Quite a Plethora of Quince Fruit

Did you guess quince was going to be my 'pucker up' fruit of the week from my Facebook posting? If you you are right! If not, that's okay, it was a hard one. On the Facebook page for my professional business AND this blog, I appreciate all of you who have liked that page and I enjoy hearing from you on there! Even if I am not posting on the blog I am oftentimes posting little tips and tidbits from the garden on the Facebook page. So thanks!

I have posted about my EXTRAORDINARY quince before but wow, I had no idea it would get better and better! This 'Texas Scarlet' shrub has gifted me with a bushel of quince this year. The only problem is I have not gotten around to picking them before the branches sag to the ground. Things are getting a bit ahead of me in the garden but that is a story for another day.

Today I just want to show you the bounty. Any food you can grow is definitely a benefit. Although quince is not the best fruit for fresh eating it can be cooked in pies and jellies. That is what I plan to do! I love looking at the fruit bearing shrub too.

Some friends came over and I got them to pick a few quince for their very own. I did not see their faces when they bit into the tart fruit but I bet the experience is one they will never forget....

in the garden....

Give all quince some sun and good soil and they too will reward you for many years. This type of quince is actually an ornamental quince in the Chaenomeles family. The true quince is Cydonia. I am growing two Cydonia trees at the farm so I will post on them once they begin producing. Normally, at least in my experience, ornamental quince do not have this many fruit on them if any at all. Perhaps this 'Texas Scarlet' is a female and just very happy in its spot. Which is part shade to mostly shade, and poor dry soil. It is a gem for sure to grow so many fruit with such conditions.

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

A Garden Blogger's Visit to Red Top and Local Wildlife

Hi all! I've been busy spending time with hubby and doing gardening. I happened to check this post and realized it had no words. Oops! That would've been interesting had it posted. I wanted to share some of my excitement with you all reference an Eastern Newt we found in our pond last weekend when Skeeter and her husband the Saint came by for a visit. The link above will take you to Tennessee's Wildlife Resource Agency. It is a great asset we Tennesseans have to help us identify local fauna. We are very happy to have found some native fauna on our new farm and hope to find more as we explore. 


This was some local fauna found growing in the field. I can't identify and have asked some Facebook friends for some help as well. Maybe one of you readers recognizes this? It is growing in our field and has a tuberous root. There are several of them. 

Now this is not of the local flora and fauna kind but the hunter who padlocked his deer stand to a shagbark hickory probably looks for deer on our property. That will change soon. I have contacted a neighbor who said he knows whose deer stand this is. I asked him to kindly let the owner know to remove it right away. We'll see how that goes. 

I think one problem with owning land is everyone seems to think it is okay to use it as they see fit. My husband and I, on the other hand, like to think of our property on the farm just like our front and backyards in our little plot of land where we currently reside. No one would dare come into our yard and padlock a deer stand to a tree in our yard so why do people think it is okay to do this to land they don't own? Well that is another story. 

We had fun visiting the land with some friends readers of this blog will recognize-Skeeter and the Saint~! Yup, they came all the way out to visit with us and it was splendid walking around the property with them. All we needed was some bratwurst to make it a German Volksmarch and we'd all feel right at home!

Mr. Fix-it is still smiling too! 

in the garden....

Don't forget to comment on the giveaway post found here or on my sidebar!

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

A Giveaway For You!

I love daffodils! Do you all love daffodils? Let me tell you if you don't you have not explored them enough. There is a daffodil for everyone. Some are small, some big, some single, some double, some fragrant, some are white or yellow or orange or pink or a combination and the list goes on!

I have posted on daffodils many many times during the past five plus years that I have been blogging and I don't ever see that changing. Today's post is special in that I am sponsoring a giveaway in honor of all the friends who have ever given me anything--daffodils included. The above pictured daffodils just happen to be my recent gift from a friend named Carrol. I do not know what cultivar these daffodils might be but I think they are either a Jonquilla division or a Miniature division type daffodil. They are blooming right now in Carrol's garden so I would consider them an early daffodil. The flowers are the size of a quarter and are so fragrant they rival edgeworthia for scent. That is a big scent let me tell you! The foliage is rounded and very stiff but not so significant. When I saw these daffodils in bloom I did not even think they were daffodils. I have tried to research the cultivar but am not having good luck. If anyone has a suggestion as to what type they might be I'd love to hear it. Carrol received these lovely daffodils from a fellow gardener (Mrs. Wooten) who lived nearby. Don't you know passalong plants ensure the person who passes them along is always remembered? I did not even know Mrs. Wooten but now her daffodils will grow in my garden and I will always remember this.


