Gardening and Lawn Maintenance

[northland10]

Well, this topic's turned into a bunch of crap.

[bill_g]

Well, this topic's turned into a bunch of crap.

But, it does amaze me how many people pay for fertilizer and amendments to make their garden look great, and then truck it to the curb each week after they do some yard work. Circle of life.

[Azastan]

Well, this topic's turned into a bunch of crap.

That's what makes things grow!

[Tiredretiredlawyer]

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Snowball bush to which I conduct a pilgrimage every spring. This is about one half mile from my house.

[Tiredretiredlawyer]

Spring is purple at my house. First irises to bloom and native spider sorts. Excuse the mess. We haven't done outside maintenance yet.

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[AndyinPA]

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Snowball bush to which I conduct a pilgrimage every spring. This is about one half mile from my house.

My mom had one that size in her front yard. I loved it.

[Tiredretiredlawyer]

IMG_1664.jpgIMG_1665.jpg

Snowball bush to which I conduct a pilgrimage every spring. This is about one half mile from my house.

My mom had one that size in her front yard. I loved it.

[Phoenix520]

Love those spider things, trl. Irises too.

Maybenaut ANY TIME ! But not first week of June!

[sugar magnolia]

I love spiderwort and have them all over the yard. They are considered invasive here so people tend to mow them down or dig them up but I just move them to a better place when they volunteer somewhere they aren't supposed to be.

[Slim Cognito]

I'm doing a little unlandscaping. We have an area in the middle of the front yard, circled by cement curbs that has lava rock, a hibiscus bush and an annoying ornamental tree that isn't at all ornamental. I've replaced the fabric under the rock twice in the past eight years, laying it 2-3 layers thick, and still the weeds get through. It's Florida. Anything will grow, even though it's sand.

We're relocating the bush to the back, pulling up the fabric and the curbs and going to lay sod. I can't keep up with the weeding and refuse to use Round-up.

Speaking of fertilizer, here in southern Florida, we've been dealing with red tide all winter, usually a summer problem but the gulf is so warm these days, it's year-round now. And the green algae, which was somewhat under control after they starting banning certain types of fertilizer, is on it's way down the river from Lake O.

So before getting a chance to recover from the pandemic crunch, water-front businesses are going straight into smelly dead marine animals on the beach season.

[Frater I*I]

Should I ever wind up owning a house, I'm replacing all the plants in the yard with plastic ones and the grass with astro turf...

[Azastan]

Should I ever wind up owning a house, I'm replacing all the plants in the yard with plastic ones and the grass with astro turf...

As an impressionable youth of around 7 years old, I remember walking to the local Brownie meetings and having to pass a xeriscaped yard on the way there. Since this was in southern California, the plants consisted of cactus, the 'lawn' was sand, and there was a fibreglass rattlesnake keeping an eye on everything.

[Slim Cognito]

They do have something here called Florida landscaping which is just sand with a few environmentally friendly plants. Apparently your HOA can't force you to abandon it but you do have to post a sign acknowledging your landscaping choices so they can't hassle you.

When my son lived in Phoenix, his yard was decorative rock with a few cacti. Every few weeks, he'd rake the rocks and pull anything that popped up.

All the neighbors have services that come out and spray chemicals on their yards and post a sign to stay off for 24 hours. But nobody pays attention, especially when walking their dogs. I should study this but I've always wondered if the constant use of those chemicals on yard after yard after.... has contributed to what seems to be an increase in cancer in dogs.

We don't do that either. Yes, we have lots of dollar weed mixed in with what they call grass down here (a long grass-like vine) but it's still green and it stays low to the ground so I don't care.

[p0rtia]

My favorite time of year in Fla. Can't reproduce the scent -- or the scent of the gardenia bush in full bloom. I'm in heaven.

These babies are two years old. I have six -- all with lotsa blooms. Next year I expect to see some woody growth. Let's grow, boys!

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[Tiredretiredlawyer]

Should I ever wind up owning a house, I'm replacing all the plants in the yard with plastic ones and the grass with astro turf...

