This is my first day in here and I'm excited to see so much knowledge flowing already. I inherited the "gardening bug" from my grandfather & my mother, both of whom have passed on. I grow only ornamentals, mostly because I don't have enough sunny spots to grow veggies (tried it last year & it was a disaster!) Grew up in the desert & moved to the South Plains of Texas for college many years ago & stayed. Married a farm girl (who has had enough of cultivation & being outdoors for her life) and we have a 4 year-old daughter. We're late bloomers ourselves, having had our daughter at ages 42 (me) & 40 (wife). I'm 47 now. Moved to a small town, where my wife grew up & bought her paternal grandparents' old house (built in 1957), spruced it up & dug in - literally. Planted perennials & shrubs on a yard ignored for over 10 years. (Elm trees are the biggest weeds in west Texas - I've killed a million of 'em!) Lived there 11 years, got lots of compliments on the "jungle" I created. Then 2 years ago, we bought a newer home (built in 1960), which had been a showcase when occupied by the original owners (no kids - just gardening), but it had been abused, or ignored for about 10 years by the time we bought it. I've never seen weeds germinate like this in my life - if you spit, some nasty verminous plant will sprout. I was unwilling to use pre-emergence chemicals, because I did not know what & where I was going to seed. Since then, I have slowly been reclaiming part of this large lot and have got about 75% of it "fixed up", but for the weeds. Large mulberry (non-bearing), pecans & sycamore trees shade a lot of the place, plus old Arizona cypress along the North (wind break - need 'em in West Texas). Mix of fescue & perennial rye in the shady areas (had dirt & weeds when we moved in) bermuda in the sunny spots. I enjoy digging in the dirt and my wife complains, she did not marry a golfer, but a gopher. Have had much luck with perennials: shasta daisy Alaksa & Snow Lady, all sorts of rudbeckias, the hardy hibiscus (that die down in Winter & come up in Spring) and coneflowers. We had such a wet Winter & Spring and cool too - my pansies bloomed well into July (and I still have some in shady spots) and I had seedlings of rudbeckia, coneflower & shastas coming out of my ears!! Nice problem to have, I know. Original owner was an iris-fanatic & they were everywhere. Due to the growth of trees, they don't get much sun & don't bloom, so I've been giving them away to other people. I've got no room for them. Summer has been cool this year - I think the highest has been 95º & we normally are very dry & hot - usually many days over 100º. I had some stuff just plain rot this year due to the moisture. Too much in an introduction, I know. Apologies.
Hello WTxDaddy from a Central Texas gopher gal.Nothing better than digging in the dirt and planting plants.Glad you found the Stew. We do have lots of fun and learn so very much here.I sure wish I lived near you I sure would take some of those Irises off your hands. We have been getting lots of rain here tover an 1 1/2 inches this afternoon.Its still flooding on the Trinity River and all the rivers and creeks around here.
OOPS!! I just looked at the photographs of your garden and didn't realise you'd already introduced yourself here. So glad you've joined at here at GardenStew so again a big, warm welcome from Scotland. You've certainly done wonders with that garden of yours so keep the photographs coming!! :-D
Thanks! Thank y'all for the welcome. I've been to West Virginia a long, long time ago. My dad was in the Army & we moved a lot. He & my mom were from East Tennessee & in our travels in the East, we went through W.V. a number of times, but that was over 30 years ago. Been to Scotland only once in 2002 on a cruise around Europe. I loved it! All of Britain & Ireland were such gorgeous green! Central Texas is beautiful too. My sister-in-law lives in San Antonio & we're heading there Thursday to visit & take the 4 year-old to Sea World. My sister-in-law has bougainvillea growing out in her yard! Can't do that here, with Winter temperatures dropping to 10º from time to time.
Welcome to GardenStew WTxDaddy, nice to hear that you are seeing the benefits of the Stew so quickly. I'm from Ireland originally, I miss the green fields most days. Hope you continue to have a great time here. // Frank
Ireland Thanks, Frank. Although most of my ancestors appear to have been Germans, I've got English, Scottish & Irish blood in me too, as well as a little Polish & Cherokee. My paternal great grandmother was named Daisy O'Malley.