Mr. Fix-it and I were visiting Carrol to pick up some rocks Carrol and her husband were getting rid of as they downsize their garden. Carrol offered the rocks to me. I guess most of my friends know I love rocks and free things so I am almost always right there to get them. My garden is a bit eclectic (just like me) and part of the reason is because I have so many good friends who share not only plants but hardscaping and other garden treasures. In fact, I took home a few other things from Carrol but I'll save those for a later date. Thank you Carrol and Tom!


Now on to some garden pictures featuring daffodils and a few other early blooming perennials. 
'Ivory Prince' is blooming. This is one of the best cultivars of hellebores for all gardens in my opinion.

Right next to the Ivory Prince are a bunch of hyacinths. The combination is quite lovely.

A long shot of the garden with the hyacinths and 'Ivory Prince' show the 'Tete e Tete' daffodils blooming in the lawn. These daffodils were just planted last spring but they will soon be dug and replanted again-on the new property. A gardeners work is never done, or so it seems to me. Sigh. Now on to the giveaway to make your work nicer in your garden!

To make the garden more enjoyable for you, to thank you for reading this blog and being interested in gardening, and to give exposure to a garden related company that I happen to like very much because they are kind enough to allow me to give one of you readers a VERY NICE prize for your garden, I am going to do a giveaway for you all. 

The company is called Serenity Health and Home Decor. You may remember they sponsored a giveaway last year that a very happy fellow blogging friend won and posted about. This year they are very generous with the choices I can give one of you lucky commenters and visitor to their site. Let me first say I don't normally do a lot of these but when folks are as nice as they are at Serenity Health, put no mandates on me to do a giveaway or how I do it, and are so generous to make one of you happy I am all for it. 

Okay, the three choices Barbara at Serenity Health gave to me to giveaway to you all included:

• 3 Jug Outdoor Fountain 
• Lion Head Solar Fountain
• Mayan Double Hammock

I looked at all three and actually really like all three. I could see me using all of them in my garden. Especially the hammock-providing I ever rest! Taking naps outside is a great thing to do! The Lion Head Solar Fountain was awesome too. A very classic choice for a garden. The 3 Jug Fountain is also wonderful. Who wouldn't want to hear the sound of water while gardening? Go take a look at all three and come back and let me know which prize you would select if you won the giveaway in a comment below. I'd love to know your reasoning behind your selection because each and every garden is unique, as are the gardeners. While we could all use all three of these prizes in our garden only one can be awarded. The winner of the prize I selected for you will be announced on April 1st; the drawing will take place Sunday, March 31st at 6:00 PM CST. That gives you three weeks to ponder over the choices. If you like check out Serenity Health on Facebook as well. I will need your name and address to give to Serenity Health once the drawing is complete. They will be sending you your prize directly. This giveaway is open to United States addresses only.

in the garden.....

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

My Friend Geri

Have you gone through life with few or no real friends but plenty of acquaintances? Then all of sudden that one special friend comes along and makes you very happy. You know the kind, the kind you talk with about anything, the kind that will not judge you, the kind that can sympathize, and even give you an alternative opinion when required? That one friend can change a person's perspective so totally that it is a friendship you will treasure no matter what happens. Well, for me my friend Geri was that person and now the unthinkable has happened; she has moved away.

When I talk of many acquaintances and not so many friends that was not really the whole truth. Throughout my Army career I made a few friends along the way. Friends I even now keep in touch with and friends with whom I have many good memories. Those friends were most special but for me while traveling and working in the Army those friendships were a bit fleeting in that you kind of knew you might not be close friends forever. Being a mobile person moving on was just kind of a fact of life. My friends knew it and so did I. When I retired from the Army I kind of floated. I mean let's face it, most really good friends are made in childhood or made in the workplace or through other social circles. I never really had any of this being a mobile person. Temporary was the name of the game when working in the Army. So it was very special when I retired here to Tennessee for me to make a good friend, that friend being Geri.

