house such an area
is, the less it gets used. If its part of the house, then the garden,
patio and house become an extension of each other. Which is the ideal
>
>>Hydrangeas can be trimmed and shaped, But take out any bushes that spoil
>>the view,
>> hydrangeas can do well on a North wall, they don't like direct
>>sunlight, and are happy in fairly poor soil.
>>The colour of hydrangea flowers is optional depending on your soil, if
>>you want blue you have to add sulphate of iron. You can get feeds with
>>this in just for Hydrangea.
>
>Ya, I love them. I'd say the blue/purple, the greenish blue, and the
>white are my favs. I learned that if I feed more acid grow, the
>purple-er they get. If I feed every other dose with african violet
>food, they get a gorgeous greenish tinge. I always et confuzzeled on
>the pruning though. Bloom on old wood, yes?
You cant do to much wrong with Hydrangeas, cut back after the flowers
have gone, take out all the old blooms, dry them if you like they make
good dried flowers. And give the plant a trim to the shape you want it.
>
>>I would be tempted to take the lot out, and start again, perhaps with a
>>climbing rose or wisteria on the house wall, or something like Virginia
>>creeper to soften it. If the building looks a bit harsh in the
>>landscape,
>
>This is what I was thinking I'd end up doing at the end of the day
>anyway. Better to do it right, one time, than constantly redo and
>patch things up because of poor planning. I love wisteria, but I have
>a devil of a time getting the white one I have to bloom. Carted that
>one clear from Calif I did, here to Washington, and I don't think it
>much likes the new climate despite it being the right zone for it. As
>for an evergreen vine, I was thinking of honeysuckle (white) and blue
>passion flower. I love trumpet vines (lav/blue) and morning glories
>but they're not evergreen are they? Going to have to look up Virginia
>Creeper now.
Honeysuckle is a problem against a wall, each successive year it leaves
all the dead branches and leaves under the cover of the new greenery, it
can end up several feet thick. You need to plant it where it can easily
be trimmed back.
Passiflora, or passion flowers are lovely, but they are not usually
thick enough or sturdy enough for a house wall.
>
>>You can use Russian vine to give an almost instant softening effect, it
>>grows about 25ft a year, and has white bell flowers, but its to rampant
>>to keep long term, its fine while other plants grow up and around the
>>house, and then you need to dig it out and destroy it,
>
>This sounds excellent! Just my style, I'll look this one up as well,
>thank you!
>
>>Remember whatever you put near the house, make sure the roots are a good
>>two or three feet away from the walls, so the roots don't damage the
>>foundations.
>
>Oh, so I shouldn't plant say a river willow near the pipes? LOL! Ack!
>
>>How lovely to have a near virgin landscape to play with, I envy you :)
>
>Well, virgin should we take the house, and after a few weeks of
>digging and moving things all about. =D
You will have a wonderful time, and half the fun is in the planning. If
you design your garden then you can make a plan of where every plant is,
So if you are not sure what something is, you can check,
I am always buying stuff for my garden and its got to the point where
getting another plant in a a major problem :)
>~L
>
>
>Why are you wearing that stupid bunny suit?
>Why are you wearing that stupid man suit?
>Donnie Darko & Frank
--
theoneflasehaddock
>Date: 3/31/2004 12:04 AM Eastern Standard Time
>Message-id: <9cjk60h3u71drigkc...@4ax.com>
>>If you have warm enough winters for Wisteria (you might) they are incredible
>in
>>bloom.
>
>As I said to Shez, lol, I'm crazy about wisteria, I might just need to
>purchase some that are used to this climate. Are they tricky to get to
>bloom? And despite this being explained to my silly self a million
>times, I STILL don't get how to prune them to encourage bloom and
>growth.
I don't know anything about growing Wisteria. I'm from an area with too cold of
winters, and had never seen one until a recent garden show.
>I collect lilies, and I'll definitely look this up. I have day lilies,
>but I'm confining themto a giant whiskey barrel.
Collect lillies? cool! Do you collect mainly the hybrids, or do you grow
species?
I got ahold of about 4 species of turks cap lilly recently... Hopefully,
they'll do well. I've seen a couple growing in a local park, the plants were
about as tall as I am... Amazing flowers.
>OMGawd, the husband and I love them, but can't seem to keep them alive
>after their blooms die. I'd LOV to have some outdoors! Any
>suggestions? We're zone 8...
>
Bletilla striata, Epipactis helleborine (may be classed as an invasive, for
good reason), Dactyllorhiza, Orchis. Other than Bletilla, they are rather hard
to find in the U.S. In general, though, the temperate ones are harder to grow
than tropical ones. Especially avoid Cypripedium, they are amazing, but
definitely not easy to grow in any way.
If you're having trouble keeping them alive, feel free to send an email. Just
let me know the genus, (in general, if it is a species, or miscellaneous home
depot/target/lowes hybrid), I can probably give at least general
recommendations for growing it.
Unless of course it is Oncidium/Brassia/Miltonia/Odontoglossum complex... which
almost never appear healthy in those stores, and I don't know so much about
growing.
>They have a wonderful website! I love jack-in-the-pulpits...
I always wanted a couple from there. Kind of expensive, though. SO far no luck
with the seeds of them I planted, but they won't be ready to send up leaves
until next year anyways, lol...
>Do they stay short?
Not really. Kind of like Chrysanthemums (closely related). They grow about a
foot tall, maybe a bit more so. Good for spots you don't want to mow, since
they overgrow grass.
>I don't think I've ever seen black sweet william, wow. Can you believe
>I have a hard time growing sweet violets from seed? They're supposed
>to be so invasive and hard to kill...
Violets are tough to get started. I've planted some, and had no luck so far.
Seems we have a few from the people living here before, though.
>Hrm, well, if we don't take that house, guess it won't matter, heh. If
>we do, I'm thinking I should just dig the bastards up n' move em to a
>better location. That way I can pick their light exactly, their
>spacing, underplantings, etc...
Lol, that's interesting. Personally, I don't like moving bushes, because the
roots go so deep. Hydrangea might have shallower roots than some, though.
Still, they will probably send up a few from roots left in the ground, and some
plants (I had an aloe do this) send up massive amounts of new plants if they
die back to the roots.
>Ahh, thanks. I saw naturalized sword ferns all over towards the
>forest, but I love all kinds of ferns. Love to collect them someday
>actually. Gardenias for sure.
They may be able to grow. Just be sure and, if taking from a forest, take few
from areas with many, to minimize stress to the population. And definitely make
sure it is from similar soil. Some ferns can be real picky, though not usually
the real common ones.
>Ahh! Damn! Well I had some that I was going to plant in the whiskey
>barrel with the day lilies, so maybe I'll cover them with a squirrel
>cage.
>
That's a good idea, especially right after they're dug. They see the ground has
been disturbed, and they know it's easier to dig then. Damned tree rats.
>
>No I wouldn't. Usually I just try to distract and bribe them in some
>other area of the garden. The little turds planted peanuts, sunflowers
>and corn in my ceramic special species pots!
Heh, they buried acorns in a pot with my venus flytrap seeds to years ago. When
I finally had something come up, it was a goddamned oak tree. They've gotten
all of our crocus and iris bulbs, and at least 15 tulip bulbs this year. The
important thing is, they also missed a few. We've got so many, bribing them
doesn't work.
>Ah, I've been wanting to try boston ivy as well. Isn't that the one
>that turns reddish?
Perhaps someone else here knows something about ivys. Froggie grows one, but it
seems to be bonsaii, lol. Guess pots aren't the way to grow them, unless you
like bonsaii. Heh.
