GW Name - rita_from_mb

What does your GW name stand for?- Rita from Manitoba I guess

Real Name - Rita

Age - 10+10+10+10+10

Companion -

Children- 4 children (teenagers)
Pets- 4 teenagers (have to train and feed)

Where do you live?- South Eastern Manitoba
Zone? 2b

Do you work?- ++ community volunteer and 2 other jobs

Companion

Other hobbies besides gardening?- Running, outdoor persuits

How long have you been gardening?- 8-9 years
Where is your garden located and what is its size?- I have several beds in my yard and I took on a church flowerbed-garden
Courses in Horticulture?- none

What are your specialities in gardening?- Finding what is cheap, free, easy to grow despite neglect and lack of water, time and great soil.

Favorite Flower? Cosmos

Favorite Tree- Amur maple

What has been the best-performing plant/plants in your gardens?- Perrenial Flax, Conefower, Annual clary sage with Cosmsos, Coreopsis,

Most Challenging Plant? Finding plants to cammouflage or hide senescent tulip leaves
Favorite Gardening Quote? You can bury a lot of troubles digging in the dirt. ~Author Unknown

Favorite Garden Magazines? Garden Gate and Manitoba Gardener

Favorite Garden Books or resources?- Lois Holes books

Seed catalogues- The local seed swap

What is your favorite tool?- an old Bricklayer's trowel

What are you most comfortable in when gardening?- my hemp trousers with huge pockets for cell phone and water bottle

What has been your best garden purchased or project? A pair of expensive garden gloves and a knealing pad

Any projects in the works or planned?- will try this year to do a square foot garden, make a compost heap and maybe a lasagna bed

If you had an unlimited budget, what would you do with your gardens?
.
If you could invent a plant, what would it look like?- Tall spiky perrenial that would not need staking, blues and deep reds that would grow in partial shade, and be well behaved

Describe an experience with a garden pest that had you ready to throw in the trowel?- It still is the same experience, I have not finnished the battle with quackgrass. It seems to invade everything. You can't hoe it because if you break the pieces you get more of it

What advice do you have for the novice gardener?-

Be leary about any "Oh I have lots of that (whatever) I'll give you some it's sure to grow." I received red clover, ox-eye daisy, Yarrow, goutweed, anemone, and a few others that I still am trying to control erradicate and in the same breath be thankful for the offers of irises, correopsis, calendulas, lamium, sundrops. I guess you have do a little reseach about what and where you are planting. Grow mint in a pot not in a flower bed right?

What is your motivation for gardening?- It is a form of meditation a form of connecting with life. At one time it alowed a frazzled mom to be outside and still mind the chidren (not as important now that they are grown)

GW Name beegood

What does your GW name stand for? I have a couple beehives
initials already taken

Real Name Ingrid

Age - almost ancient

Companion -

Children? Grandchildren? 2 children 2 grandchildren

Pets? 3 dogs

Where do you live or used to live? Live in Alberta. Have lived all over the place including Europe for 3 years. Was in the RCAF
Do you work? Retired
Companion Occupation?

Other hobbies besides gardening? Beekeeping

How long have you been gardening? For many years
Where is your garden located and what is its size?
On an acreage north of Sherwood Park I have 6 acres so I just sort of plant when ever I see something I like. I am trying to plant a forest. There is absolutely no planning.

Courses in Horticulture?
No

What are your specialities in gardening?
Favorite Flower? Lilies
Favorite Tree/Shrub? Lilacs

What has been the best-performing plant/plants in your gardens?
Weeds and more weeds.Love the dandelions for the bees

Most Challenging Plant?
Peonys

Favorite Gardening Quote? I tried but it died

Favorite Garden Magazines?

Favorite Garden Books or resources?
Lois Holes books

What is your favorite tool?
Anything that kills weeds.
What are you most comfortable in when gardening?
Jeans or cut offs
What has been your best garden purchased or project?
Planting trees & shrubs
Any projects in the works or planned?
Planting more lilies & trees

If you had an unlimited budget, what would you do with your gardens? .
Build a huge pond with a waterfall
If you could invent a plant, what would it look like?

Describe an experience with a garden pest that had you ready to throw in the trowel?
Gophers
What advice do you have for the novice gardener
Don't buy more than you have room for or time to plant.
What is your motivation for gardening?
Just being out there in the fresh air and sunshine

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Follow-Up Postings:
RE

GW Name - Weeper

What does your GW name stand for?
My adoration of various weeping trees and conifers.

Real Name - Katie

Age - 21

Companion - Husband, married 1 1/2 years

Children? Grandchildren? Not yet! I'm just a baby!;)

Pets?
2 horses, 1 Siberian/Maine Coon indoor kitty, and a German Shepherd/Great Pyrenees puppy.

Where do you live or used to live?
Grew up around Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan; now live near Young, Saskatchewan. I've always lived on a farm.

Zone? 2b (according to the Canadian Zone Map)

Do you work?
Yes, I work at my husbands families feedlot. In the summer I only work part time so that I can work with my colt and maintain/work on our yard.

Companion Occupation?
Full time feedlot employee, who is now working on getting his CGA.