Now you all know as do I that good friends don't just drop out of the sky. They don't come knocking on your door (not usually anyhow but sometimes) and sometimes someone who seems a perfect person might not be such a good friend. Friends are like gardens, they are unique to the person. Meeting friends for me was difficult because I was a 'new' person in countryville Tennessee where everyone seems to know everyone else. And if my neighbors don't know everyone else than those 'others' were military or just passing through and not really worth the time of getting to know. Such is the life in my part of my town. It is not that I am not social or anything. I am probably the friendliest person you will meet. I'm always happy to talk to everyone and to share. But to just walk up to a group or get involved is not really my thing. There was and is a saving grace for me though-I am passionate about gardening. The logical thing to do to meet others and to get involved was to garden and to go to garden related events. When Sandy asked me to join her garden club (Beachaven Garden Club) whole circles of friends opened up to me. Oh the possibilities! Friends just kind of complete you and make you happy and help you to feel good. I was so happy to have some friends who all liked to garden too! One day while at a garden related function one of my friends from Beachaven and I were talking. I must say Faye is much more social than I and she struck up a conversation with a nice short lady about my age. That lady was also new in town and was very curious about how to landscape an above ground pool. She just happened to have had one installed and wanted to know how to make it look pretty. She was from Michigan and hated the heat in Tennessee but was willing to put down roots for a while. Her name was Geri and we hit it off.

It wasn't until a few months later that she called me out of the blue and said she had met me at the garden function, and she wondered if I would be interested in visiting her home to help her to figure out her garden. It seems the plants that do well in Michigan don't always do well here. People who are mobile and move from one zone to another have a great deal of difficulty in adjusting to the changes and Geri was a person in a state of 'Help'! She was also a person who did not sit on her laurels. She got involved in gardening functions, even joined the Beachaven Garden club and she got her hands dirty and made over her spot of paradise into a functional garden she and her daughter could enjoy.

After that first visit we became incredibly awesomely good friends. We were so compatible you would not believe it. Where she was quiet and soft spoken I was loud and blunt. Where I was computer savvy she hated computers with a passion (I do hope she visits this post though). Where I spent money she was thrifty. Where she was a Christian I was a bad girl and the list goes on. Through it all she and I connected and always, always felt comfortable together. When she would call me (she certainly didn't do Facebook you know) we could talk for hours about anything and everything. Talking to someone on the phone is something I generally do not like to do so you know our relationship just had to be good for us to talk the way we did. We did for one another selflessly and always, always cared about what the other was doing. Our children are the same age (her daughter is two months older than Jimmy), Geri is one of four girls (like me), Geri is a twin and I have twin daughters, and she shared all my trials and tribulations with me as I did with her. We talked family, school, jobs (we even worked together at Home Depot stocking plants of all things), and we traveled to so many garden functions together that it seems unreal now when I will go to my favorite garden events without her.


About two months ago Geri told me she was putting her house on the market and moving back to Michigan. I was and still am heartbroken. Even now I tear up thinking about her being gone and I am not normally an emotional person but I miss her. We have grown quite close over the last six years and she was my first real friend outside of the military life. We will still talk and we will still be friends and I suspect I'll go and visit her in her new home in Michigan one day but for now I am sad she is gone. Most of the problem aside from the fact that we were such good friends is the fact I did not think my friends would move away once I retired and settled down. Sometimes we just take things for granted and the thought of any of my friends moving away just kind of never occurred to me. The fact she did move away makes a sad time in my life going back to my time in the military and throughout my life when I would move and be transient. I am happy for her and her daughter and wish them the best in Michigan and I will be okay.


