Gardening is a national pastime here to be sure, and it is growing at a phenominal pace. About five years ago I visited a local garden centre in March and my wife and myself were the only two people there. This year we did the same thing and could not get in the car park, and it holds about 200 cars. The number of TV programmes devoted to gardening and garden design are also increasing apace. We had a few years a ago, a presenter on a TV programme called Gardeners World, he was Geoff Hamilton and he perhaps did more to encourage gardening than anyone before him. He had a down to earth approach that appealed to all who saw and heard him. Unfortunately he had a heart attack and passed away a few years ago, but his enthusiasm lives on, in all the new gardeners inspired by his words and examples.
Maggie you also do much to create that same enthusiasm for this wonderful hobby of ours.
You even make me want to visit England to see all the wonderful country gardens...
Terry
South Yorkshire
England

Terry, so glad you joined the site! Maggie often makes me lust to visit merry ol' England. One of these years when time and money are abundant, I'm going to FORCE Maggie to take me for a personally guided trip. Let's hear what your favorite plants are...I'm always curious what gardeners like and why. In Texas, we generally like whatever will survive our heat! But then we see Maggie's garden and hope for more. She has taught me sooo much, including having the desire to garden "outside the box" and how to grow some of the wonderous plants that are seen in English gardens.

Go ahead Gail - force me, force me. I'm always looking for a good excuse to go back again!! Did we have a great time yesterday in Dallas, or what?

Terry, 4 of us garden manics went nursery hopping yesterday - morning till night. And we witnessed the same as you in today's nurseries, compared to 5 years ago. I gather it is a worldwide trend, this phenomenal growth rate of gardening interest. Once gardening was usually considered such a 'retiree's endeavor', where now the enthusiasm spans all generations.
Another thought - I perceive many of the differences between gardening in UK and the South of the US often results from the fact that the Brits have been gardening for esthetics, for over 400 years. They too began with bringing the native flora home to ornament their grounds, then evolved into broadening the scope. If my flora passion influences others to broaden their border horizons, Gail, then I shall compost a happy woman. oxoxox m

To see what Terry gets up to in his Yorkie garden, journey here:

Terry's Yorkshire Garden

and you will have a marvelous time!

Maggie! You forced ME into spending an hour at Terry's site! I don't know whether to thank you or make you come help plant all these babies on my back porch! Shopping this weekend was soooo exhausting!

But, now I'm forcing Terry and you to teach me! Mistletoe?? planted in bark on purpose?? Surely, this isn't the same we try to eradicate in the U.S. because it kills off trees?! Please teach me!

Also, since Terry has clematis texensis, what would be the custom requirements for us to bribe him to mail us seed??? Also of his unnamed hellebore...ohooooohhhhh, so lovely!

Gotta go...hunt down a Coelogne Cristata which Terry shows off his website and now I must have one of my own!

The wiles of the fairer sex, what hope is there for MANkind....
Favourite plants Gail? What a question, so many plants, so little memory.... I suppose I too am somewhat influenced in my choice of present favourites, but more by slug resistance than weather. Just to try to paint an even clearer picture of my problem....I have a large plant of Symphytum (grandiflorum I think) covering an area about 3 foot by 4 foot (0.9m x 1.2m). The slugs chew holes in the leaves but it survives and flowers well. I decided it would be nice to introduce it to another area of the garden, so I removed a large healthy shoot complete with roots and planted it. Two days later it had been completely eaten away, no trace of it whatsoever.

I digress, favourites are hard to choose so lets say plants that give me much pleasure. All the small flowered clematis particularly those derived from c. viticella, such as Polish Spirit, four petalled purple flowers, a bit like a miniature Jackmanii, and a very vigorous grower. One I would love to have is Madame Julia Correvon, tried twice in different parts of the garden, both failed to establish. Strange how the plants you most desire are almost always the most difficult to acquire or grow.

Now one to sicken both Gail and Maggie, another love of mine is for the beautiful cut leaved Japanese Maples in all their shades of purple, green, red and yellow, colours that are repeated in Spring and Autumn. Very easy to grow, all you need is "cool shade".

I have a steadily growing collection of Penstemons, now these are something that should do well for you in warmer climes, being barely winter hardy for me, and totally slug proof. They have a long flowering season, produce roots on above ground stems (ready rooted cuttings), and come in an ever expanding range of colours.

I must confess I keep looking out of the window as I type this, and in May it is difficult to choose just a few plants to name.

If you have visited my site you will probably have noticed the euphorbia mellifera, the photographs I take do not do justice to this wonderful architectural plant. The leaves are the cleanest of greens and the whole plant is incapable of looking anything other than neat and magestic. The flowers, though small and brown, again have to be seen "in the flesh" to really be appreciated.