Other hobbies besides gardening?
Walking, painting, writing, and horseback riding. Oh, and I love to read, and watch a few shows, and see good movies.

How long have you been gardening?
I helped my mum garden growing up, but I've only had my own place to garden for 1 year!

Where is your garden located and what is its size?
My main flower bed is a large raised bed that wraps around 3 sides of my house.

Courses in Horticulture?
Nope, I just read a lot.

What are your specialities in gardening?
I'm an orchid fanatic. I don't have any more suitable spots in my house to grow any more than I aready do!

Favorite Flower? As far as outdoor plants go, probably a tie between lilies(so dependable and so many varieties!) and echinacea(great colors, tough plants)

Favorite Tree/Shrub?
Picea Abies "Pendula"

What has been the best-performing plant/plants in your gardens?
Lilies and daylilies.

Most Challenging Plant?
Some hostas - I'm having problems with Blue Mouse Ears for some reason...Oriental lilies because they really are not hardy in my zone, but I'm determined to make them survive!

Favorite Garden Magazines?
Gardens West and The Prairie Gardener.

Favorite Garden Books or resources?
Lois Holes series and this forum

What is your favorite tool?
Hands and maddock. I don't have the money for any power tools unfortunately.

What are you most comfortable in when gardening?
Jeans, t-shirt, runners and definitely no gloves. I need to feel the soil.:)

What has been your best garden purchased or project?
Well we've only had time to work on one project, which is our wrap-around perennial bed which is probably nearly 24 in deep, very large, and dug entirely with shovel/maddock in alkaline clay. Yay for peat moss.

Any projects in the works or planned?
I want a potager rather than a typical farm veggie garden. We need to finish the perennial bed first though.

If you had an unlimited budget, what would you do with your gardens?
I would fill a lot of our enormous yard space with more gardens...and I would have gazillions of dwarf conifers. I love the little guys. Of course, I would also need unlimited time - cause where's the fun in hiring someone to take care of all those plants?

If you could invent a plant, what would it look like?
A hardy pale pink or deep red rose that looks like a tender rose.

Describe an experience with a garden pest that had you ready to throw in the trowel?
Carpenter ants. They were not hurting anything, but they were all over a section of my garden and it made working in there very unpleasant. I'm still working on fixing that one..

What advice do you have for the novice gardener?
I would say I'm fairly novice, so I'll keep my mouth shut.

What is your motivation for gardening?
Something relaxing to do; I love creating beauty, I love triumphing over zones, and I love "painting" with flowers and foliage.

Hope to hear from some fellow 2b gardeners. Feel free to email me if you want to chat privately:

katiefro_11@hotmail.com

Adding Weeper's info to this thread

Posted by weeper (My Page) on
Fri, May 1, 09 at 15:17

I'm starting a new thread for anyone new (like me) that didn't get on the old thread.

GW Name - Weeper

What does your GW name stand for?
My adoration of various weeping trees and conifers.

Real Name - Katie

Age - 21

Companion - Husband, married 1 1/2 years

Children? Grandchildren? Not yet! I'm just a baby!;)

Pets?
2 horses, 1 Siberian/Maine Coon indoor kitty, and a German Shepherd/Great Pyrenees puppy.

Where do you live or used to live?
Grew up around Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan; now live near Young, Saskatchewan. I've always lived on a farm.

Zone? 2b (according to the Canadian Zone Map)

Do you work?
Yes, I work at my husbands families feedlot. In the summer I only work part time so that I can work with my colt and maintain/work on our yard.

Companion Occupation?
Full time feedlot employee, who is now working on getting his CGA.

Other hobbies besides gardening?
Walking, painting, writing, and horseback riding. Oh, and I love to read, and watch a few shows, and see good movies.

How long have you been gardening?
I helped my mum garden growing up, but I've only had my own place to garden for 1 year!

Where is your garden located and what is its size?
My main flower bed is a large raised bed that wraps around 3 sides of my house.

Courses in Horticulture?
Nope, I just read a lot.

What are your specialities in gardening?
I'm an orchid fanatic. I don't have any more suitable spots in my house to grow any more than I aready do!

Favorite Flower? As far as outdoor plants go, probably a tie between lilies(so dependable and so many varieties!) and echinacea(great colors, tough plants)

Favorite Tree/Shrub?
Picea Abies "Pendula"

What has been the best-performing plant/plants in your gardens?
Lilies and daylilies.

Most Challenging Plant?
Some hostas - I'm having problems with Blue Mouse Ears for some reason...Oriental lilies because they really are not hardy in my zone, but I'm determined to make them survive!

Favorite Gardening Quote?
"Gardening soothes the soul & soil"

Favorite Garden Magazines?
Gardens West and The Prairie Gardener.

Favorite Garden Books or resources?
Lois Holes series and this forum

What is your favorite tool?
Hands and maddock. I don't have the money for any power tools unfortunately.

What are you most comfortable in when gardening?
Jeans, t-shirt, runners and definitely no gloves. I need to feel the soil.:)

What has been your best garden purchased or project?
Well we've only had time to work on one project, which is our wrap-around perennial bed which is probably nearly 24 in deep, very large, and dug entirely with shovel/maddock in alkaline clay. Yay for peat moss.