I went over and helped Geri and Clare load up their POD prior to closing. This is when I took all of the above pictures of her home. The stone pathway you see by the pool is stone Geri traveled all the way to Russellville to purchase. She hand loaded those stones in the back of her Pontiac multi purpose vehicle, and hauled them back to her house where she meticulously laid each stone. It took her years but she was ever so proud of the finally completed patio and path. The arbor in the corner is set on bowling ball stones. She and I made countless trips to Hopkinsville to purchase these stones for .10 each. They too were loaded into our cars and transported home. We shared plants, we shared crafts, we shared a passion for gardening and we two are very strong do it yourselfers. She grew her wild garden from nothing by using unique things in unique ways. She reveled in all the wildlife that visited her garden but would absolutely refuse to feed the birds or hummingbirds, and don't even think about a birdbath feature. She said the animals can fend for themselves. She shared her wonderful cherries with me and the wildlife. One day I was coming home from a client's house and was in a hurry. I had said I would stop by but was running late and forgot all about stopping. She called me at the opportune time just prior to me passing her house and asked if I was still coming over. She said she had picked me a huge bowl of cherries-in the heat and mosquitoes she did this for me. She was one of a kind (just looking at her bottle tree will tell you what kind of unique person she is and was-the bottle tree was left behind for the new owner and he hasn't changed a thing) and I had so much happiness being her friend....


in the garden....

Here are more posts I have done that involve Geri. It seems when I look back she has been a part of many milestones in my life while here in Tennessee. Geri fostered dogs, helped me with my animals, but to tell you the truth she did not really like animals. There is so much more I can say but will leave it as is for now.

Garden Art from Bowling balls-a very popular post.

Tennessee Bloggers-Geri traveled to Nashville with me to meet other Tennessee bloggers a few years ago.

Nashville Lawn and Garden Show-each year since Geri and I met we always went to this show together. One year there was a tornado warning and our kids were sent home from school early. Yikes!

Perennial Plant Society-Geri and I alternated driving to Nashville each month to attend the PPSMT's great programs each month.

Starbucks and coffee grounds.

Irises from the Iris Society sale in Nashville-on the cheap.

Pine needles-we raked pine needles on Fort Campbell. I thought she was raking them for her garden but she gave all the ones she raked to me!

Garden tour-she helped out at my house.

There are at least 30+ posts where I have mentioned Geri. Some of the memories I had forgotten until I was preparing this post. It is so nice to have history with friends. History I can look back on as well as remember thanks to this blog. Thanks for coming along while I tearfully say goodbye to my beautiful and wonderful friend....

in the garden....

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

Tiger Lilies for Tiger Gardens

I call my garden paradise here in Small Town Tennessee Tiger Gardens. Tiger comes from combining my name and my husband's name (TI-from Ti-na and GER from Ro-GER. The name just seemed a good fit for our gardens and for us. So when my friend Skeeter asked me if I had tiger lilies for my garden and I replied no, she was shocked. Skeeter remedied it by giving me some tiger lilies. It has taken a few years but they have finally bloomed and look great in Tiger Gardens. In fact, the tiger lilies are one of the plants that look really good despite the dry summer. They are very visible and make quite a statement and I am loving them....

in Tiger Gardens....

Thanks Skeeter!

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

New Friends

BY SKEETERWe have new friends here in our Georgia Gardens! As you may know, we hosted two couples from the United Kingdom (England) during this past week. They came to America to partake in the Masters Golf Tournament and we invited them to stay with us. We met the couple on the right in the above picture, at a Bed & Breakfast while staying in Charleston, SC. I posted about that vacation we had a few years ago and about us staying in the room with a Ghost. Click HERE to see that funny story. I had on a Tee Shirt from the Augusta National as we had attended The Masters. They had been to the event and were now enjoying some time in Charleston. So the tee shirt brought us together as they noticed it and started to chat with us. They sat with us during breakfast and we had a wonderful time visiting with them. They mentioned how difficult it was to find a hotel in Augusta during this huge event. They ended up staying an hours drive away and had to drive that twice each day. And after a full day of walking a golf course, I am sure that drive back to their hotel was awful. We exchanged emails and I told them if they ever came back to the Masters Tournament, to contact us and we would host their visit.

Last fall they contacted me and wanted to know if we could refer them to a hotel. I insisted they come stay with us. They informed me another couple would be coming with them. I again, insisted they come and stay with us. We have two guest bedrooms and why not? I sent pictures of our house and gardens so they would know they would not be staying in a Grass Shack but rather a modest home that would be neat and clean! A bit of persuading and they agreed to stay with us.

