General Forum

Description

a forum for any general garden topic or question

Other people's gardens

Submitted by Tim Ingram on Fri, 07/27/2012 - 03:19

In our Hardy Plant Group in Kent we have long held a 'Talking Plants' where small groups visit each others gardens. Gardens vary and are invariably interesting but every now and again you meet someone who has such an eye for plants and planting that it is quite humbling. These are pictures taken in a good friend's garden down on the south coast. You could say that the garden is architectural but that nowhere captures the harmony of the planting and design.

growing medium

Submitted by Jeremy on Sat, 05/26/2012 - 19:41

I'm posting this question on behalf of a member who is too frightened to join the Forum. Yeah, I know. Don't ask.
She's having fancy flagstone and block tiered semicircular steps built up to the front door, about 4 steps, with spaces for planting between some of the stones, and she's wondering what kind of mix to use as fill inside the structure. For example, I'd probably recommend 9 parts rice-sized gravel and 1 part loam. Looking for suggestions. Zone 6B RI Thanks!

Winners and Losers

Submitted by RickR on Thu, 04/12/2012 - 20:17

As with much of the eastern half of the U.S., my season is running 3-4 weeks ahead of normal, and we have had the warmest March on record. The first frost predictions in weeks came April 10 with a forecasted 29F(-2C). I am usually a degree colder. Well, my thermometer read 21F(-6C) that morning, and it was quite a surprise. I had brought a few potted materials into the garage, but not many. forecasts were modified for the next night, to be the same as what was just experienced, so I did bring in a few more things, just in case it got worse, which it did by a degree.

Curious...

Submitted by Lori S. on Sat, 03/31/2012 - 10:07

I got some seed from the 2010-2011 NARGS seedex for Trifolium trichocephalum and grew it. It is strange that I can't find any particular reference to it other than from species lists. The Plant List indicates that it is a valid species name and evidently the type location for it was "Taur.- Caucas." (Taurus Mountains-Caucasus region, I assume).

Harry Dewey's 23rd birthday

Submitted by McKenney on Tue, 02/28/2012 - 14:26

I'm cross posting this to several lists including the PBS, AlpineL, SRGC and NARGS groups. Feel free to pass it on.

Tomorrow, February 29, is the 23rd birthday of leapling Alpine Elf Harry Dewey.

He and his partner Tom Comstock are vacationing in Florida right now, and you can contact him by cell phone 301-654-7308 or snail mail:

5159 N Hwy A1A, Unit 511
Ft. Pierce, FL 34949

Spring is coming up

Submitted by bulborum on Mon, 02/27/2012 - 16:15

Well spring is coming up here
I rescued these "buzzy" frogs from the street before our house
moving them three meter to the street let them cold
they continued there job ;D

Also the first Salamander from this year walked in our house :o

Roland