Any projects in the works or planned?
I want a potager rather than a typical farm veggie garden. We need to finish the perennial bed first though.

If you had an unlimited budget, what would you do with your gardens?
I would fill a lot of our enormous yard space with more gardens...and I would have gazillions of dwarf conifers. I love the little guys. Of course, I would also need unlimited time - cause where's the fun in hiring someone to take care of all those plants?

If you could invent a plant, what would it look like?
A hardy pale pink or deep red rose that looks like a tender rose.

Describe an experience with a garden pest that had you ready to throw in the trowel?
Carpenter ants. They were not hurting anything, but they were all over a section of my garden and it made working in there very unpleasant. I'm still working on fixing that one..

What advice do you have for the novice gardener?
I would say I'm fairly novice, so I'll keep my mouth shut.

What is your motivation for gardening?
Something relaxing to do; I love creating beauty, I love triumphing over zones, and I love "painting" with flowers and foliage.

Hope to hear from some fellow 2b gardeners. Feel free to email me if you want to chat privately:

katiefro_11@hotmail.com

GW Name - Oilpainter

What does your GW name stand for?
My passion along with gardening

Real Name - Myrna

Age - older than I'd like to be

Companion - My husband Bill

Children? Grandchildren? 1 child and the loves of my life my twin grandsons.

Pets? No --I couldn't take it when our dog died

Where do you live or used to live?
Born in Sask., grew up in Peterboro Ont and moved to Sudbury Ont. when I got married.

Zone? 3

Do you work?
All the time but not at a job.

Other hobbies besides gardening?
My interests are many but gardening and oil painting are what defines me. I don't know if I'd call them hobbies.

How long have you been gardening?
I started when we bought this house in 1972

Where is your garden located and what is its size?
Our lot is 75 feet x 200 feet The back 75x75 is our vegetable garden I have many flower beds around the yard.
We have 2 garden sheds and my greenhouse.

Courses in Horticulture?
No

What are your specialities in gardening?
Don't have any. I'm game to try anything that grows

Favorite Flower?
All flowers

Favorite Tree/Shrub?
None

What has been the best-performing plant/plants in your garden?
Corriopsis I think I have every variety. They bloom profusely all summer

Most Challenging Plant?
Roses--which is why I don't grow them any more.

Favorite Gardening Quote?
You're closer to God in a garden than anywhere else on earth.

Favorite Garden Magazines?
none

Favorite Garden Books or resources?
Whichever is closest to hand that has what I'm looking for

Seed catalogues
Vesey's, T+T and stokes

What is your favorite tool?
The garden claw, My bench kneeler and my trowel

What are you most comfortable in when gardening?
Whatever I'm wearing--usually something old

What has been your best garden purchased or project?
Wow that's a lot of years to go over--can't remember

Any projects in the works or planned?
Nope just carry on carrying on

If you had an unlimited budget, what would you do with your gardens?
I haven't a clue

If you could invent a plant, what would it look like?
No clue for this either, except it would have to bloom for a good 4 months

Describe an experience with a garden pest that had you ready to throw in the trowel?
Red lily beetle and I did throw in the trowel and pulled my asiatic lily.

What advice do you have for the novice gardener?
Start small and cheap and grow from there. Learn about the plants you plant and ask other gardeners if you aren't sure. When you water water deep. Sprinkling the dirt every day doesn't water the plant. Have patience and know that there is not a gardener out there who hasn't killed a plant and we all started out knowing nothing.

What is your motivation for gardening?
to create beauty where there was none and to grow better veggies that taste so good and have no pesticides.

GW Name - lioninthelake

What does your GW name stand for?

It's the literal English translation of my Welsh maiden name.

Real Name - Laura

Age - early thirties

Companion - Mike

Children? Grandchildren? 3 children, newest is 9 months

Pets? A yorkie and a cat

Where do you live or used to live?

I grew up in Saskatchewan then moved to Edmonton, AB almost right out of high school.

Zone? 3a USDA 3a (according to the Canadian Zone Map)

Do you work?

I have my social work education but now I'm at home with the kids.

Companion Occupation?

Education in accounting/CGA but works with family business (building houses)

Other hobbies besides gardening?

I'm focusing on the kids right now while they're little. My other interests (artwork, volunteering, social advocacy) can wait until the kids are grown.

How long have you been gardening?

I blindly dug out my own little clay patch and planted whatever seeds my mom agreed to buy when I was 12. With no fertilizer, soil amendments or expertise whatsoever, I actually pulled out an impressive crop of tomatoes, potatoes, carrots and radishes. I have since had horrible luck with tomatoes - what is up with that? I finally returned to gardening in 2004 after a long hiatus.

Where is your garden located and what is its size?

My new garden is located in one of the ever-shrinking new development lots in Edmonton. The back yard is disappointingly small but I have squeezed in a perennial and shrub border anyway. I'm trying xeriscaping in the front yard, mainly to avoid the neighbour across the street who stares out her window all day and knows too much about everybody.

Courses in Horticulture?

None. I do lots of reading and I volunteered one summer at the local botanical garden.

What are your specialities in gardening?

