Just got my 3 year patch, felt I had to explain a few things...... For those of you who remember me ( ), there may be some who wondered where I'd disappeared to the past year or so. I've come to realise that the garden I've created is slowly becoming my enemy, i.e. far too labour intensive The past few months I've therefore started looking into more robust planting schemes, with tough planting that can take most anything our Dutch climate can through at them. Grasses and pinks are two of my favourites. Another reason for not posting is that the two posts I díd place in the last few months, have mysteriously disappeared :-o . The fact that I did receive e-mails about these threads indicates that they were indeed placed. For a moment I doubted both my computer & my brain. Thank goodness they're still ok (b.t.w.,these postings did not contain anything offensive, rude or totally off-topic) Anyway, I'm still around, pottering about in my garden, trying my utmost not to let it all get on top of me (literally ) To all you Stewbies: thanks for listening, and thanks for all your great stories & photo's, I do enjoy them when I visit here
Hiya Gardenelf-- So nice to see you back on here. I am hoping that you will be posting more often now. Sorry that your garden is giving you such grief. There are always new members coming into our gardening club and every year there are folks that just give up because of all the work required for keeping a garden up...so you are not alone. I hope that you can find the right planting combination for you so that the work does not become too much. The main thing is that you continue to garden and that you enjoy it. Finding the right plants and right method is the key. Hang in there, mate---and as always all the members on here are at your service with advice, support and big ears to listen. Have you spoken to Frank, Eileen or Toni about the mysteriously disappearing posts? Perhaps he can help with this. I think that I get this from time to time. It doesn't happen often bij me, so I always assumed that it was just me. I don't know.
Don't know you, as I'm fairly new here myself, but glad you're back! I am very much a neophyte as regards gardening and plants, so excuse my ignorance. What are pinks?
Gardenelf... I am so glad you came back and gave us a heads up as to where you have been. You are right though, when it becomes work and not a relaxing endeavor there is no joy in doing it. For me, my gardening is my work and I do enjoy it, but it is food for us or income from selling it... We are always trying to find ways to make it less work with more production, though. Sometimes there are disasters sometimes failure, but we keep doing it. I hope with all the new varieties being developed that you find the best fit for your type/style of gardening without it being "work". too. sorry to hear you have had a few posts disappear, that is frustrating, especially when you didn't say anything controversial or rude or whatever. sometimes things just happen. Maybe updating technology or trying to fix a site...who knows? I sure don't. But I am so glad you posted again.
Glad to see you back and happy #3! I understand what you're saying about the finding ways and plants to make your gardening easier. Less battle and more fun! I've been doing the same thing. Every little short cut helps. And I think the biggest thing is, like you said, is finding plants that thrive in your climate. I've been adding Natives to my garden and want even more. I'll always have special plants that I don't mind babying, but when it becomes a battle... well... they have to go. This year's plan on reducing a little work... eliminate as many containers as possible. So... good luck with your battle and please check in with us when you can.
Welcome back GardenElf. I have had to rethink my plants too because of our harsh summers, going native means fewer replacements and far less work. The only other reasons I know of for disappearing posts would be if one of us combined two or more posts because of double posting....or the post was moved to a different forum. PM me the titles of the topics you posted in and I will see if I can find them. Anytime you have concerns like this please contact Frank, Eileen or me directly about it so we can figure out what happened.
Welcome back GardenElf! Do you have the titles of the topics that disappeared? I can have a closer look for you. I'm as perplexed and curious as you are.
Such heart-warming reactions, thank you everyone! Ronni: you're not ignorant at all, it's me assuming all non-Brits know what pinks are Pinks is another name for dianthus, and usually refers to the smaller types. They have the most wonderful sweet clove-like scent. Took 2 photo's, but somehow I can't upload them here, keep being told their size is too big even though they've been re-sized like I always do. Once I get this sorted, I'll place them, promise! Cherylad: You're absolutely right about the containers, but although I vow to reduce them in number, they just seem to multiply overnight Toni & Frank: If only I could remember the title.... One of them was a reply about how I started gardening, the other escapes me. After reading here that it occasionally happens to other Stewbies, I find it a lot less worrying. I'm sure my 2 postings were'nt earthshatteringly interesting, so I can live with the fact that they've gone into orbit. Nevertheless thanks for offering to retrieve them.
I always heard them called Pinks, first time I saw the name Dianthus I had no idea what plant they were talking about. Make sure you photos are no more than 500 pixels in width and they should upload just fine.
Was it in any of these two topics? Why did you start gardening? Can you remember your first attempts at flower gardening? Maybe your Stew notifications were placed in your Spam folder by your email provider?
Toni: Thanks, I think it worked this time, so here they come: ( photo / image / picture from gardenelf's Garden ) Pinks ( photo / image / picture from gardenelf's Garden ) You know, it's been so long since I used that camera, I'd even forgotten how to change some of the settings Frank: Yes, it was the second title you mentioned, but since I can't remember exactly what I wrote, I'll just place another post. Thank you for jogging my memory! As for the second one, it can't have been important if I don't remember what it was about, I think. If it does come to me at a later date, I'll let you know. Thanks again! B.t.w, I like the changes you made to the "Garden" section. Instead of surfing straight to my "own" little patch, I can first sneek a peek at what my fellow Stewbies have been up to in their gardens. Brilliant!
Gardenelf it is great to hear from you. I know how you feel with an overwhelming flower garden to care for. When we moved into our now home in 2005 the previous owner had 5 1/2 pretty good sized flower gardens going. But had not done anything with them in quite a few years due to family health problem. So I pulled up my sleeves and dug, pulled, dug, pulled, pulled, ect. In two seasons got them looking pretty good. Plus I expanded one and put in one more. What was I thinking. Now I to feel overwhelmed by all the weeding and care they need. Plus we do a veggie garden which I usually plant as my hubby just throws things in where ever. Then after I get it planted he does a lot of the weeding. In the mean time the weeds in my flower garden are have a hay-day. I love dianthus as it will come back in my garden year after year with little care. I also am looking into planting more wild flower varieties that will take care of themselves. I want to dig up several beds and combine them into the existing ones. But that also seems like a daunting task. I am making my new motto-Less is more.