The mistletoe is probably what kills your trees over there Gail, but is rare in England and has much tradition associated with it, particularly at Christmas time. I suppose it brings up the old question when is a plant a weed? I read somewhere that a weed is a flower in the wrong place, and this is of course true. Many English gardeners are just waking up to the fact that many of our native plants look just as lovely in the garden as the exotic imports, and of course generally do much better, with more resistance to pests and diseases.

The orchid coelogne cristata, if you do acquire one, remember it is a cool growing one, keep it in a North facing window and stand it above a tray full of gravel and water to increase the humidity. If you can keep it cool and moist enough it will reward you with flowers every spring, and it is fairly easy to propagate, so you will have many friends.

Well better go now, tiny frogs to release, the ones who reached the dizzy heights of stardom as tadpoles on my web page. Legs have grown, tails have gone, so it's out and into the pond for them.

A joke for you, you may have heard it, but it's worth repeating...

An American is visiting one of the Stately homes in England and sees an old gardener tending the immaculate, smooth, even, striped, green lawns.

Tell me the American says, "how do you get your grass to look like that, mine never looks that good".

The old gardener looks up and says "we use the best quality seed".

"I did that" says the American.

"Then we prepare the ground, removing all the stones and add good quality soil and fertiliser" says the gardener.

"I did that too" says the visitor.

"Then we spike it, add sand, roll it, fertilise it and cut it with a top quality mower" states the old fellow.

"But I do all that too" says the American.

"For four hundred years" adds the old gardener...

It took me years to get all those extra u's out of my writings over here. Now your notes are going to corruuuupt me again.
And we just thought things grew biggest in Texas. Have you folks seen the size of those slugs on Terry's critter page! Larry and I were laughing to tears over the text. Bet Susan and Terry could have slug rallies. ... and compare Jap maple notes. Beejg has quite a few J maples and I just one, but wait till ya'll see Susan's ;-).
Symphytum (officinale) is no challenge for us either Terry. Once established, we can never lose it. Whenever it is dug up, another will return from the tiniest scrap of root. The slugs shear just one of mine (must be the tastiest), and it keeps popping back. Naturalist food fanatics relished it for some potent nutrient in the '70s, till it was discovered to be toxic when eaten in large quantities. Too bad the slugs don't know it.
Oh the colours (see?) of those Euphorbias! I would so like to try some of those luminous lime green ones here, but have never found them available locally. Must attempt to mail order some eventually. We have some natives in the E family, but none with glorious lime greens. Are they easily found in your retail region, Susan? If so, I should give up the thought!
I was surprised to learn that Penstemons do well for you Terry, as most of them are native to No. Am and Central Amer. Aren't they wonderful border bloomers!
I fell in love with the orchid coelogne cristata on your page, but I am hopeless at any of the tender ones and proving not too great at the No. Amer wild ones either. I ordered in some natives for the beds this year. Gail and I are wearing them out from watching over each little developement. I had potted some of the bulbs up in clay for her birthday presie and hers are well out doing mine in the beds!
I have my own definition of a weed; a weed is only found in the eye of the beholder.
And if you guys think T & me's posts are a bit lengthy, you should see the E's we've been slinging back and forth.

And here's an idea what that joke is on about -
and they aren't joking!

If we could just transplant that house and garden to my property....wishful dreamin' from Texas.

About euphorbias - Yes, there are lots of cultivars on sale in local nurseries. Three or four years ago we got one called 'Fireglow,' which has orange-red blooms. Its foliage is dark green with orange midribs. Last fall we got Euphorbia amygdaloides 'Rubra.' Rubra refers to the ruddy fall foliage. Its blooms are a beautiful lime green, and they must have lasted two months! I'll check my reference books and try to find out whether euphorbias will survive in Texas.

Gail, I'd be happy to have just that bit o lawn! But that's just a taste; you should see the croquet course there. I really had trouble deciding which luscious lawn picie to post, as there were so many to choose from. After Sonny makes it big over there, you might just end up in such house! (I'd make a great houseguest) How's the new recording coming?
Terry, are you one of the new wave of Country Music fans in the Isles? If so, you may be hearing Gail's hubby's steel guitar music soon. The band's name is easy to remember. It's ... "Dallas"

