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#62006 Jun 9th, 2007 at 10:39 AM
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Hi! I'll preface this post by saying the 'stumbling' part of the subject line is revealing in that I had to have my son tutor me in forum technique. And smiley face icons?!?!? Yikes! That may take me a while to master, it's enough to spell check as it is. Another new member mentioned finding this site by googling a plant name; same here and...wala!

My intro: I'm a FL transplant of 18 yrs. Our youngest of five is 17 and the only FL native, the others, like my husband and I, are from south central IL on a rented farm, just across the river from St. Louis, MO. We were very bi-state. After our sojourn south, my homesickness for real dirt, assorted elevation and vegetation was as intense as my homesickness for family, likely more so.

It has been a challenge and education to adjust to dirty sand rather than moist soil. But, it was necessary to sooth my gardening soul. The recent retail move to "outdoor living" suits me fine, and I wonder why they hadn't discovered the wealth in this previously untapped market sooner.

Currently, we have a convex waterfall and pond outside our large drive-in picture window. The waterfall/pond was one of those projects that cause you to want to do it again, since now we know what not to do. Nevertheless, we love it!

An oak and elm canopy our 'oasis' of several plant beds in the back yard, where two thirds of our acre is. Any suggestions on inepensive bare-foot pathways, shade, drought and heat loving ground cover and plants would be great. I'm also interested in putting in a bog, however I'm somewhat hesitant given the mosquito population.

I've only spent a short time going through this site before I realized I need much more time and that my first foray into a forum would start at the Gardeners Forum. I'm excited to be here and I'm sure I'll be able to answer my own questions once I have some time to really discover the offerings here. Looking forward to the company of greener thumbs!

Julianne


Julianne
Julianne #62076 Jun 9th, 2007 at 01:13 PM
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Me too! I still can't figure out how to post a new message without going into an existing post. Anyway, I just was out in my garden and found a main branch of my Princess Diana rose bush has broken off. I cut it off and salvaged a few roses (worse for the wear) and brought them in the house to take some photos. I had the camera out, so I went back into the garden and started shooting. I've seen lots of photos and so I thought I could brag too. See photos attached, click album to see my whole garden.

http://picasaweb.google.com/ruthie.cameron/PrincessDianaRoses/photo#5074154365029036674

#62541 Jun 10th, 2007 at 09:57 AM
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The way to get handle of the mosquitoes is to have a fountain in the pond/bog somewhere that will move the water. A solar pump where the outflow is left inside the bog works just fine. As long as the water moves the mosquitoes won't use it for breeding.

Most mosses would work well as a ground cover if you amended the soil to make it more moisture retentative and if you were willing to run a drip hose around the area.

I'm from a cooler climate so I'm not familar of any plants that meet your requirements. Most of my shade plants are water hogs lol.


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tkhooper #65754 Jun 13th, 2007 at 08:54 PM
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wavy Welcome Julianne--I am sure you will be glad you found this site. clap

I live in central Il right across the river from STL---
what town do you hail from???


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JunieGirl #67350 Jun 15th, 2007 at 05:34 PM
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Thanks, TK, I have guppies, white female betas, toad and frog tadpoles in the fountain; they enjoy mosquito tar-tar. A solar pump in the bog? Hmmm...I'm thinking about that. I already raked out some of the soil, if you can call it that, and made a berm of sorts surrounding the potential bog area, shoring up the inside of the berm with river rock left over from the waterfall. Naturally, to do it properly, I'd have to dig everything up, grade for esthetics , line the area with plastic, investigate a solar pump. I'm still dreaming, but I'd like some more information on the solar pump. Shall I just google, or do you have a favorite site/brand to recommend?


Julianne
Julianne #67358 Jun 15th, 2007 at 05:44 PM
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JunieGirl, I spent most of my young life (until about 28) in Granite City, then moved to Edwardsville between 1982 through 1988, when we left for FL. My husband and I went to SIUE for a while. I'm trying to remember which direction Worden is, I know we've been there, have family near there. I'm horribly geographically illiterate. And my spelling stinks, too. :~} Oddly, the only June I knew from then actually had gone out with my husband before we got together.

Uh, oh. I just realized all the little boxes in the message window. Gee, wonder if I was supposed to use those to reply to a post specifically? Duh. Sorry. Promise I'll get the hang of this sooner or later.


Julianne
Julianne #67361 Jun 15th, 2007 at 05:47 PM
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Originally Posted by Julianne
...Uh, oh. I just realized all the little boxes in the message window. Gee, wonder if I was supposed to use those to reply to a post specifically? Duh. Sorry. Promise I'll get the hang of this sooner or later.
nope, you don't have to. and no apologies needed. we are just glad to have you, and i haven't used one of those boxes in ages, i prefer the quick reply! lol

tkhooper #67362 Jun 15th, 2007 at 05:49 PM
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love the moss idea. I've tried scottish/irish moss, georgous, but dead. Not enough ammending; I need an entire new constitution! What I wouldn't give for a truckload of nice 'soil'! Another investigation underway for price and quality. I must ammend my beds. I must ammend my beds. I must...