-
theoneflasehaddock
theoneflasehaddock
>From: aunty...@aol.comeondown (Aunty Kreist)
>Message-id: <20040331025428...@mb-m05.aol.com>
>
>Yeah, I couldn't find the tree I was describing, and that was the only photo
>I
>could find of a similar shape. The actual tree I was describing is some sort
>of
>smallish evergreen, I believe. IIRC, they are about 6 feet tall.
Most likely a juniper of some sort that has been pruned then. They're real
popular as bonsai.
-
theoneflasehaddock
theoneflasehaddock
>Date: 3/30/2004 11:32 PM Eastern Standard Time
>Message-id: <crhk601tc9ba0bsl7...@4ax.com>
>
>I don't like grass at all. I'd
>take it all out and plant with ground covers good for the animals and
>the enviro if I could.
I agree with that. It's a bloody invasive, useless weed. It's the largest
threat to native plant species, it has little use for wildlife other than
robins, and it seems to brainwash people.
-
theoneflasehaddock
The Cunning Linguist :Ş
"Lilly" <shu...@once.shush> wrote in message
| On Tue, 30 Mar 2004 04:07:07 GMT, "The Cunning Linguist :Ş"
| <the_wi...@XyahooX.com> wrote:
|
| >
| >"Aunty Kreist" <aunty...@aol.comeondown> wrote in message
| >news:20040329213927...@mb-m26.aol.com...
| >
| >| I wonder how some sort of topiary might look in between the bushes?
| >
| >Sit in front of a mirror naked with your legs spread
|
| Gosh you're clever.
Cunning, actually
The Cunning Linguist :Ş
"Aunty Kreist" <aunty...@aol.comeondown> wrote in message
| They can take 5 years to bloom, and I've even heard cases of it taking 10.
I
| ordered one from a nursery, so I'll be experimenting with it over the
summer,
| I'll let ya know what I learn. :)
|
| They grow very easily down south- Louisiana has them everywhere, so think
| swamp, mucky soil, lots of moisture.
Louisiana, huh? Isn't that where the Debbie alter got you into all that
trouble?
The Cunning Linguist :Ş
"Aunty Kreist" <aunty...@aol.comeondown> wrote in message
| >Subject: Re: Garden Design Advice?
| >From: oneflas...@aol.comfuckoff (theoneflasehaddock)
| >Unless they switched pages, that is not a tree, it's English Ivy growing
up a
| >shaped trellis. They do that around here too. It's actually just climbing
| >something. It's much more of a vine than a tree.
| >
|
| Yeah, I couldn't find the tree I was describing, and that was the only
photo I
| could find of a similar shape. The actual tree I was describing is some
sort of
| smallish evergreen, I believe. IIRC, they are about 6 feet tall.
You can't tell ivy from a tree?
Hoo boy
Shez
theoneflasehaddock <oneflas...@aol.comfuckoff> writes
The problem with removing grass lawn in England is people replace the
lawn with stones and grit, no mowing, nothing growing either.
Shez
theoneflasehaddock <oneflas...@aol.comfuckoff> writes
snip
>
>Violets are tough to get started. I've planted some, and had no luck so far.
>Seems we have a few from the people living here before, though.
Violets in England grow near streams in woodland they are usually found
as under planting near stones or ferns.
They need a damp area, loads of shade, and lots of ignoring :)
theoneflasehaddock
>Date: 3/31/2004 10:23 AM Eastern Standard Time
>Message-id: <RTBI5vAO...@oldcity.f2s.com>
LOL, that's stupid too. The problem here is people get obsessed with keeping
dandelions out of their grass, and spray with goddamned weedkillers.
-
theoneflasehaddock
theoneflasehaddock
>Message-id: <QjeIFgAx...@oldcity.f2s.com>
>
>In article <20040331084306...@mb-m17.aol.com>,
>theoneflasehaddock <oneflas...@aol.comfuckoff> writes
>
>snip
>>
>>Violets are tough to get started. I've planted some, and had no luck so far.
>>Seems we have a few from the people living here before, though.
>
>Violets in England grow near streams in woodland they are usually found
>as under planting near stones or ferns.
>They need a damp area, loads of shade, and lots of ignoring :)
Yeah. I'm just having trouble getting the seeds to germinate. Oh well. It's not
like Thomson & Morgan gives many seeds, though. Assholes.
Just about everything else I've planted has germinated.
-
theoneflasehaddock
Caliban
<the_wi...@XyahooX.com> wrote:
>
>"Aunty Kreist" <aunty...@aol.comeondown> wrote in message
>news:20040329213927...@mb-m26.aol.com...
>
>| I wonder how some sort of topiary might look in between the bushes?
>
>Sit in front of a mirror naked with your legs spread
No wonder the only sex you get is with a lesbian hooker from Norway.
You sure know how to charm a woman.
Caliban
Mohos...@yahoo.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"All things are divided into their several classes, and succeed to one another in the same way,
though of different bodily forms. They begin and end as in an unbroken ring, though how it is
they do so be not apprehended. This is what is called the Lathe of Heaven;
and the Lathe of Heaven is the Heavenly Element in our nature."
- Chuang Tzu
Aunty Kreist
>Date: 3/31/2004 6:30 AM Eastern Standard Time
>Message-id: <7GmSMSET...@oldcity.f2s.com>
Aw, they aren't in England? I didn't know that. That's a shame! :(
They're really cute. They seem to love red flowers for some reason. :)
>>
>>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>
>>http://hometown.aol.com/auntykreist/myhomepage/profile.html
>
>--
>Shez sh...@oldcity.f2s.com
>Shez's Garden at http://www.oldcity.f2s.com/shez/
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Aunty Kreist
>Date: 3/31/2004 8:46 AM Eastern Standard Time
>Message-id: <20040331084618...@mb-m17.aol.com>
Yes!! That's it! They are Junipers. I knew you'd know. You're my hero, Flase!
*grin*
>-
>
>theoneflasehaddock
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Aunty Kreist
>Date: 3/31/2004 8:43 AM Eastern Standard Time
>Message-id: <20040331084306.04330.00000405@
>Heh, they buried acorns in a pot with my venus flytrap seeds to years ago.
>When
>I finally had something come up, it was a goddamned oak tree. They've gotten
>all of our crocus and iris bulbs, and at least 15 tulip bulbs this year. The
>important thing is, they also missed a few. We've got so many, bribing them
>doesn't work.
Sometimes I cut the top off of plastic 1 and 2 liter soda bottles, and poke a
few holes in the top, and put them over the plant. I try to dig it into the
ground really well, so the squirrels can't overturn them so easily. It's not a
great deterrent, but sometimes it works. You can do this with cardboard milk
cartons as well, cutting the top and bottom off, building a sort of wall around
the flower.
Have you thought about getting those wire plant cages? I've also seen this mesh
stuff you can throw over the garden to keep them out until the plants start to
take off. Problem is, they looove new shoots as well. Lost 8 sunflowers one
year- the boogers ate all the shoots!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shez
theoneflasehaddock <oneflas...@aol.comfuckoff> writes
They flower spring or autumn and mine have already flowered this year,
so you might be looking at them coming up this autumn or even next
spring, They are nothing much to look at, but the scent is heavenly.
Shez
theoneflasehaddock <oneflas...@aol.comfuckoff> writes
>>Subject: Re: Garden Design Advice?
>>From: Shez sh...@oldcity.f2s.com
>>Date: 3/31/2004 10:23 AM Eastern Standard Time
>>Message-id: <RTBI5vAO...@oldcity.f2s.com>
>>
>>In article <20040331085040...@mb-m17.aol.com>,
>>theoneflasehaddock <oneflas...@aol.comfuckoff> writes
>>>>Subject: Re: Garden Design Advice?