You're a level up from Hubby. He wants a concrete yard. He is willing to paint or pour it green though.

[AndyinPA]

My favorite time of year in Fla. Can't reproduce the scent -- or the scent of the gardenia bush in full bloom. I'm in heaven.

These babies are two years old. I have six -- all with lotsa blooms. Next year I expect to see some woody growth. Let's grow, boys!

Frangipani.jpg

Hands down, my favorite scented flower. I can't grow them as I live in the woods. Next favorite, orchids. I have three in the kitchen window in bloom right now.

When I was growing up, my father always bought us gardenia corsages for Easter Sunday to wear to church.

[Frater I*I]

You're a level up from Hubby. He wants a concrete yard. He is willing to paint or pour it green though.

That was thoughtful of him

[Maybenaut]

Should I ever wind up owning a house, I'm replacing all the plants in the yard with plastic ones and the grass with astro turf...

You're a level up from Hubby. He wants a concrete yard. He is willing to paint or pour it green though.

Our front yard is mostly asphalt. Lots of parking, tho...

[pipistrelle]

Should I ever wind up owning a house, I'm replacing all the plants in the yard with plastic ones and the grass with astro turf...

You're a level up from Hubby. He wants a concrete yard. He is willing to paint or pour it green though.

Our front yard is mostly asphalt. Lots of parking, tho...

Was it a commercial building at some point?

[Maybenaut]

It was originally a small souvenir/gift shop. It got added on to over the years. The owner two owners ago turned it into a B&B. The previous owners to us thought they’d run it as a B&B also, but didn’t care much for the idea of strangers sleeping in their house. They tried (unsuccessfully for many years) to sell the place. They’re the ones who paved the parking area, thinking it would help to sell the place (it didn’t).

This place is 5,000 sq ft of weird. We wouldn’t have looked twice at it except: It borders our cabin property, and it’s got the most incredible view. We’re on the east side of a mountain, the view is to the East-Southeast. On the other side of the valley is Shenandoah National Park.

[Azastan]

I mowed the pastures today, and potted up more dahlias. I have over 325 pots of dahlias. I also have a long driveway, which is mostly in full sun, and borders my neighbour's arena.

[Phoenix520]

Three hundred and twenty five?
Gloryoski, Azastan! How do you stand all the beauty? Do horses eat them?

I think I may become that way with begonias. I got some tubers this year, “Fragrant Falls” peach and lemon, and have them in hanging baskets near the back door. I already have a couple of angel wings and a rare one from Veracruz MX that was there when we bought our last house. I don’t really care for the landscape variety; I go more for the showy rex begonias.

Can you post some bloomin’ pics of your dahlias?

[Azastan]

Three hundred and twenty five?
Gloryoski, Azastan! How do you stand all the beauty? Do horses eat them?

I think I may become that way with begonias. I got some tubers this year, “Fragrant Falls” peach and lemon, and have them in hanging baskets near the back door. I already have a couple of angel wings and a rare one from Veracruz MX that was there when we bought our last house. I don’t really care for the landscape variety; I go more for the showy rex begonias.

Can you post some bloomin’ pics of your dahlias?

The horses don't eat them, but they have been known to attempt to eat them by pulling them out of the ground only to discover that they aren't nearly as appetizing as they look.

Begonias are lovely, but wouldn't survive for long here without being in a greenhouse.

One of my favourites, this is Macallister's Pride:

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[Maybenaut]

Those are gorgeous! My sister is a flower farmer. She grows dahlias from seeds.

I’ve had good luck growing dandelions and kudzu, but not much else.

[Azastan]

Those are gorgeous! My sister is a flower farmer. She grows dahlias from seeds.

I’ve had good luck growing dandelions and kudzu, but not much else.

I am good at buttercups (wet, acidic soil) but they are slowly going away after 10 years of management.

I saved seeds from this beauty and have planted them. Have no idea what to expect, though, since they were bee pollinated. This is Mars:

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