In my last garden, I went through a huge rose phase. I had a bunch of them and actually pulled quite a few tenders through our harsh winters. It was a chemical free rose garden.

Favorite Flower?

Gosh, how to choose? It's like choosing your favourite child - I can't do it.

Favorite Tree/Shrub?

Golden Weeping Willow but sadly I don't have enough space for it.

What has been the best-performing plant/plants in your gardens?

Again, not an easy question. I select perennials that are hardy for my zone and if they die they aren't usually invited back. The weeds were the first to green up this spring so they're doing pretty well.

Most Challenging Plant?

Tender roses for sure.

Favorite Gardening Quote?

Favorite Garden Magazines?

Favorite Garden Books or resources?
Lois Hole's books are second to none in this house.

What is your favorite tool?

My pruning snips and my long skinny weed-digger-outer.

What are you most comfortable in when gardening?

Anything appropriate for bending over in.

What has been your best garden purchase or project?

My husband installed a patio and gazebo in our tiny yard so now I have a place to sit and gaze at my garden.

Any projects in the works or planned?

Setting up the swing set for the kids, finishing the fence, adding more drought-tolerant shrubs to the front yard.

If you had an unlimited budget, what would you do with your gardens?

I would move to a much bigger lot and install different levels of retaining walls, a swimming pool (I know - ridiculous in Edmonton but I can dream), a pond with fish, sprawling flower beds, a raised vegetable garden, a huge compost bin and a gorgeous weeping golden willow with it's own dedicated irrigation system, lol.

If you could invent a plant, what would it look like?

It would look and smell like a David Austin rose but behave like a Morden! It would also have a hardy hybrid-looking clematis grafted on the bottom.

Describe an experience with a garden pest that had you ready to throw in the trowel?

Leaf-rollers on my malva one year have forever made malva look like a sloppy mess in my mind's eye. Those orb weaver spiders can also get pretty big and creepy looking. I know they're beneficial so I leave them alone but wow.

What advice do you have for the novice gardener?
I still feel like a novice so I probably shouldn't give advice but I would probably advise patience and proper spacing.

What is your motivation for gardening?
I'm just drawn to gardening - I love the sights, smells, textures and rewards of it.

GW Name - Ginger57
What does your GW name stand for?
Real Name Shelly

Age - 40-12 :)

Companion - Paul

Children? 3 children and 2 step childre

Pets? Murphy

Where do you live or used to live? Calgary now, previously Cold Lake and Grande Prairie
Zone? 3a USDA 3a (according to the Canadian Zone Map)

Do you work?
High School Guidance Counsellor

Other hobbies besides gardening?
Golf

How long have you been gardening?
30 years or so

Where is your garden located and what is its size?
Big pie shaped back yard along with another big side yard
Courses in Horticulture?

No

What are your specialities in gardening?
Pulling it all together

Favorite Flower? Sweat Pea
Favorite Tree/Shrub?

What has been the best-performing plant/plants in your gardens?

Most Challenging Plant?
Globe flower in this yard

Favorite Gardening Quote?

Favorite Garden Magazines?

Canadian Gardener and Gardens West

Favorite Garden Books or resources?
Lois Hole

Seed catalogues

What is your favorite tool?

What are you most comfortable in when gardening?

What has been your best garden purchased or project?

The pond

Any projects in the works or planned?
Removing more sod

If you had an unlimited budget, what would you do with your gardens?

If you could invent a plant, what would it look like?

Describe an experience with a garden pest that had you ready to throw in the trowel?

Slugs in cold lake, I virtually gave up

What advice do you have for the novice gardener?
Have fun, remember it's a process

What is your motivation for gardening?
Pure Bliss

Here's Part 2 of our introductions thread. Part 1 had 150 follow-ups and is closed but if you search this forum for "Far North Forum" you can read all 150 at your leisure! LOL

I'll just re-introduce myself that I'm Gillian and I have been gardening most of my life. I joined Gardenweb 9 years ago when I inherited my Grandma's roses and decided I'd better not let them die so I came looking for rose info. There was no Far North forum then but I have known some of the Far Northers for many years now. I'm 31 and have a young daughter and a husband and lots of pets.

I did an unofficial introduction over in another thread (the lurkers thread) but thought I should officially introduce myself here...

GW Name - Klondike_Kate

What does your GW name stand for?

Klondike Kate was a famous Gold Rush era character where I live. Plus my name is Katie.

Real Name - Katie

Age - 40

Companion - Yukon_Jack (on his snowmachine forums, LOL)

Children? 1 son, age 6

Pets? One dog (old, deaf)

Where do you live or used to live?

I live in Whitehorse, Yukon

Zone? 1a

Do you work?

I'm a full-time biologist and college instructor

Companion Occupation?

Also a biologist and part-time stay-at-home dad

Other hobbies besides gardening?

Birding.

How long have you been gardening?

I've always been terrible with plants but when we moved into our house in 2007, I caught the gardening bug. I haven't even killed any houseplants since then! Well, maybe one.

Where is your garden located and what is its size?

We've got a 50' by 100' lot, with lots of aspen, spruce and pine. When we moved in, there were several beds (some raised vegetable beds with rhubarb and strawberries, plus some flower beds) but they were very badly neglected. They had about 4 years worth of aspen leaves in them, plus aspen suckers and saplings everywhere. We've been slowly working our way around, cleaning them up and redesigning them.