>>>>From: Lilly shu...@once.shush
>>>>Date: 3/30/2004 11:32 PM Eastern Standard Time
>>>>Message-id: <crhk601tc9ba0bsl7...@4ax.com>
>>>>
>>>
>>>>I don't like grass at all. I'd
>>>>take it all out and plant with ground covers good for the animals and
>>>>the enviro if I could.
>>>
>>>I agree with that. It's a bloody invasive, useless weed. It's the largest
>>>threat to native plant species, it has little use for wildlife other than
>>>robins, and it seems to brainwash people.
>>>
>>>-
>>>
>>>theoneflasehaddock
>>
>>The problem with removing grass lawn in England is people replace the
>>lawn with stones and grit, no mowing, nothing growing either.
>
>
>LOL, that's stupid too. The problem here is people get obsessed with keeping
>dandelions out of their grass, and spray with goddamned weedkillers.
>
>-
I don't use chemicals we have a pond in the garden and it would kill the
fish. I have never found chemicals that useful anyway, You can dig
persistent weeds out of a lawn and re-seed the area, or re-turf, which
is faster and keep more weeds out. I keep a little patch of grass
growing around the side of the greenhouse just for returfing.
>
>theoneflasehaddock
Shez
I saw one when I was visiting America and was thrilled to bits,
We do have a bird that hovers like the hummingbird, its brilliant blue,
but a lot larger than American humming birds, its a fisher and lives by
the river, catching small fry. They are very rare, and I have only seen
a couple
Sparrow's Wench
> On Tue, 30 Mar 2004 10:45:04 -0800, "Sparrow's Wench"
> <sa...@thecaribbean.com> wrote:
>
> <snip blathering>
> >Heya Sweetie!
>
> Hey babe! By the by... I'm having trouble seeing some of your posts!
> Dammititalltohell, I can't for the life of me figger out why. >=/
Hmmm...I think some of them are in html format. =( Thanks, Hon, I'll keep
an eye on that before I post them from now on.
> > I like some of Shez's ideas on this, and the topiary idea
> >from Aunty too. I've always wanted an Edward Scissorhands-type garden.
Too
> >kewl.
>
> LOL! Just as long as you don't get the hairdos! Heh, ya, so many
> talented dirt diggers here! All good ideas, too.
hehehe But, the hairdos are WAY kewl! hehe Seriously, there's a couple of
them I'd wear just for shock value alone, lol. Yeah, there are some awesome
gardeners here. Flase grows some amazing plants. Ones you usually have to
go to a really good arboretum to see. And Shez does the gorgeous English
garden. Both of them know their stuff very well. I don't know Aunty's
specialties, but from what she's written she definitely knows what she's
doin' too. Me, I'm a herb fanatic. :P Ya gotta love plants that are
weeds, 'cause they're so hard to kill, lol.
> Ok, so iron is what causes the "acid" in the acid grow? Nails??? What
> a great idea! As for rhodies, like em, but not my favorite because of
> the fushia/reddish color. Blerg. We have some gorgeous violet and
> lavender rhodies here at this house though so I'm thinking of buying
> some root-o and taking some cuttings. Plus, they have a white
> hydrangea, a white lilac (I only have purple), and some bush that has
> amazing tiny fragrant blue flowers on it, and I wanted cuttings of
> them as well. Then there's the neighbors giant bush that I guess is
> some type of magnolia (the blooms look like pale pink and cream lotus
> almost) and I was thinking of knocking on their door and asking if I
> could have a few cuttings of those as well... <sigh>.
Yeah, the nails was a tip from an older gardener up here (she's now in her
late 80's) who was taught by her folks (they're *old island Dutch*, lol).
We did them under our hydrangea and the flowers were just beautiful
afterwards. It took about a year for the iron to take affect for the color
change. Before it was a sickly white-very light blue color with lots of
pale greens. :P I know what you mean about the rhodies. Fuschia's a poopy
color, lol. That's the color of the wild ones though, so we're mainly stuck
with that up here. I was reading about the Haida Nation and how they would
come to Whidbey to cut the rhodies when they bloomed. I wonder what
medicinal qualities they contain...that's a kinda long trip by canoe for
just purdy flowers, lol.
Usually cuttings will fare pretty well, so long as they're kept wet. I wrap
soaked paper towels around them and then cover that in plastic wrap or
sandwich bags. Those'll keep for about 5-7 days okay.
You could always ask your neighbor if they'd like to trade some plants with
you. ;) They'll probably jump at the chance to obtain some new plants you
gots.
> Oh wow! I LOVE clematis! This Spring is the first time I got some. 2
> of em, they had them on sale at Walmart, so I got a blue-violet type
> and a blue type. I was going to put them in a big terra cotta pot with
> a trellis, do you think they'd do better in the ground?
They'll take off in the ground, and they'll do awesome too. They seem to
like shaded areas best. ;) They are SO pretty growing over arched
trellises.
> <snip blathering>
>
> La Conner is amazing! Such a cute little town and so many gorgeous
> farm houses and victorians as well, anyway, tulips, jonquils (are they
> the same as narcissus?) and I'd love to naturalize some daffies if I
> can. I hear that rhodies has a fairly shallow root ball anyway, so I
> think they'd be pretty easy to dig up. Anyways, I'll check out skagit
> valley again, we go through there to get to our favorite creek in the
> concrete area.
It is a neat town. Especially in the Summer with the Salmon cooking by the
waterfront. Yum! =) Yes! Jonquils are the same as narcissus. My
favorite is the deep yellow with the orange cups. So pretty. You'll get
daffs to grow up here NO PROBLEM. heh They're growing wild now along
highway 20 going towards the Swinomish rez (along with narcissus), and
they're all over the island too, lol. The rhodies shouldn't be too much of
a problem to move, yeah. It's funny how many rhodie societies are up here,
like they're hard to grow here or something. I think they're hard to kill!
hehe Ooooh, I love Concrete. Haven't been up there in way too long. =(
> Aww man, I kill those small roses no matter what I do. Haven't tried
> them outdoors though. And hostas is great, I love those as well. Good
> ground covers, thanks!
Trust me, grow them outdoors. They're just like regular big roses. ;) I
found out after kacking about...4-5 of them inside. Then I thought...wait a
minute...these are roses! Out they go! I moved from the house I had them
planted at, and didn't have a chance to dig them up before the house was
sold. =( Lost them all, and I had every color you can think of. Peach,
white, red, red & white, lavendar, yellow, pink, etc. Pooo...oh well. Can
always do it again. Oh! I almost forgot...about 1/4 of the rose bushes I
got were from Albertson's. At the end of the Summer, or thereabouts, they
had a bunch of them they were throwing away. I asked the flower shop gal if
I could have them (they looked pretty dead) and she gave them to me. I put
some peat in the holes I dug for them and some b.s. at the top, after they
were in the ground, and ALL of them came back beautifully. That was pretty
kewl, lol. Something to think about if you want to wait that long to get
them, lol.
The hostas I've seen used alot around here for ground cover. Really nice
looking. =)
> >We're really lucky here as most plants will grow well with little or no
> >work.
> >
> >Hope some of this helps.
>
> It does, thanks goilie!
