Introduction? Here we go...1st, I've never joined anything online, so if I blunder-let me appologize ahead! I am stumbling my way around this website kinda like helen keller! (thats how I am learning about my new property here in South Florida too!) I've just relocated from Indianapolis, IN. Let me just tell you that I am way over my head in this overgrown tropical jungle. In Indy I spent all of my time running my business (which had nothing to do with gardening). Any free time was spent with my husband (the ultimate outdoorsman)camping, traveling, enjoying car racing...It was Indy my friends,...the racing capitol of the world.

When we decided to relocate, we wanted property (which is so difficult to find in So. Fla.), and ended up purchasing what 20 years ago was probably a beautifully landscaped paradise. Over the years, 2 owners and several renters later, the land has overgrown into a tropical JUNGLE!

Since I am not working (outside of my home) I have been cutting thru the property (literally)and discovering gods wonder! It is fun and kinda scary! But I've found that I love it - even though I can't identify a thing!!! We have so many different palms, exotic plants, citrus trees, flowering bushes... it is so fascinating to me. I know my new neighbors probably think I am a dork - they may see me out in my yard with a book of palm trees in one hand and a glass of wine in the other - staring up into the canopy of palms & pines trying to distinguish the different types! Well, if my neighbors CAN see me, they've got to be pretty nosy considering that the overgrowth completely secludes our property! Ha ha

So, thats it, that's why I joined, I need help and alot of it! I have decided to maintain the "natural" look by recycling the fallen pine needles into mulch, creating a great border for my flowers and next I want to create some natural pine pathways thru the property. I am looking for any suggestions to promote a park-like setting.

Well, I've gotta go- It's Saturday and it rained last nite, so there is alot of pine needles in the drive that need to be blown into a pile for mulch! Thanks for reading-C Ya Soon!
P.S. I can identify Poison Ivy now- Thats a good start...huh? Ha Ha

hey container girl.i moved here 4 years ago from west side indpls.we probably passed each other at the races...never missed a one for 10 years.we moved end of sept and my last night in indy got snow and was cold,had already had the gas turned off so was a nice frozen night.have to admitt I kinda like wearing shorts year round& don't miss those 60 hour work weeks.was here a year till realized i actually finally had the time to garden.hubby got me 80+rose bushes for mothers day.I keept 73 gave some to friends cause just was so sick of digging holes and finding spots and had a lil roblem of yard being 75% shade.I only moved further south with 21 of them so is a lot more easier and more time for my other flowers which am on to a good start to filling my 2 acres.seems our old friends are trying to dry out from the rain/flood holiday what a bummer for them.I know you'll like gardening in FL and just think.....NO MORE SNOW.i always hated cleaning& sweeping my car off to have a snow plow block me in before even getting out on street to slip/slide to work.least don't have to wear 5 layers of clothes no more huh...
welcome to the forum.it really is a great place to hang out

Hi Njoy! Oh It is so great to know that I am not alone! Nope I sure won't miss that snow. But do miss the family. OH, man sounds like your man is outta this world in love with you--- all of those roses - thats Great! I hope he helped a little bit with the holes! ha ha. My hubby started a cactus garden, yesterday - we planted 3 very large agave out back - we planted them in the sunniest - sandiest spot in the yard - hoping they'll take off, Didn't look like anything else would live there without some major soil work. Actually it went pretty well with only one major prick into the forearm, a little blood sweat & tears!!! Thanks for the reply - I hope to hear again from ya soon!

OH NO!!! Karen, you have the cactophile sickness!
At the peak of my collection, I had 600 different kinds.... over 5000 in all.... BEWARE! Pretty soon you won't be able to find any little ones you don't have, and then the sickness can get very expensive, and time consuming. <img border="0" alt="[clappy]" title="" src="graemlins/clappy.gif" />

So you too were struck with cactophile sickness! Is there a support group I should join for this sickness? At least I now know I am not alone!

Hi my name is Catlover I am a cactophile! Catlover

If you get involved with other cactophiles, the sickness gets even worse. Whatever you do, don't join the ICSS....

Back then I had 16 plant shops going, so I was always wandering around cool nurseries... and I ever saw one that I didn't have, I had it before I left.

I only have 2 cactus, a hundred year old Agave left, and a lot of memories left...... don't even have pix!

First off Bill what is ICSS?
"Ignorant cactus society of suckers?"

Now who do you think I was thinking of when I added that kitty?
International Cactus and Succulent Society....
I loved having all the shops... kept me very busy. After I got married I got rid of the shops and only distributed to nurseries from my own stock. I had 1500 sq feet under glass, so I had a whole new world to play in. That was the best job I ever had.... until....

OOOOhhhh that SUCKS!!!!!
What started the fire?

You should wipe that pix from your memory bank.

I can start some starters for you? Is it once a cactophile always a cactophile or are you on the bandwagon and keeping the couple you have for memory sake?

Catlover

Wow! That picture is SCARY! I'm so sad to hear about that, Bill.

Did you ever read "The Orchid Theif"? It's a super book about the sickness of collecting orchids. Fascinating! It was adapted into the movie "Adaptation", but the movie was more about writing screenplays than collecting orchids. (It's a great movie, anyway!) But the book has a lot of history on collecting plants in general, Florida wildlife history, Seminole Indian culture, Orchid nut extremes... a good read, especially during the non-gardening season.

Bill that picture is just awful...
That's the type of thing that we always think happens to other people, but not to us....

bill,
that pic is awful - soooo sorry for the loss, dude.