The Saint and I upgraded one bedroom that was not so great at the time. I took away some clutter in the house as well. We also did tons of work in the gardens to give our guests a nice welcome. I know that people in other countries hear a lot of negative things about America and we just wanted to show them that all the stuff you hear on the news is not what "all" America is about. We in return wanted to learn more about England. We have visited England twice but actually having a person in your home, we seem to learn more then just being a tourist in a country.

It was a bit odd to have strangers in our home but remembering how nice this couple was when we met them, the Saint and I both felt like it would work out. To give them a Welcome, The Saint painted a Sign to welcome them to our home. Those of you familiar with British humor, will know John Clease and his wacky adventures running Fawlty Towers. As soon as they saw the sign at the end of our driveway, they knew this was going to be a fun visit! Ah, some times, it is just the little things in life... I picked up fresh Rose's for the dining room table. It only took Sheba 2 days to find them. I caught her in the act and was most upset that she was on the dining room table. That is so off limits to the girls! The Rose's had to be put higher up and now they are opening up for me. They are so beautiful and brighten up the room.
**The above photograph was borrowed from "Google Images" off the Internet. I did not take these pictures nor am I promoting any type of financial gain by using it. I am just borrowing it to show you the winner of the event that keeps our City on the map...
Bubba Watson a former golf player for the University of Georgia won The Masters! It was nice for us to have a Georgia connection (he is actually from Florida) win the competition but our guest were not too happy with how their favorites played. They were happy for us and one of the 4-some had chosen Bubba as a pick in a little cash pool. So all were happy in the end. It was a really good game that went into Sudden Death as it ended in a tie. Bubba was the winner with receiving a huge cash prize and the coveted Green Jacket. The Augusta National Golf Course was missing something this year. Color! Spring came too early and all the thousands of spring plants had already lost their blossoms for the millions of guests that arrived for the event. The year we attended (2008) the place was flowing with beautiful colors. Click HERE to see that post. Of the many Azaleas we have in and around our woods, these two (Above) were a welcome sight to our guests. As we toured them all over town, we spotted a few here and there but nothing as our city is known for during this time of year. On the bright side of things, that pesky pollen was not around either! My Easter Display brighten up the woods a bit.
I hid the wooden eggs I had painted amongst flowers. It was fun creating this display but now time to take it down and get a summer display ready. This was such a Easter to Remember for years to come.The Snowball bush was a big hit with our guest. It had started to turn brown before I had the chance to snap a picture of it. The balls were smaller this year then in years past but more snowballs then ever before! It was stunning and just glowed with the bright sun shining on it.
I just love this bush! It had rained upon their arrival but they insisted on wading through the wet gardens. Recon, Rain does not bother them. Ha...They enjoyed the gardens and spent lots of time strolling about each day taking in all the colors. They were most impressed with all the green in our area. They had left winter in England and found spring in America and that alone should perk anyone up! One in particular, was fascinated with our birds. She was so excited to see the Cardinals, Woodpeckers and just any bird. She became excited over a little sparrow! I had the best time telling her all the names of the birds. It was also fun naming the flowers together. They mostly go by the proper name while I go by the common name. Some of our plants are a bit different then their version of the same plant. We shared in garden talk, family talk and all types of wonderful conversations to include some Royal stories that we are sworn to secret not to share. Hee hee... They were captivated by the beauty of the South with all the trees and lush green. The landscaping in front of housing developments was impressive to them as well. They enjoyed the beauty surrounding our river and lake.