> ~L
Kewlies! =) Glad to be of some help, M'Lady. Gardens are so fun. =)
Many Blessings,
Tegan
--
~When it blows, the mountain wind is boisterous, but when it blows not, it
simply blows not. However, this just blows...~ *zen for today*
The Cunning Linguist :Ş
"Shez" <sh...@oldcity.f2s.com> wrote in message
news:QjeIFgAx...@oldcity.f2s.com...
| In article <20040331084306...@mb-m17.aol.com>,
| theoneflasehaddock <oneflas...@aol.comfuckoff> writes
|
| snip
| >
| >Violets are tough to get started. I've planted some, and had no luck so
far.
| >Seems we have a few from the people living here before, though.
|
| Violets in England grow near streams in woodland they are usually found
| as under planting near stones or ferns.
| They need a damp area, loads of shade, and lots of ignoring :)
They would love Suzy's kitchen floor, then
The Cunning Linguist :Ş
| I saw one when I was visiting America and was thrilled to bits,
| We do have a bird that hovers like the hummingbird, its brilliant blue,
| but a lot larger than American humming birds, its a fisher and lives by
| the river, catching small fry. They are very rare, and I have only seen
| a couple
And that was after two bottle of cheap sherry
Nevermore
catch fish but they don't really hover at all, just swoop like rockets
and snatch. I do have a little hummingbird friend named "Buzz" who
comes by in the summer. It's simply miraculous how he can appear and
disappear in a second. He holds the cats in speechless awe. They look
but don't even flick a whisker because they know there's no chance of
catching him even when he's only a few feet away.
Nevermore
The Sunny Linguist ;)
"Nevermore" <bur...@thestake.net> wrote in message
news:20040331222...@news.sover.net...
| Interesting. We have King Fishers who hang out on the rivers here and
| catch fish but they don't really hover at all, just swoop like rockets
| and snatch. I do have a little hummingbird friend named "Buzz" who
| comes by in the summer. It's simply miraculous how he can appear and
| disappear in a second. He holds the cats in speechless awe. They look
| but don't even flick a whisker because they know there's no chance of
| catching him even when he's only a few feet away.
"Buzz" that's cute!
--
Bright blessings!
Talesin- The Sweet Boy of Witchcraft (tm)
Lilly
wrote:
>>As I said to Shez, lol, I'm crazy about wisteria, I might just need to
>>purchase some that are used to this climate. Are they tricky to get to
>>bloom? And despite this being explained to my silly self a million
>>times, I STILL don't get how to prune them to encourage bloom and
>>growth.
>
>
>They can take 5 years to bloom, and I've even heard cases of it taking 10. I
>ordered one from a nursery, so I'll be experimenting with it over the summer,
>I'll let ya know what I learn. :)
>
>They grow very easily down south- Louisiana has them everywhere, so think
>swamp, mucky soil, lots of moisture.
Damn. I'm wondering if my white one has bitten the dust by now. Oh
well. I was going to mix it in with the blue over a pergola (sp?).
~L
Last night you were, unhinged.
You were like some desperate, howling demon.
You frightened me. .......... Do it again.
Lilly
>In article <9cjk60h3u71drigkc...@4ax.com>, Lilly
><shu...@once.shush> writes
>>>If you have warm enough winters for Wisteria (you might) they are incredible in
>>>bloom.
>>
>>As I said to Shez, lol, I'm crazy about wisteria, I might just need to
>>purchase some that are used to this climate. Are they tricky to get to
>>bloom? And despite this being explained to my silly self a million
>>times, I STILL don't get how to prune them to encourage bloom and
>>growth.
>>
>Once you have the wisteria planted, prune back to just one main branch
>after its settled in for a few months. Cut back all the suckers. ( vine
>like branches) to every third along that branch. And then let it do its
>own thing :)
>Keep it trimmed that way, and the branch will thicken and thicken like a
>tree trunk you can while its young and supple train it along a wall or
>trellis to the shape you want.
>It takes three to five years to get a wisteria to flower, but if you cut
>it every year then you will see flowers quicker. Each successive year
>gives you more and more flowers.
Thanks Shez, I'm printing this out for my plant book!
Lilly
(theoneflasehaddock) wrote:
>>As I said to Shez, lol, I'm crazy about wisteria, I might just need to
>>purchase some that are used to this climate. Are they tricky to get to
>>bloom? And despite this being explained to my silly self a million
>>times, I STILL don't get how to prune them to encourage bloom and
>>growth.
>
>I don't know anything about growing Wisteria. I'm from an area with too cold of
>winters, and had never seen one until a recent garden show.
Ah, well we have frozen winters but are in zone 8. I wonder if THAT
could be why my white wisteria isn't doing well despite it being in
the "correct" zone. All that zone stuff is just a guideline, right?
>>I collect lilies, and I'll definitely look this up. I have day lilies,
>>but I'm confining themto a giant whiskey barrel.
>
>Collect lillies? cool! Do you collect mainly the hybrids, or do you grow
>species?
Well, I had to leave a lot of them in Calif, so I've been trying to
recoup my losses. I wanted to start ordering from catalogs, but
they're expensive. Basically, if it's a lily, I want it, lol. Btw,
have you ever seen a voodoo or vampire lily? Saw them on a site
recently and they blew my mind.
>I got ahold of about 4 species of turks cap lilly recently... Hopefully,
>they'll do well. I've seen a couple growing in a local park, the plants were
>about as tall as I am... Amazing flowers.
Whoa, I think I need to wait till we buy our own home. This trying to
cart around things in giant ceramic pots and whiskey barrels is
getting crazy! Have you ever attempted water lilies?
>>OMGawd, the husband and I love them, but can't seem to keep them alive
>>after their blooms die. I'd LOV to have some outdoors! Any
>>suggestions? We're zone 8...
>>
>
>Bletilla striata, Epipactis helleborine (may be classed as an invasive, for
>good reason), Dactyllorhiza, Orchis. Other than Bletilla, they are rather hard
>to find in the U.S. In general, though, the temperate ones are harder to grow
>than tropical ones. Especially avoid Cypripedium, they are amazing, but
>definitely not easy to grow in any way.
>
>If you're having trouble keeping them alive, feel free to send an email. Just
>let me know the genus, (in general, if it is a species, or miscellaneous home
>depot/target/lowes hybrid), I can probably give at least general
>recommendations for growing it.
>
>Unless of course it is Oncidium/Brassia/Miltonia/Odontoglossum complex... which
>almost never appear healthy in those stores, and I don't know so much about
>growing.
Thank you so much! Your other post was helpful in this area too. I
really have to start using scientific names...
>
>>They have a wonderful website! I love jack-in-the-pulpits...
>
>I always wanted a couple from there. Kind of expensive, though. SO far no luck
>with the seeds of them I planted, but they won't be ready to send up leaves
>until next year anyways, lol...
LOL... just about everything seems expensive to me these days.
>
>>Do they stay short?
>
>Not really. Kind of like Chrysanthemums (closely related). They grow about a
>foot tall, maybe a bit more so. Good for spots you don't want to mow, since
>they overgrow grass.
Ah, I see.
>
>>I don't think I've ever seen black sweet william, wow. Can you believe
>>I have a hard time growing sweet violets from seed? They're supposed
>>to be so invasive and hard to kill...
>
>Violets are tough to get started. I've planted some, and had no luck so far.
>Seems we have a few from the people living here before, though.
I swear, I thought it was me, lol. I finally broke down and bought
some from Home Depot that were already started, but hadn't budded yet.
They did great, although they haven't come back.
>
>
>Lol, that's interesting. Personally, I don't like moving bushes, because the
>roots go so deep. Hydrangea might have shallower roots than some, though.
>Still, they will probably send up a few from roots left in the ground, and some
>plants (I had an aloe do this) send up massive amounts of new plants if they
>die back to the roots.
Rhodies have notoriously shallow root balls, but it will still be a
huge chore to do. We decided against that house, so now it's moot. All
my aloe died once we moved up here. Should have kept them indoors,
damn me.
>
>
>They may be able to grow. Just be sure and, if taking from a forest, take few
>from areas with many, to minimize stress to the population. And definitely make
>sure it is from similar soil. Some ferns can be real picky, though not usually
>the real common ones.