Courses in Horticulture?

None.

What are your specialities in gardening?

Ummm...so far none. Unless you count managing to not kill things.

Favorite Flower?

Cherry blossoms, hyacinths, fireweed (we have lots of that in our yard, with no help from me - good thing I love it)

Favorite Tree/Shrub?

I guess cherry would go here instead of under flowers. I grew up in Vancouver so cherry blossoms always make me feel very happy. I love any kind of flowering tree like that - plum, mayday, etc. I bought a double-flowering almond last year that I'm hoping will like my yard. It's got buds so at least it's not dead so far.

What has been the best-performing plant/plants in your gardens?

So far it seems like the delphiniums love our yard. There were tons when we moved in and then I planted more and they are coming up like crazy. The strawberries that were planted by previous owners and totally ignored for about 4 years before we moved in are EVERYWHERE now so I guess you could say they're performing well.

I'll have to revisit this question in a couple of years.

Most Challenging Plant?

Not sure yet. I'll see after another couple of years with this garden.

Favorite Gardening Quote?

Favorite Garden Magazines?

I have a subscription to Gardener for the Prairies, since it's very relevant for my zone (plus I know the wife of one of the writers!).

I'm also a sucker for the Better Homes and Gardens special interest series ones - Cottage Gardens, Beds and Borders, etc. Any of those, especially if they show the illustrated garden plans since I find those very useful as a beginner.

Favorite Garden Books or resources?

What is your favorite tool?

My foam knee pads. Okay, that's not really a tool but they sure are a great invention.

Oh, and last year I bought one of those multi-pocket inserts that you put into a regular bucket to turn it into a gardening carry-all. I got it at a garage sale, never used, for about $2. LOVE it.

I'm also planning on buying those brightly-coloured, flowered gardening tools so that my son and husband stop stealing mine all the time! I figure they'll be less likely to take them if they're pink and flowery. Hopefully.

What are you most comfortable in when gardening?

Old jeans, gardening apron, gloves, hat, foam knee pads.

What has been your best garden purchase or project?

Building fences around our big flowerbed and vegetable garden using dead aspen logs. It keeps our dog out of the gardens - he likes to go in and dig himself a bed.

Any projects in the works or planned?

Fixing up a bed on the north side of the house (making a shade bed), plus figuring out what we can grow in our vegetable garden and greenhouse. Also, repainting our front porch and deck and all the trim on the house, adding fancier trim around the windows and doors, and replacing our ugly front door.

If you had an unlimited budget, what would you do with your gardens?

Build a really nice-looking potting shed to replace the hideous old aluminum one that we inherited with the house.

Replace the ugly chain link fence and gates at the front of the house and then put in lots and lots of annuals.

If you could invent a plant, what would it look like?

Describe an experience with a garden pest that had you ready to throw in the trowel?

What advice do you have for the novice gardener?

None, since I'm still a novice.

What is your motivation for gardening?

The biggest motivation at the moment is that we need to make the house and yard look nice, since it got so overgrown and run down before we bought it.

It's also very relaxing. And we have such long days here in the summer that it's a way to take advantage of being outside after the long winter. It's nice to be able to get home from work, have dinner, and then still have several hours to be able to work outside. Our son ends up never getting to bed at a decent time during the summer since we always want to be outside as much as possible after the long winter.

O.K. Not only do I need advice for gardening.........

For those of us that aren't particularly interested in being very computer literate, how do we do this??

Thanks! NAF =:) ( one less letter than nuts )

To NAF: I just highlighted Klondkike_Kate's response, right clicked on it, chose "copy", right clicked on the "Post a follow-up" box and chose "paste". Now I will replace her responses with mine.

To Klondike_Kate: I have a couple of friends who are planning to move up to Whitehorse this fall. One of them just got a job as a biologist, although I don't remember for who. I might have to send them your way, because it's nice to have a friendly neighbor when you're new.

GW Name - Hykue

What does your GW name stand for?

It started as a typo. When you type my name with your right hand shifted to the left one key, you get Hykue. I kind of like the play on haiku, and it's always available on any forum.

Real Name - Julie

Age - 30

Companion - Common-law husband of 10 years (or so)

Children? not yet, but planned for soonish

Pets? Echo, an 18-year old Husky-Collie cross; Aria, a 9-year old Great Pyrenees-Border Collie cross; Kitty-doo (yeah, I know, very original . . . and I don't know why "doo"), a 13? year old toothless tabby cat.

Where do you live or used to live?

I live in Meadow Lake, SK. I grew up in northern Alberta, and lived in Texas for two years and Washington state for 1 year.

Zone? 1b, but don't tell all my zone 4 plants that. Please.

Do you work?

I'm a biologist. Sometimes I work from home doing data verification for a biodiversity program in Alberta. In other words, I check things over for pay. Very boring, but I can do it from home.

Companion Occupation?

Treeplanter . . . although he has a biology degree, treeplanting pays much better.

Other hobbies besides gardening?