Julianne
Julianne #67478 Jun 15th, 2007 at 09:48 PM
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Julianne;
If you are in Edwardsville you go East out of town on vandallia st. down Moony hill and it magically becomes 157---you go towards Hamel--right before you get to the city limits of Hamel, there is a road to the left (staunton road) You take it and you cross 140 still going north & magically you will soon be in Worden. about a 20 minutes drive.

about my screen name---my name is actually Carol---I was born in June so my aunt always calls me "junie"

about the "little boxes" At first I did not use them either and I would always wonder how everone got all the cute smilies & all. I could only acess them if i edited a post---so someone finallly helped me, so now I will help you.---If you hit the "reply" box at the bottom of a post, you will have acess to all the ammenities. AND also if you highlight a certain post & then hit "quote" at the bottom of that post, your post will first include the post you highlighted in a little box. this helps if you want to answer something in specific & do not want to confuse anyone.

Clear as mud????

Nice to see you here---I am sure you will be happpy you found us/this Forum. Goodluck!!


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JunieGirl #68065 Jun 16th, 2007 at 09:55 PM
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Well, Junie, frankly I'm glad you're Carol. I was beginning to get that 'it's a small world' feeling, wondering what if it is that very same June. See what a small world it really is considering we were only a short distance from each other. We lived at 140 Moro Road, just off of 157, in an old farm house. It's so differnt now. I think I was more homesick for those acres than I was for my family. It was the best time of our lives. Oh, look, now you've gone and made me all melancholy! :~} Especially since I was digging with the post hole digger today and could hardly get anything out because the sand kept slipping right through the jaws! I almost laughed. We had to scoop it out with our hands. Tsk, tsk. I'm dumping in quickcrete and sawed off saplings for a rustic arbor, so see if I care about dumb ol' sand. (I really am older than a 12 year old, I just feel like one right now. :~D)


Julianne
#68071 Jun 16th, 2007 at 10:07 PM
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Thanks for the warm welcome! I'm getting worried about forum addiction, though. As long as I partake of an evening, I'm sure I'll be OK. Luckily, it's a good mix for my gardening addiction. (I'm too tired to figure out the smiley face thing, so just imagine there's one here > < and that it's looking deep into a laptop screen and has dirt under it's nails)

I believe I'l be celebrating Father's Day taking pictures and taking lessons on how to up/download, (WHATever!)to A Gardner's Forum. I'm excited to share our garden. That's what they're for, right? A nice relaxing sit down and a friendly chat.


Julianne
Julianne #68072 Jun 16th, 2007 at 10:07 PM
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Moro road--that is not but 15-20 minutes from here---
it is a nice area, I agree.

I think we all miss what we had in the past--it is just how the mind works(?)

I am glad I am not your June too!! that would be kinda scary, wouldn't it??

Good luck with your ground.--can you slowly take away sand & replace/ammend it with topsoil?? (you know, just for the small flower beds???)--
or then you could container garden----that might be the easiest---
and you could position the containers/pots where they would look the nicest.


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JunieGirl #68081 Jun 16th, 2007 at 10:38 PM
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Thanks for the much needed good luck. There's hardly a spot in the garden I haven't dumped compost/manure and or topsoil into, well, except for a couple of beds when I ran out of bags of the stuff. It's creepy. I feel as if work the suff in, it rains, sand sinks, compost floats and washes away. That is a bit extreme, but I swear it's slowly dissappearing!

And, get this; the Home Depot Diva told me today that no matter what you do, the soil returns to it's natural state after a few years. Any ammending I do now is basically a "quick fix". Gee, thanks, lady.


Julianne
Julianne #68097 Jun 17th, 2007 at 02:13 AM
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What would happen if you had raised beds made & filled them?

maybe you would not be spinning your wheels then???

And like i said---perhpas containers is the way to go???


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#68620 Jun 17th, 2007 at 09:57 PM
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Hi, Penny!

Thanks for the welcome. This group is amazing! The advice and friendliness is top notch. I feel very comfortable and welcomed. Looks like we're at oppisite ends, you in Ontario, me in FL. I can't even imagine how different gardening is there. How long is your main growing season?


Julianne
Julianne #68622 Jun 17th, 2007 at 10:01 PM
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Junie,

Yes, I've pondered the raised bed idea just today. You must be tuned in to my wave lenght. :~D

At first I was thinking dry creek beds as retention area directing what would be runnoff to bed that need more water. Then of course I realized I'd be running off all my good soil. Raised beds seem like the answer. Now I need an answer to how in the heck am I going to afford to raise so many beds?!? It'll have to be little by little. I wanted more height to my garden; I like levels in land and plantings.


Julianne

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