I wasn't going to dig them up, I was going to buy a few babies and
plant them around the house area in corners for filler and stuff, for
the shade areas. Dumb to admit it, but I saw a staghorn fern for the
first time a few weeks ago. It was gorgeous! Really an impressive
specimen at some lahdeedah expensive nursery.
>
>>Ahh! Damn! Well I had some that I was going to plant in the whiskey
>>barrel with the day lilies, so maybe I'll cover them with a squirrel
>>cage.
>>
>
>That's a good idea, especially right after they're dug. They see the ground has
>been disturbed, and they know it's easier to dig then. Damned tree rats.
LOL! I thought the dogs would scare them off, but they're BOLD little
turds!
>
>>
>>No I wouldn't. Usually I just try to distract and bribe them in some
>>other area of the garden. The little turds planted peanuts, sunflowers
>>and corn in my ceramic special species pots!
>
>Heh, they buried acorns in a pot with my venus flytrap seeds to years ago. When
>I finally had something come up, it was a goddamned oak tree. They've gotten
>all of our crocus and iris bulbs, and at least 15 tulip bulbs this year. The
>important thing is, they also missed a few. We've got so many, bribing them
>doesn't work.
LOL! An oak tree, damn! Haven't had that experience yet, but I think
I'd be tempted to transplant it! Ok, so no bribing, could you just use
chix wire to make a cage, or maybe something smelly to deter them?
>
>>Ah, I've been wanting to try boston ivy as well. Isn't that the one
>>that turns reddish?
>
>Perhaps someone else here knows something about ivys. Froggie grows one, but it
>seems to be bonsaii, lol. Guess pots aren't the way to grow them, unless you
>like bonsaii. Heh.
A bonsai ivy... heehee. Another casualty from Calif that I dragged
with me here, is my dwarf pomegranate tree. It's not doing well
either. I was thinking of keeping it indoors and possibly trying to
bonsai it. We'll see...
Lilly
wrote:
>>This is what I was thinking I'd end up doing at the end of the day
>>anyway. Better to do it right, one time, than constantly redo and
>>patch things up because of poor planning. I love wisteria, but I have
>>a devil of a time getting the white one I have to bloom. Carted that
>>one clear from Calif I did, here to Washington, and I don't think it
>>much likes the new climate despite it being the right zone for it.
>
>Wisteria can take 5 years to bloom. Also, you have to look at the soil- is your
>soil similar to the soil the wisteria came from, or is it different? Cally soil
>might be of a sandier texture.
My soil is diff, so I added sand, but it's in a wooden container.
Maybe they don't like containers.
> As
>>for an evergreen vine, I was thinking of honeysuckle (white) and blue
>>passion flower. I love trumpet vines (lav/blue)
>
>Trumpet vines and honeysuckle both attract hummingbirds, if you're into that.
>:)
WAY into that! =D
Lilly
>In article <crhk601tc9ba0bsl7...@4ax.com>, Lilly
><shu...@once.shush> writes
>>On Mon, 29 Mar 2004 23:06:08 +0100, Shez <sh...@oldcity.f2s.com> wrote:
>>
>><snippety my blatherings>
>>
>>>Can you take a photo of the view, and where the bushes are positioned,
>>>If not, then take a look at the view from the house, Should it be
>>>blocked by bushes or should it be framed.
>
>People often forget to look out of their windows to see if the view is
>worthwhile, If you have a fantastic view then use a garden design that
>frames the view, or highlights it.
Too true.
>
>>
>>Interesting point. I'm going to do that. Look at "views" from
>>different angles/perspectives and see what I think. As to a pic, no
>>digi, but I could snap reg'ler film and have it put on disc. Eh, we're
>>not even sure we're going to take this place yet. The commute would be
>>a kick in the pants for the husband.
>
>But it would be lovely to have a house and the land to play with :)
Well, we decided against the house, so we're back to looking around
again.
>>
>>>I don't like bushes near a house, though they look nice when they are
>>>flowering they are as gloomy as hell the rest of the year, and they can
>>>and do overgrow and destroy good land,
>>
>>Amen to that, and usually, people plant too close together for my
>>druthers, but this isn't the case here. Big bald empty spots, and the
>>grass is patchy at best. Then again, I don't like grass at all. I'd
>>take it all out and plant with ground covers good for the animals and
>>the enviro if I could.
>
>Will you need a veranda or patio area near the house, somewhere you can
>sit and enjoy the garden, the further away from the house such an area
>is, the less it gets used. If its part of the house, then the garden,
>patio and house become an extension of each other. Which is the ideal
Ideally, it had a raised deck, and I wanted to add some paver areas
around that ground level with a small pond. Hopefully we'll find a new
house that has room to plant... otherwise... I'll have to start
digging things up.
>>
>>>Hydrangeas can be trimmed and shaped, But take out any bushes that spoil
>>>the view,
>>> hydrangeas can do well on a North wall, they don't like direct
>>>sunlight, and are happy in fairly poor soil.
>>>The colour of hydrangea flowers is optional depending on your soil, if
>>>you want blue you have to add sulphate of iron. You can get feeds with
>>>this in just for Hydrangea.
>>
>>Ya, I love them. I'd say the blue/purple, the greenish blue, and the
>>white are my favs. I learned that if I feed more acid grow, the
>>purple-er they get. If I feed every other dose with african violet
>>food, they get a gorgeous greenish tinge. I always et confuzzeled on
>>the pruning though. Bloom on old wood, yes?
>
>You cant do to much wrong with Hydrangeas, cut back after the flowers
>have gone, take out all the old blooms, dry them if you like they make
>good dried flowers. And give the plant a trim to the shape you want it.
Ok, thanks. I have some of my own that I cart around in pots.
>>
>>>I would be tempted to take the lot out, and start again, perhaps with a
>>>climbing rose or wisteria on the house wall, or something like Virginia
>>>creeper to soften it. If the building looks a bit harsh in the
>>>landscape,
>>
>>This is what I was thinking I'd end up doing at the end of the day
>>anyway. Better to do it right, one time, than constantly redo and
>>patch things up because of poor planning. I love wisteria, but I have
>>a devil of a time getting the white one I have to bloom. Carted that
>>one clear from Calif I did, here to Washington, and I don't think it
>>much likes the new climate despite it being the right zone for it. As
>>for an evergreen vine, I was thinking of honeysuckle (white) and blue
>>passion flower. I love trumpet vines (lav/blue) and morning glories
>>but they're not evergreen are they? Going to have to look up Virginia
>>Creeper now.
>
>Honeysuckle is a problem against a wall, each successive year it leaves
>all the dead branches and leaves under the cover of the new greenery, it
>can end up several feet thick. You need to plant it where it can easily
>be trimmed back.
>Passiflora, or passion flowers are lovely, but they are not usually
>thick enough or sturdy enough for a house wall.
Thanks! More things to add to my plant book!
>>
>>>You can use Russian vine to give an almost instant softening effect, it
>>>grows about 25ft a year, and has white bell flowers, but its to rampant
>>>to keep long term, its fine while other plants grow up and around the
>>>house, and then you need to dig it out and destroy it,
>>
>>This sounds excellent! Just my style, I'll look this one up as well,
>>thank you!
>>
>>>Remember whatever you put near the house, make sure the roots are a good
>>>two or three feet away from the walls, so the roots don't damage the
>>>foundations.
>>
>>Oh, so I shouldn't plant say a river willow near the pipes? LOL! Ack!