We treated them to dinner each night but one as they insisted on taking us out to dinner. PF Changs was a hit and we were so happy as we were not really sure where to take them for a good experience when millions of visitors are in the area. The evening was perfect! I cooked them mostly Southern foods and they were adventurous to try anything! We grilled hamburgers and made potato salad and baked beans. None of which they had experienced before. I must admit, it was funny to see them eating it with a knife and fork. hee hee. I cooked cubed steak (minute steak) in gravy simmered until you could cut it with a fork. Mashed potatoes with the gravy and green peas. They loved this meal and kept raving about the gravy and meat! They mentioned Hot Dogs so we made them dogs with side fixins of chopped onion, grated cheese and chili for Chili Dogs. They loved the potato chips! We also treated them to Pimento Cheese, Marinated Shrimp, fresh Marinated Olives, Crab Spread and cooked Breakfast each morning! They loved the Bacon. Easter Sunday Dinner was Spiral Ham, Pasta Salad, Black-eyed Peas, Deviled Eggs, Cornbread and Strawberry Short Cake for dessert! They scraped their plates clean with each meal. Only thing left was the hotdog bun on one plate. I got the impression they do not care for American breads much. Don't blame them as the European fresh made daily breads are the best! I made English Muffins at breakfast and they had to laugh as they did not know what they were! Ha ha. We took them to our local ice creamery, Bruster's and they had a fit over the amount of one scoop in a fresh waffle cone. They loved free samples at Costco and went on and on about them. We ended the visit by taking them out for Breakfast as that is not so popular in the UK and they wanted that experience. We chose Cracker Barrel as we thought that would be fun and it was a total hit for them. After our wonderful meal, they had to shop in the store! They just went on and on as to how much food we had for such a small price. I do believe The Saint and I did a wonderful job of showing our guests the better side of our wonderful country and some true Southern Hospitality. They have invited us to visit with them so they can take their turn to show us their country. They presented us with a lovely Tea Pot from England. This is a very nice tea pot of the Queens Diamond Jubilee. We shall cherish it and be most careful when using it.Of course what is tea without biscuits (cookies) and favorite teas! They tossed in a tea towel with famous dates for the Jubilee.A Sycamore wooden bowl hand crafted by a local artisan in their village. We had a most interesting conversation about sycamore trees. I had to get the tree book out to show them our sycamore tree. They are not like the English Sycamore tree. They said they hope this book of their area of England would entice us to come for a visit. I have yet to sit and read this book but am most anxious to check it out. Today after Breakfast, they presented us with a Gift Card to a Garden Center and told us to add something beautiful to the Garden. What wonderful gifts from some great people that 5 days ago, we did not really know! Some times I get brave and do something that some may consider a bit crazy but all I know is that we now have some NEW FRIENDS, In the Garden...

** I am getting the rooms ready for our next company which should arrive on Friday. I so should open up a B&B as I just love this entertaining!

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

The Nashville Lawn and Garden Show

From In the Garden

Me and a few of my friends made our annual trek to Nashville to attend the Nashville Lawn and Garden Show. This show is, in my humble opinion, one of the best garden shows in our area if not the best. I've attended the show ever since 2003 when within days of the show I would find myself on a big jet plane heading to Iraq by way of Kuwait. That was the best darned show and rest and relaxation I could've asked for myself because I spent tons of money and still have tons of booty in my garden to show for it! All the rest of the shows pale in comparison to my memory of my first show (when I got lost OUTSIDE of the huge buildings and had to walk carrying heavy heavy stuff) but I still enjoy attending each year. 

I thought the above photo would be perfect to open this post. The guitar in the garden was in honor my son Jimmy. He loves guitars and I love gardening so we meet in the middle.

From In the Garden

This lemon tree was literally dripping with huge lemons. It was most cool and almost seemed too good to be true. My friend Geri was looking for wires to see if the lemons were actually wired on. It was quite a small tree to have so many lemons.

From In the Garden

A little known area of the show is the flower design section. Those of us who adore growing plants sometimes forget that there is a whole other arena to plants besides just growing them. The Nashville Lawn and Garden show has a whole building that is cloaked in black and set up so that flower designs are arranged along the walls of the building. It is quite dark in the area with the only lighting mainly being spotlights on the designs. And wow on the designs! Anyone who knows me will tell you I do not like designing with flowers but I can still appreciate beauty. And beauty was all about in the flower design section of the show. I favored this design for its uniqueness. It is all in water-how cool is that?

Geri, Namoi, Vonna, Tina

From In the Garden

And finally I'll close the show with a picture of me and my great gardening friends; all of whom I adore and enjoy spending time with. During my years in the Army if I had one good friend I considered myself lucky. Now that I've settled down and put down roots I consider myself very lucky to have several close friends....


in the garden....


Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

Meeting a North Carolina Blogger-In Tennessee

Carson, Catie, John, Carla, Tina, Roger, and Jimmy at Opryland, February 19, 2011

From In the Garden

Blogging is such a super great social outlet and I enjoy it so much. Never so much as when I get to meet one of my blogging friends. Such was the case recently when Carla, from The Country Diary of a Southern Lady  came to Nashville for a visit. I read on her blog where she and her family were taking a short weekend trip to Nashville and commented that I'd love to meet her and her family. She emailed me right away and we set up our meeting at the newly renovated and reopened Opryland Hotel. This hotel in and of itself is spectacular and was the perfect meeting place for us all-in fact, Carla and her family were staying there. If you've never been to this hotel you simply must! I didn't get any pictures of the hotel but for some great pictures visit Carla's blog.


Saturday morning saw the Ramsey family working very hard on some drainage issues (which worked now the other side must be done) by our home but by the time the afternoon rolled around we were all very excited to take a break and head to Nashville for our meeting with Carla. I can't tell you how well everyone hit it off! Jimmy was talking to Carla's two teenaged girls (Catie and Carson), I was talking with Carla, and Mr. Fix-it (aka Roger) was talking with Carla's husband John. We all had so much in common it was almost unreal. Before we knew it two hours had already passed us by! We had a super good visit and look forward to visiting with Carla and her family again in the future.


Carla is the sixteenth garden blogger I have met in person and I must say I've always enjoyed the visits with my 'virtual' friends; and while I won't go so far as to encourage others to meet just any blogger, I will most definitely say this. If you speak to a person fairly frequently on your blog or theirs and have established a relationship and report, then go for it if the opportunity arises! Take a chance and email the person or comment on their blog that you'd love to meet sometime if they ever make it to your neck of the woods or if you are going to theirs-take a leap. You won't regret it, I promise....


in the garden....


P.S. On the day we met at Opryland the National Turkey Wildlife Federation was having their conference there. If you know Tennessee, then you know how funny this is! Seeing men carrying their stuffed birds through the lobby of the Opryland-even funnier!

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

Bloggers' Kindness Unifies and Leaves a Lasting Impression

From In the Garden

After more than three years of blogging I've been most blessed to 'virtually' meet many other bloggers and to look into their gardens and to share a bit of their lives. I've also met a few other bloggers in person and have enjoyed swapping plants and talking of gardening. Gardening is a hobby most people are most passionate about.

Gardening is not only a very popular hobby but it is a hobby that unites people all across the world. A lobelia is a lobelia in Washington State just like it is in Tennessee. A banana tree is a banana tree here in the United States just like it is in the Caribbean. An oak tree is an oak tree in Europe just like it is here in my home state of Tennessee. I find plants a most comforting unifier for this world because when all diplomacy and communications fail; we will still have plants all throughout the world no matter what language we speak, what religion we practice or what our temperature and growing conditions bring us we will still have plants that can unify us. But not only do plants unify us they connect us in personal ways. Who among you have your grandmother's peony growing in your garden? Or perhaps you grow peonies because your grandmother grew them even if you don't have hers. Plants provide a comforting normalcy to our lives and plants and I think that is one reason gardening is such a popular hobby.

If you are a blogger and choose to share some special plant or seeds with a fellow blogger you too are unifying people-bloggers from all across the world and the country. This is a very special way of connecting with others and a method of connecting I never would've anticipated when I began blogging. Then, someone would occasionally email me and offer me a plant or a seed. Huh? I never even knew you could send plants through the mail (only from commercial sources) so I was stunned! Seeds yes, but plants? Wow! 

Some plants are most special and hard to find so when a fellow blogger offers up a coveted plant it is with a great deal of gratitude that I accept the offer. It is a kindness I remember for a very long time and growing that plant that another blogger sent me helps me to think of that person each time I see the plant-it is a unifier since I live so far from most bloggers. I am not going to name all of the gifts I've received through blogging because that is just not something I generally do on this blog, but I wanted to share a few with you today.

Earlier this year Catherine of A Gardener's Progress shared some seeds with me. She sent me several but the ones that come to mind are: great blue lobelia, 'Lilac Fantasy' veronica, and red valerian. I diligently planted and babied those seeds and the resulting seedlings and I have finally found success! The plants I thought were red valerian actually turned out to be great blue lobelia and what an awesome and wonderful surprise the lobelia turned out to be. It is actually still blooming in my frozen garden here in Tennessee! Thanks Catherine!