On the Euphorbias, Susan, when most books say something is good in cold hardiness zones 6 to 8 or such, it doesn't necessarily read true to the USDA Zone areas with excessively dry, hot summers such as ours. I guess that's why we are always having to learn Gail's well-termed 'out of the box' plants by trial and error.
Even though there is the newish US Heat Zone Map (such as on our site's Weather page), few ref sources apply the heat-hardy coding, so we still have to experiment ourselves, on varieties not commonly available here. Rated as USDA hardy in zones 4-9, Alchemilla mollis is a good example. I've seen it re-seed to a prob in cool climes, yet not make it through the summer here - even though I do occasionally see it offered locally in spring.
I suspect the E. characias, amygdaloides and the cognata would be in the same boat,,, but I'd love to have a go at them one day. I wonder if our beautiful variegated E. marginata would do for you in WA. Much more white than green, this roadside native looks wonderful in a border with a little grooming. I haven't grown it in a long time, but should get some more seeds in. I feel a future trade coming on ;-)

Euphorbia characias should do well in Texas, it loves it hot and dry, mellifera is a mediteranian plant so also likes the heat, but not sure about the dry, although mine is close to a large conifer where it does get very parched in summer.

Alchemelia mollis as you have found out prefers it cool and damp, mine self seed about, and no other plant holds the jewels of raindrops better.

Do you grow Lavatera arborea over there, it has become very popular in the England over the past five years as winters have become milder, still borderline hardy in Yorkshire. I have had one survive for four years, not bad for a "so called bienniel", but it is looking a bit sorry for itself now, older stems damaged by frost, so a bit bare in the centre. Mine is the variety Barnsley, flowers the lightest of pink with a darker pink centre.

Trying to restrain myself, to leave room for everyone else to post ;-)

The Sunset National Garden Book puts Fort Worth, Texas, in Zone 33--North Texas and Southern Oklahoma to Northern Alabama and Central Tennessee. It says this zone has two prime forces: warm, moist air that moves northward from the Gulf of Mexico and extremely cold air that (in some winters) comes south from the arctic. It mentions rapid temperature shifts in the winter and inconsistent rainfall. Does this sound accurate?

If so, several euphorbias will grow in your area. Some of them are E. amygdaloides, E. epithymoides, E. griffithii. Some that won't survive are E. robbiae, E. rigida, and E. martinii. I can give you the complete list, if you'd like.

All this euphorbia euphoria has moved me to take the E urge off my very long procrastination list and 'go shoppin' for them! I found an interesting nursery in VA this morning and have left an E with them about ordering some leafy Es. And I'll blame the expenditure on you two, T & S, when Larry notices the big brown truck unloading more boxes here again.
Really tho, thanks for your input Terry and for the Sunset info Susan. Yes, it is a good general description of our 'expect the unexpected' climate. It could be improved on in a few ways, for instance about the WINTER 'rapid temp shifts' - Tuesday, I started out in shorts, changed to jeans and sweater by noon and was back in shorts by 4! Fall and spring also go goofy here too. We also fluctuate from extreme dry air to high humidity spells in summer, but all in all, it is a great ref beyond just the 'average lows' of the cold hardy zone chart. I have seen others on the net refer to the Sunset zones and only wish more growers/retailers would apply the numbers. I hear there is an increase in the movement lately - so the future outlook is encouraging for us 'out of the box' Southern gardeners. .. and esp so with encouraging advice from distant cultivators such as yourselves. Cyber gardening's GREAT!

Aw the joys of internet shopping: dealing with a supplier who's not too big to talk to his customers. Here's an excerpt from 'Weird Dudes' E reply to my inquiry about the lovely limegreenery.

"We have a climate similar to yours in Summer with temps ranging between 97 and 106 for 2 months or more and last year no rain for 4 months. All of my Euphorbias made it fine with weekly watering during the drought. Euphorbias characias, mellifera, amygdaloides `Purpurea',x Martinii, and `Jade Dragon' are all acceptable with characias ssp, wulfenii at the top of my list for your area."

Between Susan and Terry's input and a hot-summer grower, this trial plant has a lot more chance than those attempted before cyber garden talking!

I love cyber gardening, no cyberslugs so far, every plant I post stays in perfect condition. Pity we can't swap plants on here then it would be perfect.

I must confess, that I have, I think, lost my e. martinii. I loved that plant, got it 3 years ago from Harrogate show, but did not look after it last year, and it deteriorated to the point where it's root system was gone. I dug it up in a rescue attempt and potted it. I had just given up on it, pulled it out of the pot, and would you believe it, a quarter inch of new root was growing. Quickly stuck it back in the pot, but think it may be too far gone, top shrivelling fast. Time will tell, but I'm not holding my breath.

Just one bit of advice as we are talking euphobias, beware the white latex type sap, it is a bad irritant when in contact with many peoples skin.

Weird Dudes -- What is their URL?