>>
>>>How lovely to have a near virgin landscape to play with, I envy you :)
>>
>>Well, virgin should we take the house, and after a few weeks of
>>digging and moving things all about. =D
>
>You will have a wonderful time, and half the fun is in the planning. If
>you design your garden then you can make a plan of where every plant is,
>So if you are not sure what something is, you can check,
>I am always buying stuff for my garden and its got to the point where
>getting another plant in a a major problem :)
Oh no! You'll need to buy more land soon! =)
Lilly
<sa...@thecaribbean.com> wrote:
>> Hey babe! By the by... I'm having trouble seeing some of your posts!
>> Dammititalltohell, I can't for the life of me figger out why. >=/
>
>Hmmm...I think some of them are in html format. =( Thanks, Hon, I'll keep
>an eye on that before I post them from now on.
Oh well, I'm missing other posts too. And I can't seem to see some
people's sig after I hit reply. WTF? LOL!
>
>> LOL! Just as long as you don't get the hairdos! Heh, ya, so many
>> talented dirt diggers here! All good ideas, too.
>
>hehehe But, the hairdos are WAY kewl! hehe Seriously, there's a couple of
>them I'd wear just for shock value alone, lol. Yeah, there are some awesome
>gardeners here. Flase grows some amazing plants. Ones you usually have to
>go to a really good arboretum to see. And Shez does the gorgeous English
>garden. Both of them know their stuff very well. I don't know Aunty's
>specialties, but from what she's written she definitely knows what she's
>doin' too. Me, I'm a herb fanatic. :P Ya gotta love plants that are
>weeds, 'cause they're so hard to kill, lol.
I know, we gots good folkses here. Herbs are groovy, but if I can find
a way to kill it, I will. <chuckles> Can't take me anywhere, things
that are supposedly hard to grow I can grow, things that are
supposedly hard to kill, I kill without even trying.
>
>> Ok, so iron is what causes the "acid" in the acid grow? Nails??? What
>> a great idea! As for rhodies, like em, but not my favorite because of
>> the fushia/reddish color. Blerg. We have some gorgeous violet and
>> lavender rhodies here at this house though so I'm thinking of buying
>> some root-o and taking some cuttings. Plus, they have a white
>> hydrangea, a white lilac (I only have purple), and some bush that has
>> amazing tiny fragrant blue flowers on it, and I wanted cuttings of
>> them as well. Then there's the neighbors giant bush that I guess is
>> some type of magnolia (the blooms look like pale pink and cream lotus
>> almost) and I was thinking of knocking on their door and asking if I
>> could have a few cuttings of those as well... <sigh>.
>
>Yeah, the nails was a tip from an older gardener up here (she's now in her
>late 80's) who was taught by her folks (they're *old island Dutch*, lol).
>We did them under our hydrangea and the flowers were just beautiful
>afterwards. It took about a year for the iron to take affect for the color
>change. Before it was a sickly white-very light blue color with lots of
>pale greens. :P I know what you mean about the rhodies. Fuschia's a poopy
>color, lol. That's the color of the wild ones though, so we're mainly stuck
>with that up here. I was reading about the Haida Nation and how they would
>come to Whidbey to cut the rhodies when they bloomed. I wonder what
>medicinal qualities they contain...that's a kinda long trip by canoe for
>just purdy flowers, lol.
Prolly less taxing on the plant though, to do a slow change, so good.
As for fuschia, I like the color, sorta, when it's on a fuschia, but
on Rhodies, no. Not my favorite. I saw a fuschia species in calif
called Gunivere (sp?) that was cream on the outside and a kind of
pale apricot on the inside part that hangs down. really gorgeous.
Never've seen it again, however. Dammit.
>
>Usually cuttings will fare pretty well, so long as they're kept wet. I wrap
>soaked paper towels around them and then cover that in plastic wrap or
>sandwich bags. Those'll keep for about 5-7 days okay.
Oh cool, thanks!
>
>You could always ask your neighbor if they'd like to trade some plants with
>you. ;) They'll probably jump at the chance to obtain some new plants you
>gots.
Yanno, that's a great idea. Just offer em some cuttings of something I
have they might want. Good. I hated the idea of knocking on their door
"Hi, you don't know me, can I have something from you?" =)
>
>> Oh wow! I LOVE clematis! This Spring is the first time I got some. 2
>> of em, they had them on sale at Walmart, so I got a blue-violet type
>> and a blue type. I was going to put them in a big terra cotta pot with
>> a trellis, do you think they'd do better in the ground?
>
>They'll take off in the ground, and they'll do awesome too. They seem to
>like shaded areas best. ;) They are SO pretty growing over arched
>trellises.
Oh ya, I know. I'm going to put them in the ground then. I just got
April's Better Homes n' Gardens and they had a whole section on
Clematis and how to prune the different types, thank goodness.
>
>> La Conner is amazing! Such a cute little town and so many gorgeous
>> farm houses and victorians as well, anyway, tulips, jonquils (are they
>> the same as narcissus?) and I'd love to naturalize some daffies if I
>> can. I hear that rhodies has a fairly shallow root ball anyway, so I
>> think they'd be pretty easy to dig up. Anyways, I'll check out skagit
>> valley again, we go through there to get to our favorite creek in the
>> concrete area.
>
>It is a neat town. Especially in the Summer with the Salmon cooking by the
>waterfront. Yum! =) Yes! Jonquils are the same as narcissus. My
>favorite is the deep yellow with the orange cups. So pretty. You'll get
>daffs to grow up here NO PROBLEM. heh They're growing wild now along
>highway 20 going towards the Swinomish rez (along with narcissus), and
>they're all over the island too, lol. The rhodies shouldn't be too much of
>a problem to move, yeah. It's funny how many rhodie societies are up here,
>like they're hard to grow here or something. I think they're hard to kill!
>hehe Ooooh, I love Concrete. Haven't been up there in way too long. =(
Salmon... yum. I love any kind of narcissus. They have such an unusual
scent, I have found people either love it or hate it. The ones with
the orange cups always remind me of those edible tea cups in Willy
Wonka!
>
>> Aww man, I kill those small roses no matter what I do. Haven't tried
>> them outdoors though. And hostas is great, I love those as well. Good
>> ground covers, thanks!
>
>Trust me, grow them outdoors. They're just like regular big roses. ;) I
>found out after kacking about...4-5 of them inside. Then I thought...wait a
>minute...these are roses! Out they go! I moved from the house I had them
>planted at, and didn't have a chance to dig them up before the house was
>sold. =( Lost them all, and I had every color you can think of. Peach,
>white, red, red & white, lavendar, yellow, pink, etc. Pooo...oh well. Can
>always do it again. Oh! I almost forgot...about 1/4 of the rose bushes I
>got were from Albertson's. At the end of the Summer, or thereabouts, they
>had a bunch of them they were throwing away. I asked the flower shop gal if
>I could have them (they looked pretty dead) and she gave them to me. I put
>some peat in the holes I dug for them and some b.s. at the top, after they
>were in the ground, and ALL of them came back beautifully. That was pretty
>kewl, lol. Something to think about if you want to wait that long to get
>them, lol.
That's awesome. I'm definitely going to do that, then. Good for ground
covers, and I can mix colors n' stuff. That must have been what I've
been doing wrong them, trying to keep them indoors. And to get some
that are half-dead for cheap is even better!
>
>The hostas I've seen used alot around here for ground cover. Really nice
>looking. =)
Ya, exactly, plus they're good for under trees cause they're roots are
so shallow. I have the ones called Guacamole, lol, that actually have
a pale lavender bloom.
>
>Kewlies! =) Glad to be of some help, M'Lady. Gardens are so fun. =)
I agree! It' something I not only love doing, I also learn to plan
(like Shez mentioned) and I love to learn about it too. It's like one
of those arts you could study your whole life, and STILL be a novice,
yanno? I love that!