Reading, cross-country skiing, knitting and crochet, walking, drawing (not as much as I should), guitar (ok, almost never, but again, I should). Sometimes computer games, in spates.

How long have you been gardening?

Right around one year now. I did help a little bit in my parents' garden as a kid, but that mostly consisted of shaking poppy seed-heads and transplanting petunias. Oh yeah, and picking berries.

Where is your garden located and what is its size?

We live on 40 acres, mostly in pasture. The house and yard are on a hilltop (yes, in SK . . . it's glacial till, which is fun, because it means that the soil can be clay in one spot and sand 10 feet away). The veggie garden is about 50'x100'. When we moved in it was 75% quackgrass, 15% raspberries, with the rest being rhubarb and horseradish. In fact, I have to show it

That's after we round-upped one part.

In frustration with that project, I bought some flowers, dug out some sod, and planted a flower bed in mostly native soil. That's how I discovered my flower addiction, and now I have a lasagna bed underway for more flowers next year.

Courses in Horticulture?

No.

What are your specialities in gardening?

I have a friend who says I'm very good at seed starting, so maybe that. I'm planning to focus on plants that have low water needs, as our well is a little on the slow side. And I guess I'm good at the planning stage. I love making a plan, on paper, on the computer, or in my head. Best of all is all three.

Favorite Flower?

My parents inform me that it must be irises, and I think they might be right, but no kind of flower stands on its own in my opinion.

Favorite Tree/Shrub?

For the garden, weeping birch. Wild, either larch (tamarack) or paperbark birch. All of which like moist conditions unlike our hilltop, sunbaked yard.

What has been the best-performing plant/plants in your gardens?

Some sort of purple iris that is growing in about 4 different spots around the property, including the orchard and the middle of the lawn. It was here when we arrived, and couldn't have had much care before that. Or maybe caragana, but it's much more of a thug than a success.

Most Challenging Plant?

I can't say yet.

Favorite Gardening Quote?

I think that would have to be Marcia's quote, which I will repeat here. "When gardening, irreverence is essential. Were playing in the dirt, for heavens sake!"

Favorite Garden Magazines?

I'm not much into paying for magazines, but I should check out our library's supply.

Favorite Garden Books or resources?

Within arm's reach right now, I have: a couple of Lois Hole books, Flowers from seed to bloom and Organic food (both Gardener's A-Z Guides to Growing). A few feet further on the bookshelf, I have Breed Your Own Vegetable Varieties, and another Lois Hole. Those have proven most useful to me.

What is your favorite tool?

Probably a treeplanter's shovel. Can be used to weed, plant out new plants, divide perennials, edge a bed, dig a trench. But I also really like my dutch hoe, and my bare hands.

What are you most comfortable in when gardening?

Whatever I happen to be wearing. I have to make a special effort to change if it's totally inappropriate - yesterday I just barely stopped myself from weeding in a cashmere sweater. I wish I could garden barefoot, but I think about 2% of our soil volume in the veggie garden is either broken glass or rusty nails and metal bits.

What has been your best garden purchase or project?

So far, round-upping the quack grass.

Any projects in the works or planned?

Right now I'm layering organic stuff to make a lasagna bed that curves around between our house and the pond (natural, huge, and full of swimmer's itch). I plan to make it into a rainbow bed, with purple at one end and red at the other. We're trying to finish edging the garden with aluminum flashing in the hopes that it will keep out the quack grass. We need to build a more dog-proof chicken coop, because my MIL's dog is an instigator and we now only have 3 chickens left. Raised beds in the veggie garden, more fruit trees, okay I have to stop. Oh, one more thing, a greenhouse. And a new deck, before someone falls through and breaks a leg. Ack!

If you had an unlimited budget, what would you do with your gardens?

Firstly, see above list of projects. Secondly, hire a weeder, who would leave me only the occasional easy-to-pull annual weed. Thirdly, terrace our hillside and make it into a potager-type garden. Most importantly, spend more time with my hubby outside in the garden (and elsewhere), since he won't have to work anymore.

If you could invent a plant, what would it look like?

Oh, it would be a climbing vine with flowers like a large brown iris with cobalt-blue circular spots running in a line down each petal (I dreamed this iris once), and a scent like a wild rose. It would, of course, bloom all season. And be very hardy. And LOVE drought.

Describe an experience with a garden pest that had you ready to throw in the trowel?

None yet, although if you count caragana as a garden pest, you could say that it makes me want to cry. It's absolutely everywhere, hundreds of feet from the original hedge, and it's the spiky kind. Waah!

What advice do you have for the novice gardener?

Nothing except to ask people lots of questions. Also, know whether you need a reality check or a cheerleader, and choose who you ask accordingly. I have my "realistic" friends and my "cheerleader" friends, and I greatly appreciate both kinds.

What is your motivation for gardening?

I can't seem to help it. The veggie garden is because we want to be as self-sustaining as possible, and the flowers simply make me feel happy and satisfied. Although I didn't help my parents garden very much when I was growing up, maybe their lovely gardens had a big effect on me. It makes my house feel like a home to have live things that I've nurtured around it. Lastly, when we do have kids (or kid) I want them to learn about life and nature and gardening, and I'm hoping the gardens will help achieve that.