Susan, here tis
Weird Dude's Plant Zoo
It will be added to our Links page at next update. He lists an enormous variety, everything from alpines to tropicals. A delicious list, that I wouldn’t even let myself wander through this time, or there might be 2 big brown trucks at the curb next month.

And speaking of URLs and going "hog wild" ;-), Susan, would you mind if I posted yours on this page for folks to come visit???

Please do! Our new domain name is finally connected to the web page.

Your garden has such a beautiful collection of specimen trees and shrubs. I love the maturity they give the land as well as how you combine them. How long have you been gardening there Susan?

Worthog Garden

We've lived here fifteen years, but it was seven years ago that we became enthusiastic gardeners. The land across the street was cleared then, giving us much more sunlight. We cut down several tall trees, Douglas fir and bitter cherry, and planted most of what you see on our web site. We think our big species Japanese maple was planted by the first residents of the house 35 years ago.

All that in just 7 years Susan?? Things grow fast and well in the land of abundant rains,,, and in the hands of very good gardeners! I am so excited about that ornamental rhubarb - had never seen one before. Wow, that is beautiful! and let's see, Red Stripebark Maple and the Silvervein Creeper and and and. You really have some beauties.

I just got the neatest jpg from Terry in an EMAIL; a pic he took while taking a woodland walk yesterday. THE BLUEBONNETS ARE CARPETING THE WOODS AND I'M NOT THERE.

\image
You've been away too long Maggie, bluebells not bluebonnets. Photographs do not do justice to them, you have to be there to experience the feeling, as the sea of blue drifts off under the newly opened canopy of leaves.

You really do have to be there cause I can't post the photo....lol
\image dscn0007r.jpg

Arghhhhhhh
Help, my html is useless....
One last try

Being haf and haaafffff - bi-cultural is a constant challenge. What month is this and where am I today? If its May, I'm supposed to be over there. Not fair. Maybe next May ,,, maybe sooner, knock wood. Let's start a "Send Maggie Back for Another Visit to Save Her Sanity" fund. All donations welcome. Let's see, that's SMBAVSHS. We need to work on that some.
And I like the shot you e'd me better.
Bluebells, bluebells, bluebells,,,, ok, got it.

Thanks for posting your photo, Terry. It gives us an idea of that beautiful scene.

Just one more to temp you back Maggie, now I know how to post the things. Hope this gives you even more of a feel for it Susan, just imagine a carpet of these bluebells (scilla nonscripta now endymion nonscripta)under the newly emerging spring acer foliage.
As if the Latin names were not hard enough to remember, now they keep changing the things, sort of defeats the object of having a system that works worldwide, may as well stick to bluebells/bluebonnets.

Now. That's more like it!
You know, maybe its not so much the flower that stirs the ache, it may be more a yearning for those country walks. Unless you own acreage, such as Carolyn, or know someone who does, its not a good idea to go plodding through fields around here. Barbed wire and landlord/hunter's bullets are hazardous. You see, everything is fenced in; posted No Trespassing. There is a nature park here, several miles from me, but it is the exploring, the unexpected and the spontaneity that is so wonderful about just heading out without destination and ending up at a wonderful one.
The bluebonnet is the state flower of Texas and I remember missing the Spring sight of it lining sunny highways when I lived over there.
Hopeless sentimental.

Terry, Thank you soooo much for sharing the little piece of bluebell heaven. Maggie, if you get enough in your fund, please include me! Maybe we should take a wildflower walk and make Terry jealous of our bluebonnets and Indian paintbrush.

Terry, Are the photos of open country, a park, or your own property?

Gail, I have a better idea. Why don't you try to get a package tour up? Wouldn't that be fun?

My own property....Oh how I wish Carolyn...The photographs were taken in a piece of woodland about ten minutes walk from where I live.

I've been going there and watching the seasons change for about 40 years, but I think this year is the best yet for the bluebells. Going back even further in time the woodland used to be a park (wish I had a time machine to go back and see it as it was then). Now it is open to anyone and everyone to visit, but most people don't take the trouble to go.

If someone started charging a few pounds entrance fee and they opened a cafe it would probably be packed with visitors. I prefer it just as it is, somewhere peaceful to walk, gather your thoughts and relive your memories.

Carolyn, That's just what I need to do to pay for the trip! Thanks for the great idea! I'll be tour guide and up everyone else's fee just a tad so I can afford to go...so who's signing up?

If we rely on this idea Gail, or SM&GBAVSHS, it'll be a cold day in Ft. Worth before we get 'nuff to stroll bluebells. Better make do with the bonnets for now!