The Cunning Linguist :Ş
"Lilly" <shu...@once.shush> wrote in message
Watch for Caelum and Ivory's next Xeroxed work, "The Kahuna Plant Oracle
Card Deck"
theoneflasehaddock
>Date: 3/31/2004 2:26 PM Eastern Standard Time
>Message-id: <106m6r4...@corp.supernews.com>
>
>"Lilly" <shu...@once.shush> wrote in message
>news:dfik60lbkf3oc55j8...@4ax.com...
>> On Tue, 30 Mar 2004 10:45:04 -0800, "Sparrow's Wench"
>> <sa...@thecaribbean.com> wrote:
>>
>> <snip blathering>
>> >Heya Sweetie!
>>
>> Hey babe! By the by... I'm having trouble seeing some of your posts!
>> Dammititalltohell, I can't for the life of me figger out why. >=/
>
>Hmmm...I think some of them are in html format. =( Thanks, Hon, I'll keep
>an eye on that before I post them from now on.
>
>> > I like some of Shez's ideas on this, and the topiary idea
>> >from Aunty too. I've always wanted an Edward Scissorhands-type garden.
>Too
>> >kewl.
>>
>> LOL! Just as long as you don't get the hairdos! Heh, ya, so many
>> talented dirt diggers here! All good ideas, too.
>
>hehehe But, the hairdos are WAY kewl! hehe Seriously, there's a couple of
>them I'd wear just for shock value alone, lol. Yeah, there are some awesome
>gardeners here. Flase grows some amazing plants. Ones you usually have to
>go to a really good arboretum to see.
Heh, I do grow the obscure. I doubt more than a couple arboretums in the
country have a few of the ones I grow. Too much time on gardening lists, lol...
>And Shez does the gorgeous English
>garden. Both of them know their stuff very well. I don't know Aunty's
>specialties, but from what she's written she definitely knows what she's
>doin' too. Me, I'm a herb fanatic. :P Ya gotta love plants that are
>weeds, 'cause they're so hard to kill, lol.
Yeah, definitely!
Yeah. They die back in the fall anyways (and will only come back if they get a
winter). Like you said, outdoors is the only way to grow roses (miniature or
otherwise).
>
>The hostas I've seen used alot around here for ground cover. Really nice
>looking. =)
I'm about to get rid of some.
Hehe, squirrels are mauling each other right now in my backyard. And the Iris
bulbs they got had mold inside anyways!
-
theoneflasehaddock
theoneflasehaddock
>Date: 4/1/2004 3:57 PM Eastern Standard Time
>Message-id: <hnvo60dqe51ruufv6...@4ax.com>
>
>On 31 Mar 2004 13:43:06 GMT, oneflas...@aol.comfuckoff
>(theoneflasehaddock) wrote:
>
>
>>>As I said to Shez, lol, I'm crazy about wisteria, I might just need to
>>>purchase some that are used to this climate. Are they tricky to get to
>>>bloom? And despite this being explained to my silly self a million
>>>times, I STILL don't get how to prune them to encourage bloom and
>>>growth.
>>
>>I don't know anything about growing Wisteria. I'm from an area with too cold
>of
>>winters, and had never seen one until a recent garden show.
>
>Ah, well we have frozen winters but are in zone 8. I wonder if THAT
>could be why my white wisteria isn't doing well despite it being in
>the "correct" zone. All that zone stuff is just a guideline, right?
>
I believe the zones are set by average low winter temps. I don't know what zone
Wisterias need (I'm in zone 5, and it's way too cold for them though). However,
if you look up the zone, don't listen to plant nurseries, they lie an awful lot
about how hardy plants are.
>>>I collect lilies, and I'll definitely look this up. I have day lilies,
>>>but I'm confining themto a giant whiskey barrel.
>>
>>Collect lillies? cool! Do you collect mainly the hybrids, or do you grow
>>species?
>
>Well, I had to leave a lot of them in Calif, so I've been trying to
>recoup my losses. I wanted to start ordering from catalogs, but
>they're expensive. Basically, if it's a lily, I want it, lol. Btw,
>have you ever seen a voodoo or vampire lily? Saw them on a site
>recently and they blew my mind.
OMG, I saw some voodoo lillies in South Carolina while on vacation once! (the
species that smells awful). Dracunculus vulgaris doesn't smell quite as bad
from what I've heard, it's related to jack-in-the-pulpits (it's an aroid). A
lot of the people on some of the carnivorous plant lists I read grow them.
Really cool plants. I believe the ones that I saw were Sauromatum or something
like that (they smell like a goddamn sewer).
They're not an indoor flower because of the smell, but, I do know a reputable
source of mailorder... www.flytraps.com has them. You don't want them until you
have somewhere outdoors to grow them, because of the smell.
>
>>I got ahold of about 4 species of turks cap lilly recently... Hopefully,
>>they'll do well. I've seen a couple growing in a local park, the plants were
>>about as tall as I am... Amazing flowers.
>
>Whoa, I think I need to wait till we buy our own home. This trying to
>cart around things in giant ceramic pots and whiskey barrels is
>getting crazy! Have you ever attempted water lilies?
Nope. I know a source for tropical ones, and I almost set up a fish tank with
them. I'm still considering setting up some kind of fishtank, so I may end up
giving them a shot...
If you've grown them, I'd like to hear how.
>
>>>OMGawd, the husband and I love them, but can't seem to keep them alive
>>>after their blooms die. I'd LOV to have some outdoors! Any
>>>suggestions? We're zone 8...
>>>
>>
>>Bletilla striata, Epipactis helleborine (may be classed as an invasive, for
>>good reason), Dactyllorhiza, Orchis. Other than Bletilla, they are rather
>hard
>>to find in the U.S. In general, though, the temperate ones are harder to
>grow
>>than tropical ones. Especially avoid Cypripedium, they are amazing, but
>>definitely not easy to grow in any way.
>>
>>If you're having trouble keeping them alive, feel free to send an email.
>Just
>>let me know the genus, (in general, if it is a species, or miscellaneous
>home
>>depot/target/lowes hybrid), I can probably give at least general
>>recommendations for growing it.
>>
>>Unless of course it is Oncidium/Brassia/Miltonia/Odontoglossum complex...
>which
>>almost never appear healthy in those stores, and I don't know so much about
>>growing.
>
>Thank you so much! Your other post was helpful in this area too. I
>really have to start using scientific names...
With orchids, there is no other choice, lol.
>>
>>>They have a wonderful website! I love jack-in-the-pulpits...
>>
>>I always wanted a couple from there. Kind of expensive, though. SO far no
>luck
>>with the seeds of them I planted, but they won't be ready to send up leaves
>>until next year anyways, lol...
>
>LOL... just about everything seems expensive to me these days.
There are good, cheap mailorder suppliers around. But it does seem most of the
plant nurseries have way too high of costs.
>>
>>>Do they stay short?
>>
>>Not really. Kind of like Chrysanthemums (closely related). They grow about a
>>foot tall, maybe a bit more so. Good for spots you don't want to mow, since
>>they overgrow grass.
>
>Ah, I see.
>>
>>>I don't think I've ever seen black sweet william, wow. Can you believe
>>>I have a hard time growing sweet violets from seed? They're supposed
>>>to be so invasive and hard to kill...
>>
>>Violets are tough to get started. I've planted some, and had no luck so far.
>>Seems we have a few from the people living here before, though.
>
>I swear, I thought it was me, lol. I finally broke down and bought
>some from Home Depot that were already started, but hadn't budded yet.
>They did great, although they haven't come back.
As long as they get a cold winter, they should come back.
Avoid Lowes this year for plants. They're getting everything for outdoors from
Miracle Grow, which is not a good thing...