Kind of funny that my name is a play on such a concise poem form, and I'm so long-winded. It is funny, right? And not just annoying?

To Nutsaboutflowers: I did what Hykue did and just copied the person's post above mine and replaced their answers with my own.

To Hykue (Julie): What a small world, eh? I'm wondering if I've already heard about your friend moving up. The biologist community here is pretty small so even if we don't know everyone, we at least have heard of them. I have a friend acting in a position until later in the fall when the full-time person arrives to take the job, so that might be your friend's position. Anyway, I'm glad I'm not the only fledgling northern gardener on here! Oh, and I know what you mean about trying not to garden in my good clothes. I got home from work the other night in my nice clothes and thought I'd just take a quick look around in some of the flower beds...next thing I know it's 2 hours later and I'm on my hands and knees in the dirt, weeding, in my good pants. Oh well. It was worth it.

GW Name - Nutsaboutflowers NAF

Real Name - Lynn

Age - Outside 50 Inside 21

Where do you live or used to live?
British Columbia and Saskatcewan

Zone? 2b (according to the Canadian Zone Map)

Do you work?
Not any more. Did my time.

Other hobbies besides gardening?

How long have you been gardening?
On and off for over 20 years.

Courses in Horticulture?
I wish. I try to read a lot and ask questions.

What are your specialities in gardening?
Digging dandelions .

Favorite Flower?
Lots and lots of them, as long as they're not daisies.

Favorite Tree/Shrub?
Great big tall Cedars that won't grow in Saskatchewan.
Rhododendrons that won't grow in Saskatchewan.

What has been the best-performing plant/plants in your gardens?
Dandelions blown in from elsewhere.

Most Challenging Plant?
Red Mandevilla Vine

Favorite Garden Books or resources?
Far North Gardening Forum =:)

What is your favorite tool?
I don't have a favourite, but most used is a shovel.

What has been your best garden purchased or project?
Raised brick bed and trees.

Any projects in the works or planned?
Planting more trees and shrubs.

If you had an unlimited budget, what would you do with your gardens?
Bulldoze most of it and start over.

If you could invent a plant, what would it look like?
It would have tons of blooms in the spring and look exactly like a rhododendron.

Describe an experience with a garden pest that had you ready to throw in the trowel?
Mosquitoes and bad weather (yes, I'd call a short growing season and bad weather a garden pest)

What advice do you have for the novice gardener?
If at first you don't succeed, try try again.

What is your motivation for gardening?
Relaxation and I love plants, trees, and flowers.

Bumping this back up. I was reading the original thread again - some of my info needs updating - for example I am no longer 44 :(

Real name - it's still Sharon

Age: 50. meh, it's the new 40

Companion - yeah, that hasn't changed - we're still putting up with each other :)

Children? Grandchildren? None. 6 yrs later....nope, still none, lol

Pets? The yellow lab died a almost 3 years ago at age 14. She was such a good dog. The black lab, my Mitsy, is coming up on 11 years old. She is such a good dog.

Where do you live or used to live - Have lived in Regina, Saskatoon, Calgary, Lahr Germany, and Ottawa. Presently still living in the town I grew up in. We've been here over 13 years now.

Occupation - still at a desk staring at a computer

Companion Occupation - OCD lawn boy

Other hobbies - too many, I think I have to give some up

How long have you been gardening? I started about a million plants ago

Where is your garden located and what is its size? In town, lot size 150x150.

Courses in Horticulture? No.

What are your specialties in gardening? Working on perfecting the money tree

Favourite Flower? Lilies

Favorite Tree/Shrub? Again, the Money Tree

What has been the best-performing plant/plants in your gardens? Not the Money Tree

Most Challenging Plant? still the Money Tree

Favorite Gardening Quote? Oh shoot, was there a lily bulb under there?

Favorite Garden Magazines? Magazines have been replaced by the internet

Favorite Garden Books or resources? There's lots of books but the best ones - I have one book on garden troughs & hypertufa, and another on gardening with stone.

What is your favorite tool? My little shovel broke last year and I can't find a replacement!

What are you most comfortable in when gardening? Sweats or long cotton pants, T-shirt, hiking boots and good gloves. I like to garden in cool weather, the only thing I usually do in the heat is water.

What has been your best garden purchase or project? I'm gonna now say the whole yard since it started as a blank slate and now that it's mature and I think back on all that work, I think that was a pretty good project.

Any projects in the works or planned? Gonna change up the front a bit this year. I also want to make more hypertufa troughs.

If you had an unlimited budget, what would you do with your gardens? I already spent my unlimited budget, hence the money tree

If you could invent a plant, what would it look like? Well I hate to be repetitive...

Describe an experience with a garden pest that had you ready to throw in the trowel? Not any more, it's better to just go with the flow.

What advice do you have for the novice gardener? Start small and take it slowly.

What is your motivation for gardening? What's not to like. Outdoors, nature, birds, flowers, vegetables, fresh cut lawn smell...

GW Name - booberry85

What does your GW name stand for?- Booberry is a nickname the DH gave me. 85 (8/5) is my birthday, August 5th.