Actually, it’s not a bad idea. Every time I give a slide program, folks ask if we would organize such a packaged tour and Lars and I have discussed the idea many times. After all these garden-seeking sojourns, the itinerary schemes come easy and what with my pension for researching the history of the sites, I could drone on for hours as a guide. And being bicultural provides great advantages when providing for foreigners in a foreign land. But the one thing that puts me off is the thought of being responsible for others, keeping everyone satisfied and safe. I'm just completing my last tour of parenting duty with Alex and don't know if I'm ready to take on another one en mass! But if we did take the plunge, I don't think there would be a shortage of Anglophile applicants and we would then get to justify many more garden-touring trips!

What about working with a travel agency that does groups? They could have the responsibility, but you and Gail could organize the itinerary; Gail could drop a mention of it somewhere where interested people might read about it...... Wouldn't it be fun for a group from this area to all go together? What ideas a group of us could come up with! North/Central Texas would probably never be the same!!

As far as I can understand about that idea Carolyn, a travel agency could book the flights and hotels rooms, period. Flights being the easiest detail and hotel rooms at their choosing would not be the fun ones. Larry and I choose more interesting, more earthly digs, such as private B&Bs, pub guest rooms, leased homes. Places not usually found unless you've been there before. Often there is a plumbing trade off for the interesting accomodations, but well worth it! Then the reallll challenge is getting from one site to the next. Driving on the wrong side of the road, often down unmarked country lanes (seldom shown on maps) and local resident’s directions being a list of pubs and pillar boxes, usually culminating in ‘You can’t miss it.’ followed by us muttering, yeah,,, right. Larry deserves Knighthood for getting us to many of our destinations. But maybe there is more to your agency suggestion than I understand Carolyn. We must talk!
Your idea of Gail's hook-up,, welll they have strict whatsit on that issue. But, considering the number of visitors our Virtual Stroll pages recieve, I am sure we would reach the right audience to market to, right there! Just think, the site could actually generate some income one day, or at least pay its overhead!

On Terry’s bluebell notes, it just occurred to me to mention that when he described his nearby woods as, ‘were once a park’, I must translate. That probably refers to a privately owned parkland, not a public one, as our term for ‘park’ indicates. This was once the private land of a now diminished or finished estate. Yes, Terry?

No Maggie, I believe, but could be wrong, that it was public parkland. I shall have to do some research, always fancied finding out a bit more about it...

About your tour, I have to ask myself is England ready for a mass invasion of Texas seed grabbers and cutting takers. Carolyn you say would Texas ever be the same, I say would England? Good to see you promoting the guest houses and pubs as places to stay Maggie, that's the way to get a real feel for this country.
Hope you do manage to organise something in the near future, might even get to meet a few of you then.

Terry, we TRUE Texans (and most adopted/adapted Texans) are very, very graceful about our plant grabbing and takings. We try to ask first -- if there's someone nearby and we NEVER take wildflowers from the wild and we say thank you in very special ways...fed exing BBQ to out-of-staters is one of my favorite ways to say thank you for a special plant I've obtained. We promise to be as good as we can, really we do!

Special Note for Maggie's eyes ONLY: Now, now, Maggie, I know you want to say something about my grabs and takes, but remember...I bring you goodies in trade when I find something....

I don't know Gail, I have heard about you......I am sorry I have not received a plant yet that should call for Texas Bar-B-Que.....Free lunch yes, but not mail order Bar-B-Que????

I don't know what Gail is talking about,,, or is that her conscience preying on some quilt only known to her? When it comes to my plants, what's mine is her's, well,,, if there's more one!! If David's trying to get you worried G., I have nothing but good to say about you (right Terry?) - but she knows all about you David ... so now *you* start worrying. Isn't this what they do in middleschool? He said she said,,, just to stir up trouble. Ok, happy now David?,,, *you're* in trouble, cause I'm going to tell Cheryn on you, Friday. heehee

Oh, and I wanted to tell youuns about something I overheard at an open garden in England. The topic was the same as a few notes above,,, about taking memento seeds and twigs when garden visiting. One guest was saying to tother,
'Well I know we are not supposed to... but everyone does it ... don't they?'
This, by the way, from natives - not an Ugly American tourist ;-)
I must admit that I know my garden sooo well, that I often spot evidence of this memento-taking after a tour here. For example, after the swap, I noticed someone had lifted a poppy seed head. But it was too green to have viable seeds. Its not as if I wasn't there to be asked. They may have been given ripe seed if they had asked! But when a plant obiviously has only one seed, well, I'm still pouting about that Clitoria ... and don't you start on that male amaranth thread again ;I, David, you troublemaker. You're in enough trouble tonight as it is.

Does everyone else feel the same as I do, that the most treasured plants are not those from the store/garden centre, but the ones recieved as gifts from friends. They are the ones that come with the most beautiful flowers of treasured memories.

