2008 Photo Contest Finalists

SuperUser Account — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:43:07 GMT

Enjoy some of our favorite entries from the 2008 Photo Contest! Barn in autumn by Member Carol Parton, Marion, IL Patio garden by Member Burt Cross, St. Augustine, FL Field of irises by Member Sandra Stacy, Columbus, IN Luna moth and artichoke by Life Member Pilar Sanchez, Moab, UT Crocus buds by Member Donalyn Ketchum, Berkshire, NY Green strawberries by Member Christina Nelson, Four Oaks, NC Blue flax flowers by Member Gale Wall, Hutchinson, KS Morning dew on purple fountain grass by Life Member Eileen Heveron, San Diego, CA Decorative onion flower buds by Life Member Diana Dumitru, Fairview Park, OH Iris and barbed wire composition by Member Bernadine Lloyd, Topeka, KS

Web Links November/December 2008

SuperUser Account — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 22:01:43 GMT

Web Resources November/December 2008Product Pick: For a list of authorized dealers who sell the artisan suet bird feeder: Whitehall Products, Whitehall, MI, 800-728-2164. To buy the feeder online: Touch of Class, www.touchofclass.com.Garden Spot: Portland Classical Chinese Garden, Portland, OR, 503-228-8131, www.portlandchinesegarden.org.Resources for Southeast:Plant Delights Nursery, Raleigh, NC, 919-772-4794, www.plantdelights.com. Wilkerson Mill Gardens, Palmetto, GA, 770-463-2400, www.hydrangea.com. Woodlanders, Aiken, SC, 803-648-7522, www.woodlanders.net.Resources for Northeast:Wayside Gardens, Hodges, SC, 800-213-0379, www.waysidegardens.com.Resources for Southwest:For Rhus aromatica: High Country Gardens, Santa Fe, NM, 800-925-9387, www.highcountrygardens.com. For Picea glauca: Waterloo Gardens, Devon, PA, 610-293-0800, www.waterloogardens.com.Resources for Pacific Northwest:See Mahonia ‘Arthur Menzies’ and hardy cyclamen at: Joseph A. Witt Winter Garden, Washington Park Arboretum, Seattle, WA, 206-543-8800, www.depts.washington.edu/wpa.Resources for Mountain/Midwest:Joy Creek Nursery, Scappoose, OR, 503-543-7474, www.joycreek.com.The Garden in Winter:For more information on The Garden in Winter by Suzy Bales: Rodale, Emmaus, PA, 610-967-5171, and New York, NY, 212-697-2040, www.rodale.com.Sources for plants with a tropical look:Brent & Becky’s Bulbs, Gloucester, VA, 804-693-3966, www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com. Logee’s Greenhouses, Danielson, CT, 888-330-8038, www.logees.com. Plant Delights Nursery, Raleigh, NC, 919-772-4794, www.plantdelights.com. Stokes Tropicals, Jeanerette, LA, 800-624-9706, www.stokestropicals.com. The Banana Tree, Easton, PA, 610-253-9589, www.banana-tree.com.

November/December 2008 Member Forum

SuperUser Account — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 15:42:23 GMT

What’s the best gardening gift you’ve received?power of friendship For my 45th birthday, my wife gave me cushioned knee pads. They’re good for working on soil, wood, asphalt, and even concrete. They fit so well and are so comfortable that I’ve forgotten I’m even wearing them—once, I even wore them to the grocery store.—Greg Cariglia, Mansfield Center, CTheavy hauler My best gift is a large metal garden cart. Hauling mulch takes fewer trips because it holds about five times the amount a wheelbarrow can.—Jean Anderson, Bradley, SCgarage sale green My dad built me a potting table using an old aluminum sink. It’s the perfect height. I put a pot under one drain hole to catch potting soil and a bucket under the other to recycle water. It’s worth a million dollars to me!—Michelle Bonner, Tyler, TXall-in-one efficiency With my multi-purpose garden knife, I can dig holes, cut roots, and transplant easily, all with one tool. My days in the garden are now less about work and more about enjoying myself.—Jeremy Pardo, Monsey, NYthanks for the memories The best gifts are items of garden art I’ve received over the years from vacationing friends and neighbors. I place them throughout my garden and treasure each piece. —Sara E. Bupp, York, PA warm glow Janet, my best friend, gave me a fire pit. When I light it, it reminds me of years ago, when we would sit around our campfire at night after we finally got the kids to fall asleep!—Lorraine Boisse, Smithfield, RIliving gift keeps giving Instead of buying cut roses that would die, my husband bought me enough rose bushes to make an entire rose garden. Now I will have his beautiful roses for life. —Julia Jester, Glencoe, ARfriendship power After a back injury, I wasn’t able to garden. So my friend Dan bought me a lightweight little power tiller. It’s been four years, and that tiller is still my joy. It’s let me keep gardening.—Dolly Koch, Oxford, AR more than bargained for I love Chinese wisteria, and my husband bought a couple on sale for $5 each. He was shocked when I told him they can grow up to 30 inches tall and need support from a sturdy arbor. My $10 plants managed to get me a beautiful $300 arbor for my front yard!—Dana Jones, Washington, IN shovelful of memories My best garden gift was my father’s old gardening spade. He once had to replace the wooden handle, but otherwise the tool had been in use for over half a century. He passed it on to me, and I’m still using it 15 years later.—Marilyn Lytle, McKinleyville, CArecording the years The best gift was a gardening journal from my mother. It has places for daily notes as well as a plant inventory list and a place where you can document harvests.—Charlene Derhammer, Cheboygan, MI

November/December 2008 Member Tips

SuperUser Account — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 15:34:07 GMT

everything goes in I keep a garden journal with notes and dates about what I plant, when, and results. This helps me decide if I want to try it again next year. I also add spraying dates for fruit trees, pruning dates for shrubs, and rain dates and amounts. I take pictures of my blooming shrubs and perennials and print them out on regular paper to help me remember where they are and what they look like.?Betty A. Elbracht, Howells, NE details, details I use a regular lined page journal and keep it in an open place during the summer. I record the dates we plant, what we plant, and how much. I also record the places, times, prices, and quantities of the produce I purchase to preserve, as well as the amounts I preserve of either purchased or home grown produce. I will also record the amounts we eat fresh. Then I have an idea of how much to plant or purchase the following summer.? Mrs. Thomas Lapp, August, WV big plans I have an English-style garden that covers about 4 acres, plus a 3-acre pond and a 1-acre front yard. I am always testing perennials that will grow in clay soil, provide color, need little care, and tolerate drought conditions. So I really need a plan from year to year. By using a spreadsheet, I can keep track of flowers I have tried. I am also able to keep my seasonal color pattern in mind as I add new plants.?Rachel Wicker, Murray, KY remember this I purchased a book type journal and I make sporadic entries. The most helpful ones to me are reminders on what to do next year. I also make notes on progress, including dates. I tape in a few pictures of how the garden or a container looked at a particular time as a reference for next year.?Colleen Gengler, Iona, MN

Member Garden - Jill Thens

SuperUser Account — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 13:59:24 GMT

In our November/December issue, Member Jill Thens described how her family has learned to live with the deer and other wildlife on their property. Here are more photos of their garden and the animals that stop by to visit.

National Home Gardening Club

2008 Photo Contest Finalists

Web Links November/December 2008

November/December 2008 Member Forum

November/December 2008 Member Tips

Member Garden - Jill Thens