@sneh: it IS wonderful to see all the new gals here.. so long, it was you, me and maya.. (probably bad english)@gals: thanks for the links.. the rose bush sounds right up my alley.. and, im really lucky: my inlaws gave me all their orchids over a ear ago, and they've grown in leaps.. but, as the guy at the nursery told me, I don't fertilize them enoughtto get many blooms.. the ice cube trick is so cool.. i bookmarked both sites, so i can go back to them..and, yes, almost 1/2 of my present garden, is a plant that came from someones memorial.. ts' become a custom with my crowd NOT to send cut flowers, but a plant, with a few live cuts, so the plant is still there to plant, after..i have a few roses i lost this year, from neglect.. a very pretty lavander one left a big hole.. i'll be getting one soon. we have a great nursery here, for roses, so maybe they'll have one, soon. i find they're not as hardy, as some..

  for anyone who indulges, Happy Easter.........3jays

Some of you may have been gardening from knee-high on.  I didn't make a first attempt until I was 30 but it turned out to the most fascinating thing to me.  My first attempt at flowers was a flat of marigolds, ageratum, and viola from a hardware store sale for a small box garden in front of boyfriend's house at that time.  Hah.  Had no idea that there was a difference between sun lovers and shade lovers and was so disappointed when the viola croaked. From there it took off for 20 years, getting much better each and every year.  How did you guys start?

I started gardening with my Dad when I was a little girl.  My parents sold the farm when I was in the 8th grade.  Moved to another house where there was not room to garden and life goes on Dad dies I get married never had a place to garden until a couple of years ago and I love it.  My mom laughs that I am just like my Dad when it comes to gardening as none of my brothers garden like I do.

sorry, ladies.. i CANNOT do "hot" so enjoy, for me...

  the news here, is the verbina just about gpt cooked alive the last few days.. im nursing it now, maybe itll come back. i hade it in too much sun, here, "full sun" just is too much for many plants..

  im enjoying the passion vine. glad i kept it in its pot, and the new ones, as well.

  found out today, we have to have our four villa building tented for termites argggghh

  they think all the plants in the front right may die, i'll have to come and water, and hope for the 2 days we're tented..

  they have an empty villa next door, next building.. i plan to put my potted stuff there.. i hope they wil be safe. i can't drag THEM along with all i have to take out of the house....rats, i just can't keep those poor plants safe!!!!3jays

My gosh, lucky the north doesn't have the same termite problem but if you move your containers outside the tent, do you know what you are witholding from termite killer and reintroducing....As long as your are going to go through an insecticide spray, might as well kill them all.

That being said, I don't insecticide or pesticide any of my living quarters.  If termites hit here, I am afraid I would have to do the same, rather than let them take down the home....but I would hate it...and question if it killed me as well as the termites. What a miserable bug that can eat away a home.

My peonies are blooming - wooHOO!!!!

And the California poppies are just going wild...they look so nice next to the Spanish lavender...I love the combination of orange and purple!

got all the trees moved, put them in HUGE pots, a neighbor is letting us use her atrium.. it took almost two days to move all the plants.. i dread bringing them all back. gonna fix the gazebo in the atrium, when we get the okkay.. i told mur, this is the 3rd time my condo has made it so we had to change it.. im rooting smaller ones of the ones my mom gave me, etc.. i won't do this again.. it took a full two days.

   now, we have to go thru the house, open every bin, clean the pantry, and freezer.and so much more ugghhh im not enjoying this at all. but i so love to sit out at night in the garden.. we're putting new lights in, before we bring everything back.. it'll be pretty, at least.....I don't YET do veggies, but you guys have me considering tomatoes, and maya 2 has me get dill in the garden. its' all planted for butterflies, and they say its a food source, as well as a place caterpillars eat to become butterflies..............a host plant....3jays

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Day, Your cottage garden is really looking good.  It must be good therapy for you.  I know that working in the yard or container garden is very therapeutic for me. 

I am doing the container gardening thing...I used some parsley from my herb garden in dinner tonight.  Right now I have chives, oregano, thyme, basil, lemon balm, parsley, mint and something that I can't remember the name of, but it has pretty little purple edible flowers (maybe Florida Violet?)  Everything is organic. 

3Jays, You have had a huge under taking!  Wow!  I enjoy the butterflies too.  I am lucky to have lots of them.

Sherry, How long ago did you plant your spinach?  From seed?  I have some spinach seeds I wonder if it is too late to start them?  Think I may try planting them this week.

Kimberly, I can grow almost anything...EXCEPT tomatoes!  I have tried and tried with no success. I get your frustration.  Does anyone have the secret to growing tomatoes?

FLwarrior, Try calling your extension service or master gardener and ask what varieties do well in your climate. Our summers are short and fairly cold, so we can only grow some varieties. Day is right that cherry tomatoes are easier to grow. We have grown them in containers.

FLwarrior yes do contact your county extension office.  I actually am the secretary for our county extension office and we have a map that we give out that tells you the best times to plant for both fall and spring.  We also have a active master gardener program which is under the county extension office.  They are full of valuable information. They actually helped me with how to build by raised garden beds. My next project will be a drip irrigation system.  One of our MG's is certified in drip irrigation so I get lot's of free advice.