(Trying to be very careful in my choice of words after seeing what happened to poor David back there);-)

As I type this I am looking out of the front window at the Wisteria blooms cascading down, and thinking I should have bought a house, not a bungalow (More wall to grow plants on). The front wall is one mass of bloom, the best year so far. I planted it as a tiny little twig when we moved in here about 20 years ago. It took it about 8 years before the first blossom appeared, and the number of blooms increases most years. I have to chuckle to myself when people stop to admire it, and tell me that their's planted last year has no blooms at all. Three years ago I planted near the end of my drive a Laburnum, my intention being to have the yellow cascade and the blue of the Wisteria out together, and this year, for once, my planning has been rewarded, with both plants in full flower at the same time.

I have a clematis alpina Pink Flamingo (the palest shade of pink on the outer petals, and a cluster of white pettaloides (probably not the correct word but I hope you know what I mean) filling the centre of each flower. This grows through a Lonicera (I believe it is japonica) and last year the combination of blooms had to be seen to be believed. I have never witnessed in my garden, a better combination of flower colour and form, as given by those two plants (and I must confess totally unplanned at the time of planting). So what happens this year now I have a new digital camera, and a web site to supply with pics, they miss each other by about a week. Ah well there is still the Laburnum/Wisteria.

Sometimes, I think our plants know when we are planning something and THEY decide to surprise us in a different way!

Terry, I must tell you, your bluebell pix has made it to my screen saver to forever tempt and taunt me to make a spring trip to England. It alternates with pixes of plants that I long for and plants I have and love. So, thank you for adding to my wish list!

Sentiment is my middle name. I always know where all my gift plants came from, but easily forget the purchased ones' sources. And if the gift originated from a seed or stem, its benefactor's memory is all the more engraved. Oh, and the foundlings. I have such a maternal thing for ophaned baby plants.
Gail, there is hot-climate substitute for the real blue bells which can't take the heat. (Don't worry about David, Terry, he can take the heat and flames - it's the way we operate best for some reason:) March 99 Come Stroll has the surrogate substitute, Gail. Since I keep a running copy of your wish list,,, I now know to add that to it right?!?

Terry, I am with you....I will watch how I use my words....I believe the truly best plants are the ones a FRIEND passes along to YOU....They are worth more to me than any store bought plant...
The best part of the sharing is the stories about the plant, sun,shade,water,no water,etc. and how it has done for the gardener...You can not usually get that at a nursery.....

Sounds like I’m the one in trouble now - and outnumbered. eek.
Is the wisteria on a new page at your site Terry? I would love to see it.
What you wrote about getting the how-tos from gift givers David… is right out of my upcoming Come Stroll article on the plant swap, that is still lagging behind. Think I’ll send all the Returnollers to this forum, since that’s where I’ve been writing instead of on Come Stroll!
About the delightful surprises, in spite of our best attempts, I had a glorious one today that I would like to make pic of… hummm better not… must stroll must stroll

Time I put a rose on here, not ideal for them in my garden, but some seem to like it. This one is Mme. Alfred Carriere, the first e in Carriere should have a little sloping line above it, but I am on the laptop and not sure how to get the ASCII character set working with no number pad.

A whole lot of foxgloves shot up this year from disturbed seeds, all wild, non planted. Thought I would share this light coloured one with you all, bumble bees are lovin em.

Terry, Great to have you back! Where have you been? I LOVE the rose! I've seen a photo in a catalogue, but the one in your garden is gorgeous. Gotta get me one of those. And foxgloves! I adore foxgloves. Had them a couple of houses back, and they did quite well. Didn't do worth a flip in the sand at the old farm. Should try them here.

These white fox gloves look huge! What's the measurement of the bell?

Just me getting in close Gail, they are about one inch (2.5cm) across the open end. They do look rather good, but even better is when they finish flowering, they die, and leave SPACE for more plants.
I keep hearing so much about your black plastic and garden in progress that I really think we should all put on a bit more pressure and force some piccies out of you Gail.....no excuses...

Know what ya mean about temp annuals and biennials Terry. I just pulled out the larkspur (my surrogate delphs) and poppies to replace with some heat hardy annuals... Pentas now, a few white periwinkle soon and am waiting for the nurseries to get some blue Cape plumbago in. You local folks ... please let me know when or if you've seen any cape p. somewhere yet.

Between the May pics on Terry's site and all you guys' fabulous pics on the forum, I have gorgeous new desktop images every day. But the foxgloves one is sensational because they all line up above each other, making Jack and the Beanstalk flowers on my screen.

