Hello Islandlife, welcome to GardenStew from north central Texas. Hope you have a good time wandering and reading through the forums. Let us know what kind of gardening you enjoy.....herbs, food, flowers, etc. We would love to see photos of soon to be garden areas, work in progress and the beautiful results.
Hi IslandLife and a warm welcome to GardenStew I hope we can help you achieve your lush garden. I echo Toni's wish - please let us know what type of garden / plants you are growing. Great to have you aboard!
Islandlife is great to have you here with us. I hope you'll tell us more about yourself so that we can all become friends.
Hello and welcome from 'way down south in Central Texas. You'll like it here--friendly, knowledgeable gardeners that are eager to help, praise, and (hint, hint) see photos!
Hi back to you all! I'm on Vancouver Island off the west coast of British Columbia Canada. Recently retired I'm not on my first garden but I am on my first (if I can accomplish it) low maintenance yard and I'm defining low maintenance as "no lawn" ANYWHERE! Course I love plants and gardening and my goal is to get year 'round colour (almost possible on the Island) and interesting garden spots to enjoy with statues, containers, fence art etc etc etc. I'm also pretty handy with a camera and love to post pictures I'll start with my primary nemesis - BLACKBERRY BUSHES with humungous prickers that invade everything here and have been known to grab many a gardener and eat them alive (AGH!) however I also overlook a marsh so you'll get lots of photos of all the birds that frequent. Great meeting you all Islandlife
Yea, glad to hear you want to get rid of the lawn. I started digging up the grass and weeds in our front yard in April 2010....I had done the same thing to the back yard a couple of years earlier. Hubby was so happy on the day he could ride the mower to the curb for a friend to take away for his use, he hasn't had to mow in 6 years and certainly has not missed it a bit.
The LAST thing I'm going to do in my retirement is mow lawn. I'd hate to even count up all the 'time' I've spent pushing that whirring burring spluttering thing AND when it does NOT start (AGHHHH!!! Screaming meemy time) No more lawns and I'm not missing the grass in the least. Another perk to no lawn is the decrease of garden slugs. They've got to make a huge trek across blue chip gravel to get even close to my hostas that are in containers.
Islandlife---I love your sense of humor. So glad you joined the Stew and are enjoying your retirement. Right now my hubby is out mowing the lawn. I hate all the grass. But I hate thinking about how much work it would be to get rid of it all. Oh, well. I am sending you a big welcome from a Wisconsin Stewbie. Love the pic's
Hi Tooty2shoes - I love to garden but I just can't count "cutting grass" as gardening plus this particular area almost always has water issues July/August which leaves lots of lawns all burned off and icky looking. I'm saving my water for the garden and flowers Seems in the past few years quite a few people are opting to make what is termed here "Dry River Beds." Lots of lawns are going but it is surprising how much color can be created in gravel.