>>
>>
>
>>Lol, that's interesting. Personally, I don't like moving bushes, because the
>>roots go so deep. Hydrangea might have shallower roots than some, though.
>>Still, they will probably send up a few from roots left in the ground, and
>some
>>plants (I had an aloe do this) send up massive amounts of new plants if they
>>die back to the roots.
>
>Rhodies have notoriously shallow root balls, but it will still be a
>huge chore to do. We decided against that house, so now it's moot. All
>my aloe died once we moved up here. Should have kept them indoors,
>damn me.
I've done that. Sometimes they'll come back from the roots though, so don't
throw them away.
>>
>>
>>They may be able to grow. Just be sure and, if taking from a forest, take
>few
>>from areas with many, to minimize stress to the population. And definitely
>make
>>sure it is from similar soil. Some ferns can be real picky, though not
>usually
>>the real common ones.
>
>I wasn't going to dig them up, I was going to buy a few babies and
>plant them around the house area in corners for filler and stuff, for
>the shade areas. Dumb to admit it, but I saw a staghorn fern for the
>first time a few weeks ago. It was gorgeous! Really an impressive
>specimen at some lahdeedah expensive nursery.
Staghorn ferns are tropical. They get about the size of a small car. I don't
get why people grow them, to be honest.
I wish their was a good fern nursery somewhere. Their isn't, though, as far as
I know. Still, a lot of places have cinnamon ferns and one or two other kinds.
>>
>>>Ahh! Damn! Well I had some that I was going to plant in the whiskey
>>>barrel with the day lilies, so maybe I'll cover them with a squirrel
>>>cage.
>>>
>>
>>That's a good idea, especially right after they're dug. They see the ground
>has
>>been disturbed, and they know it's easier to dig then. Damned tree rats.
>
>LOL! I thought the dogs would scare them off, but they're BOLD little
>turds!
Damn, no. They don't get scared much at all by dogs. Not even the ugly fat one
that waddled off with my moldy iris bulbs.
>>
>>>
>>>No I wouldn't. Usually I just try to distract and bribe them in some
>>>other area of the garden. The little turds planted peanuts, sunflowers
>>>and corn in my ceramic special species pots!
>>
>>Heh, they buried acorns in a pot with my venus flytrap seeds to years ago.
>When
>>I finally had something come up, it was a goddamned oak tree. They've gotten
>>all of our crocus and iris bulbs, and at least 15 tulip bulbs this year. The
>>important thing is, they also missed a few. We've got so many, bribing them
>>doesn't work.
>
>LOL! An oak tree, damn! Haven't had that experience yet, but I think
>I'd be tempted to transplant it! Ok, so no bribing, could you just use
>chix wire to make a cage, or maybe something smelly to deter them?
We're considering the something smelly to deter them route. Not sure yet, we'll
see what the dog thinks of that... he may decide he can't stand the smell and
whine all the time, or he may try and eat what we put out... which would be a
problem. Chicken wire is too much work. I may go with other plants instead of
bulbs.
>>
>>>Ah, I've been wanting to try boston ivy as well. Isn't that the one
>>>that turns reddish?
>>
>>Perhaps someone else here knows something about ivys. Froggie grows one, but
>it
>>seems to be bonsaii, lol. Guess pots aren't the way to grow them, unless you
>>like bonsaii. Heh.
>
>A bonsai ivy... heehee. Another casualty from Calif that I dragged
>with me here, is my dwarf pomegranate tree. It's not doing well
>either. I was thinking of keeping it indoors and possibly trying to
>bonsai it. We'll see...
Good luck.
-
theoneflasehaddock
theoneflasehaddock
>Date: 3/31/2004 10:24 PM Eastern Standard Time
>Message-id: <20040331222...@news.sover.net>
Sometimes they'll hover for a bit, they can't keep it up for long like
hummingbirds though. Gotta love kingfishers, they have such a strange call.
> I do have a little hummingbird friend named "Buzz" who
>comes by in the summer. It's simply miraculous how he can appear and
>disappear in a second. He holds the cats in speechless awe. They look
>but don't even flick a whisker because they know there's no chance of
>catching him even when he's only a few feet away.
Heh, they are fast little buggers.
-
theoneflasehaddock
Shez
<shu...@once.shush> writes
My pleasure, I hope you find it flowering in a couple of years, its such
a treat when you see them in full bloom. My own wisteria has hundreds of
flowers on it every year now. But its cut back to an inch of its life in
the winter months. :)
Shez
<shu...@once.shush> writes
>On 31 Mar 2004 13:43:06 GMT, oneflas...@aol.comfuckoff
>(theoneflasehaddock) wrote:
>
>
>>>As I said to Shez, lol, I'm crazy about wisteria, I might just need to
>>>purchase some that are used to this climate. Are they tricky to get to
>>>bloom? And despite this being explained to my silly self a million
>>>times, I STILL don't get how to prune them to encourage bloom and
>>>growth.
>>
>>I don't know anything about growing Wisteria. I'm from an area with too cold of
>>winters, and had never seen one until a recent garden show.
>
>Ah, well we have frozen winters but are in zone 8. I wonder if THAT
>could be why my white wisteria isn't doing well despite it being in
>the "correct" zone. All that zone stuff is just a guideline, right?
If you have planted it in a sheltered position, near a house wall for
instance, then it will do fine, Wisteria thrive in Britain, even in
Scotland, and it gets arctic winters down their.
The trick is to plant them in a very sheltered position
>
>>>I collect lilies, and I'll definitely look this up. I have day lilies,
>>>but I'm confining themto a giant whiskey barrel.
>>
>>Collect lillies? cool! Do you collect mainly the hybrids, or do you grow
>>species?
>
>Well, I had to leave a lot of them in Calif, so I've been trying to
>recoup my losses. I wanted to start ordering from catalogs, but
>they're expensive. Basically, if it's a lily, I want it, lol. Btw,
>have you ever seen a voodoo or vampire lily? Saw them on a site
>recently and they blew my mind.
>
>>I got ahold of about 4 species of turks cap lilly recently... Hopefully,
>>they'll do well. I've seen a couple growing in a local park, the plants were
>>about as tall as I am... Amazing flowers.
>
>Whoa, I think I need to wait till we buy our own home. This trying to
>cart around things in giant ceramic pots and whiskey barrels is
>getting crazy! Have you ever attempted water lilies?
>
>>>OMGawd, the husband and I love them, but can't seem to keep them alive
>>>after their blooms die. I'd LOV to have some outdoors! Any
>>>suggestions? We're zone 8...
Same thing a sheltered position, and a good deep amount of soil for them
to winter down in, as long as the water is deep enough that the ice
doesn't form all the way down to the bottom of the container water
lily's will survive just about anything. But if the roots freeze then
you have lost them.
Shez
<bur...@thestake.net> writes
so beautiful... The most exiting caller we have is a robin who sits on
the patio rail, and waits to be fed every winter. He has been coming
around for some years now.
We have a few woodpeckers, sparrows, starlings, thrush, and such as next
door have a mania for feeding birds. Magpies seem to be around more and
more, and wood pigeons.
Shez
<shu...@once.shush> writes
>>You will have a wonderful time, and half the fun is in the planning. If
>>you design your garden then you can make a plan of where every plant is,
>>So if you are not sure what something is, you can check,
>>I am always buying stuff for my garden and its got to the point where
>>getting another plant in a a major problem :)
>
>Oh no! You'll need to buy more land soon! =)
Buying land in this country is a big problem, America is huge with lots
of land to spare, In England there is little land available, We are an
Island and we are pretty much full up to bursting :)
>~L
>
>
>Last night you were, unhinged.
>You were like some desperate, howling demon.
>You frightened me. .......... Do it again.
>
--