Hello Maggie
I am home from my garden galavanting around Norfolk. I hope to get myself organised enough to get a page up on the site about it all. In the meantime just go and look at a garden to die for. www.e-ruston-oldvicaragegardens.co.uk

Nicola, welcome home! Thanks so much for sharing Alan and Graham's site. It's marvelous! Only wish I were there! Of course, I visit a site like their's and think, NO WAY, am I posting any pixes of my garden until it's finished...say 2020....

Hi Nicola. Thoroughly enjoyed the vicarage. I'm wondering how they were able to afford all those shrubs they planted in 1988. My husband is going to stroke out when I show him that site and tell him that's the next project!

Glad to hear from you again Nicola, HI HI! I will add that lovely garden to my Norfolk plans!
I know what you mean Carolyn, Gail,, its not your typical 'homeowners-doityourself on a shoestring' kind a place like ours is it? But aren't we glad others get to fulfill our fantasies for us to go visit - virtually or real time,, it could happen ;-)

Just a quick post. Showed my husband the vicarage landscaping this morning. He didn't freak out too bad. Only comment was, "Who maintains all that? Can't be just 2 guys!" So, I pointed out what a difference it would make if we actually had tall evergreen shrubs surrounding the house on this windy hill. Now, how to afford that many shrubs??

Sometimes its best not to let the spouse in on these major plans while they're in the thinking stages ;-).

Do you agree Nicola? And please let us know when your page is up the Old Vicarage Gardens.

NEVER tell the other half what you are planning. I just sort of make vague noises and wave my arms about to suggest that I just might be doing something new in a particular area.
I have the feeling that the Old Vicarage is maintained by a small army of gardeners. They have been on TV here and it would seem that money is not a problem. They were both in the plant sales area when we were there, Jill and I offered to move in but they were not interested! I didn't spend too much buying plants there...honest.
Goodness knows when I will have the time to sort a page on Norfolk. I haven't even managed to get my films developed yet.

So Nicola you too wave your arms about, maggie has been known to do that, but unlike Maggie you actually have a Giverny pic. on your site. Very good site too Nicola, I have been a few times, if I did not sign your guestbook then I appologise and can only plead total interest in your site and forgot to sign....will that get me off???

Flattery will get you everywhere Terry...almost. Thanks for the compliment re the site. It did take an age to get together, I want to do more pages but I can't seem to find the time. But I promise to do something on the Norfolk trip just as soon as I can.

Promises, promises, that's all we ever get around here.....*smile*

Terry, I gonna send you all the work I've done on Giverny and let you get the *#x!^# thing published ;-)

now maggie, watch your *#!* language!

what's the address for nicola's website?

Hi Terry. enjoyed your website when i looked at it. I, too, think I forgot to sign the guest book. Sorry.

Published stats say only 1 in 80 guests sign a guest book or otherwise communicate with the maker. And every site-doer I've talked to about it, says that is a lot more than they have experienced. Think I must be that 1 in 80, cause if I remember right, I signed both N, T, Susan's & Angie's (Roseville site) books a long time ago and wrote MK when she had last years garden on her site.
Carolyn, Nicola's site is on our links page on the Res G Abroad. I would go get the url for you, except I have to go check my guest book to see if any of you ever signed it. ;-)

Just kidding,,, I had to go get it from MamaKane's CR Farm thread - where I listed them earlier.
Nicola's Site

Now Maggie why did you think I was refering to you???? Just cause Nicola has a Giverney pic on her home page. :-p

Maybe cause they won't invite me to chk and dumpling dinner until it's published.

Gee, If that is true it will be chicken dinner around the FIRST OF THE YEAR .....2002..... does have a ring to it Maggie.......Giverneyin 2002.......

She's too busy ripping out great mounds of plants and earth in this mutant cool weather to work any more on the keyboard lately David. Between that and me learning of this upcoming plant sale and planned nursery excursion I'm catching on to the 'unmentioned plans' about to unfold. See, she's been waving her arms around madly and talking vaguely about some areas in general. Thanks for the tips Nicola.

Hey! The non-gardening spouses should not be allowed to peruse some of these garden topics. Can't we limit them somehow? Now, I'll have to go around deleting stuff cause I'm scared that Larry will tell Sonny about the trouble I'm about to stir up. Eeeehhhh! Maggie, can't you control your husband?!

That's right Lars Dear, you are far too busy to drop in here and visit with us. You have customers to call on in the mornings and no time to waste. And your wkend is going to be all booked up too, publishing some new pages - if not, I will set them on you - here on the 'Let's Torture/Tease Maggie Forum'. I can take it, can you? oxoxo

Teasing.....hmmm.....Torture.....hmmm.....can't think what she means for love or monet.