Marnie from Lilacs and Roses and I did a daylily swap-through the mail. She has the most gorgeous daylilies and sent me not only a lovely daylily but some irises and a book too! How very sweet and I will so enjoy the daylilies and irises in my 'Friendship' area of my gardens. That is an area that is growing as I collect more and more plants.

Lastly, Kathleen of Kasey's Korner offered me some Veronicastrum virginicum or Culver's Root. It arrived perfectly and is happy in my garden. I've seen the Culver's root on so many garden blogs I really liked it. I'm pretty sure it will do well in my garden conditions too and am ever so excited to see it grow and bloom here-and to think it came all the way from Colorado!

So when you blog and you talk with your fellow bloggers and maybe offer to share a plant or some seeds with your colleagues think about how you unify us all and how those plants will leave a lasting impression....

in the garden....

I've received several plant exchanges and gifts in the mail from bloggers near and far. I've also traded with other gardeners and bloggers in person. I tell you all of these plants and gifts make me think of the giver-not for the gift but for the gesture. Plus I so love plants. I think pass a long plants are sometimes the best.

Do you think of special folks who have given you plants?


Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team,

In the Garden

Gift's and Freebies

By Skeeter Thank You so much Tina for hosting a little get together at Tiger Gardens! It was wonderful to finally get to meet Miss Jean in person. Lunch was ever so yummy to include Whoopee treats. Getting to visit with you Jean, Nina, Anonymous and little Bundle while strolling in the garden made for a perfect day.... Thanks to "Papa" for snapping this picture with my camera.
Here is a not so clear cropped picture of us chatty gals...



Today's post will be a posting with an update. My parents home flooding in Tennessee took me out of my Georgia Garden for a bit so I never was able to get part one of this posting published. Now I find myself with not only part one ready to post but a follow up as well.



Last year for my birthday, the Saint surprised me with this Redbud tree. I was happy to see it survived our harsh winter and gave me plenty of buds and leaves this spring. Strangely shaped I must say but pretty to me all the same. As you can tell, this picture was snapped when the Azaleas were in bloom in late April.
The update: Now the leaves are full and greener in color...
This years birthday gift from the Saint is centered in front of the Redbud tree. Somehow, I failed to snap a picture the day we planted her in full bloom. I was captivated by Fringe Bushes this spring and just had to have one.
Update: Miss Fringe is doing well in her new spot being grouped with Redbud, Azalea and Bridal Wreath.
Here is another gift to me from the Saints sister. Thanks S for the sweet house plant.
I have misplaced the tag name but find the foliage of this plant beautiful with pink and green color. She sits on the front porch greeting us each day.
I told you about the Free Lilies our neighbor gave me a while back. Here is a new planter in honor of the lilies and a gift from our very own Master Gardener Tina! I put 6 of the lilies in this new garden along with the Angel Trumpet Tina passed along to me. I wintered the Angel Trumpet in the house all winter long keeping her snug during the winter months.

Update: It is amazing how things can grow in a months time! Look at the grass and the planter now!

Back view a month ago when created.

Back view now! Look at those butterfly bushes in the background will ya!
Our neighbor that passed along the lilies also had this statue he was going to toss. I don't think so as I will gladly take it to my garden.
I think they are so sweet in this planter. I hid the broken legs under the gravel but no one will ever know they have broken legs if you don't let the secret out. Shssssss....
Tina, Thank You so much for the Angel Trumpet! I can hardly wait until she blooms.
I had some Celosia left from another planter so in this planter they went.
Update: Look at the ever growing Celosia now!
Serena Angelonia was discovered by me last year and loved. I found it again this year and just had to add it to this planter for additional color.
Update: Angelonia is growing nicely as in the past.
One day, this planter will be attached to the Butterfly island you see in the background. My overall plan is to join all my small gardens into one nice strolling pathway some day. As time goes by, the planters will grow in size until they meet. Oh what fun to add more each year...

The free lilies survived being transplanted during a really abnormal hot spell but as you can see, I think they are happy in their new home. Buds are forming each day and I can hardly wait to see everything in its full glory soon.
A new planter full of GIFTS AND FREEBIES, In the Garden...


Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team,In the Garden