Re: [gardeners] gardeners Digest V1 #759
Pauline & Gary (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Sat, 29 Jan 2000 09:01:58 -0500
Hi all, I thought I would use this time to introduce myself as well. I read
more than I post and learn a lot in the process. My husband and I retired
(early---hurrah!!) about 5 years ago and moved from government positions in
Washington DC to Wilmington, NC. My husband's main interest is playing golf
which he does about 5 days a week (not for several weeks, however, with our
recent "rare" snowfall). I have found gardening to be a wonderful pastime
and have added that to my other hobbies, painting (oils, mostly) home
decorating (making draperies, coverings, etc, etc) and using my digital
camera and computer in all of my hobbies. I recently started the Master
Gardener's course at our county Arboretum Extension service so I will gain a
lot more knowledge than I have now I hope. I have a grown daughter (age
28), recently married who has moved to Wilmington also. I spent the last
month helping them get their new first home in shape. I painted (regular)
walls, made curtains and draperies, and painted a mural in their foyer.
This Spring we can begin work on creating a garden for them also. Mainly
into flower gardening. My backyard doesn't get enough sun to produce
vegetables. Photos of my garden can be seen at:
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=54751 for anyone interested. I
love gardening here in Wilmington and my garden just finished its first
season. Most of the perrenials were planted in Fall of 1998 and bloomed for
the first time in 1999. I just added Camellias and Nellie Stevens Holly as
well as some azaleas to the garden. My dear husband made the arbor in the
corner of our yard and this year I will plant 6 Zepherine Drouhin roses that
hopefully will create a lovely display in a couple of years. If anyone has
any experience with this rose, I would love to hear about it. I had already
planted Clematis (Henryii) which didn't do much in their first year. But
there is still hope. I want to do more container gardening this year since
I love the idea of moving things around in the garden.
I have a cat also, and there are pictures of him at the photopoint site. I
love my backyard birds and also have an album of some shots of woodpeckers,
cardinals, wrens, etc. We have been fortunate to have bluebirds nesting in
our backyard in a small house my husband built right after we moved in. Had
immediate tenants in the Spring of 1998 and they (or their offspring) have
used the house to nest three times already. Alas, just this past week a
squirrel has chewed out the opening trying to get in--- so we will put out a
new house for the bluebirds in a month or so. My garden has yet to mature,
but I am excited at the rate of growth we get here. I also just put in an
additional 400 daffodil bulbs and a 100 tulip bulbs and will take more
pictures this spring of their display. I still have to find the right
combination for my window boxes. Nothing I have tried has fit the
conditions here really well. But I will keep trying.
I enjoy hearing about all of you and your varied gardens.
Pauline
Zone 8
Wilmington, NC