About this Giverny discussion - okay this Techie has done his part; the pages are patiently awaiting final approval & an intro from the Artist/Writer who seems to be suffering from Writer's Block or Deadline Denial.

I'll try to motivate her with a cup of tea brought to her bedside this A.M.

Larry you are the best!!!!!!!! how can Maggie get by with out you.....and Terry you are way to much like me........"Tea brought to her bedside" isn't that an old masters painting??????

It's been written for centuries and I had to get my own tea. I told you to stay off here Lars. This might end up in divorce court - I always wondered what ever happened to Joe and Mindy's garden site. Anyone notice how it just suddenly disappeared?

Incredible irony here today. You know our ISP has been a bear these last couple of weeks ... we have closed off the net ALL DAY - called and called, was put on hold for a record breaking 5 hrs. - just left it on speaker phone. Such a hoot. Anyway, point is, despite all best intentions and with marriage still intact, still no monet today !!!

I'll only believe THIS excuse if Lars will back you up! Otherwise, I'm going with the Writer's Block...me...who hasn't sent you my Organic Guide for July.

Another rambler and a vigorous one, trouble free, only flowers for about two weeks, but boy when it does it is covered in scented blooms like the one below. The blooms can be spoilt by rain, but that shouldn't be a problem in Texas...or should it??
Another back lit shot, why do all my roses face away from the sun?

Got so excited at knowing the name almost forgot to put it...Rosa Albertine

If you look closely at the photograph above you will see that the rose has Clematis montana and a rather vigorous honeysuckle for companions, gives you some idea of just what a fighter this one is.

Sorry Gail, Lars got stuck into some other project and hasn't even looked into seeing what we are up to today!

I've never seen that Rosa Albertine grown here before Terry. It is a beauty, and I like the back-lighting! Are those honeysuckle berries on the left?

My question too...what are the berries? Albertine is a beauty. How thorny?

That is gorgeous, Terry! I love the "open" blooming roses. I don't recall ever seeing that one here either.

The "berries are honeysuckle flower buds, and yes Gail this is one thorny SOB, I know cause I have to hack it and its companions back each year, before my greenhouse disappears under them.

I used to have a mamouth, vicious 'Mermaid' rose that I kept trained on 40 running ft. of fence, up to 10 ft. tall. Love the single blooms, but it became too much to deal with. Imagine - the base of the trunk grew to about a 9" diameter! Three times a year, I had to stand on ladder to tie in and trim rampant growths covered with the largest, sharpest thorns I've ever known. It's gone now, but once when I came out dripping blood, Larry looked at me and said 'It takes a REAL woman to prune a Mermaid.'

That would make a clever last sentence to this, but I must add that before I knew better, I had taken a cutting from it for the other end of the fence and fortunately, it never developed that behemoth characteristic. Let's hope it stays that way.

Only one comment to make....I have Rosa filipes Kiftsgate....pray for me now. :-)

I'll behave myself and just wish you luck and a sturdy ladder ;-)

I have a 'Rambling Rector' Rose which has really taken off in the last couple of years. He sulked for ages and refused to do anything, but eventually after I told him I did not care if he grew or died he finally started to climb the tree. I don't know if he is going to be able to rival your Kiftsgate rose Terry but it looks like he might come in a close second. He looks fantastic this year, I have taken some photos but have no idea of how to get them onto this message board so will just have to put them up on my site (when I find some time).

Brave woman Nicola. I just came in to cool off and lick my wounds. Was digging out this never ending patch of Johnson grass out of the terraced bed. Having sprayed self against mosquito bites, I wasn't amoured for the rest of the challenge. Standing on edge of 4ft wall, digging down 18", a thorny rose on one side of me and razor-toothed pampas grass on the other, plus a few fire ants. Oh the romance of gardening! Days like this reminds us of why we like to tour other folks gardens so much. What time of the year were you in Giverny?

We visited Giverney in early June which is the perfect time for all those superb Iris. We arrived at the garden around 4pm, it was quite crowded but soon emptied out as all the coach tours left. We had the garden almost to ourselves and it was wonderful.

Sounds wonderful Nicola. I sure would like to go back again when the roses are full open. When do bearded iris bloom in your garden?

The Iris bloom around June time depending on the weather. My last one has just gone over. I tried a couple of new ones this year, Dutch Chocolate which is a lovely brown colour and Butterscotch Kiss which is....well....a sort of butterscotch colour. And yes I did buy them because of their names.

Bet they look good enough to eat Nicola.

Sounds delicious to me too Terry! June there ... April here. See why it was difficult to plan borders to evolve 6 or more months of color when the only gardening books out there were written in short-summer regions!