Real Name - Becky
Age - Old enough to know better, young enough where common sense doesn't always come into play

Children- 2 - 4 legged short furry kids
Pets- (see children) 2 shih tzus, Boris & Natasha
Where do you live?- Central NY (near Syracuse, NY, US)
Zone? 5a

Do you work? yes, I own a small environmental company that deals with lead based paint and asbestos issues.

Other hobbies besides gardening?- baking, quilting (although it's been a little while since I quilted)

How long have you been gardening?- 8-9 years
Where is your garden located and what is its size?- I have one big bed (30' x 45') in my backyard. I also have plants (the leftover seedlings) around the deck. The front yard I have 2 flower beds that I'm working on. Like to fill them with lots of perennials.

Courses in Horticulture?- none

What are your specialities in gardening?- ??? I grow mostly veggies - tomatoes, peppers (hot & sweet), squashes (summer & winter), beans (pole & bush), broccoli & cucmbers

Favorite Flower? easy ones to grow! Zinnias or Rudbeckia might be my favorite

What has been the best-performing plant/plants in your gardens?- see specialties

Seed catalogues- Baker's Creek Heirlooms, Seed Savers Exchange, Sandhill Preservation, Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, Gourmet Seeds, Territorial Seeds

What is your favorite tool?- pitch fork, roto tiller!

What are you most comfortable in when gardening?- jeans, T shirt & crocs

What has been your best garden purchased or project? rototiller

Any projects in the works or planned?- always! I'm trying a three sisters garden and several variations of it this year (dent corn, winter squash, pole beans; sweet corn, half runners and winter squash; sunflowers, melons and bush beans; sunflowers, cucumbers and bush beans)

I'm also working on the front flowers beds - more echinacea & rudbeckia

If you had an unlimited budget, what would you do with your gardens?
I'd love to have a pathway up to the garden lined with rose of sharon, butterfly bushes & lilacs (the garden is about 150' from the house). I'd like a bank of tiger lilies on the west side. On the North, South and East side, I'd like the garden lined with blueberries, raspberries and blackberries - making a natural fence around the garden (instead of the ugly metal rabbit fence I have around it now). I'd also put in some fruit trees (apples, pears, cherries & maybe apricots)

~wishful thinking~

Describe an experience with a garden pest that had you ready to throw in the trowel?- The cucumber beetles are ridiculous here. They always destroy my summer squash & winter squash.

What advice do you have for the novice gardener?
I once asked a gardener how she kept all her plants looking beautiful throughout the whole season. She said, "I buy new ones." !!! Don't get discouraged. Every year something you didn't expect will do well and something you didn't expect will do badly. It's part of gardening.

What is your motivation for gardening?- It's my place of serenity. A place to get away from everything else.

....Boris & Natasha, LOL

Your unlimited budget plan sounds wonderful!

I enjoy reading all your posts, especially seeing the pics. I live on the Kenai peninsula.

Real Name - Katie

Age - younger then some

Husband and a baby.

Where do you live?- Far Northeastern Montana.

other hobbies: reading, being outdoors

How long have you been gardening?- 3-5 years

Where is your garden located and what is its size?- All around my house and constantly expanding. My husband jokes that he believes I will borrow someone's dozer and start in after the neighbor's houses soon in an effort to further expand my boundaries.

What are your specialities in gardening?- I love all flowers, but especially roses.

Favorite Flower? Roses, specific variety depends on my mood and the time of year

Favorite Tree- apple trees

What has been the best-performing plant/plants in your gardens?- roses--but I work at it, coneflowers, bulbs, daisies, johnny jump ups

Most Challenging Plant? fighting winters and late blackspot on my roses, I also killed 10 liatris plants last year. oops.

Favorite Garden Books or resources?- I often lurk here and on the other forums to get my fix.

What is your favorite tool?- hands

What has been your best garden purchased or project? My husband set up a watering system for Mother's Day a few years ago and expands it every spring to keep up with my garden spread.

Any projects in the works or planned?- always--constant expansion, would someday like a water feature but not while kids are young.

If you had an unlimited budget, what would you do with your gardens? I would quit work and spend full time in the gardens.
.
If you could invent a plant, what would it look like?- a rose that truly thrives in mostly shade.

Describe an experience with a garden pest that had you ready to throw in the trowel?- I am constantly fighting weeds and mosquitos, but refuse to let either win.

What advice do you have for the novice gardener?- Just plant what appeals to you. I think people, esp. rose people, get too caught up in how hardy various plants are and what will/won't grow in a certain area. I don't like how restrictive their list of "accepted" plants is for Northern gardens. I have had success at just growing what I want and ignoring the chorus of naysayers. It may take a little more work, and you will have some causalities, but growing what you love is important!

What is your motivation for gardening?- I love to be outside with my hands in the dirt. Nothing makes me happier.

GW Name - Freezengirl
What does your GW name stand for?- I was finally able to get internet service to my northern MN rural home the year we had just started rebuilding an old victorian farmhouse. My office was frigid!

Real Name - Faith
Age - Celebrated my 50th on the way to Alaska
Children- 1 adult daughter
Zone? 4 possible as high as 6 microclimates but that may be reaching.

Do you work? Taking a year off to learn about Alaska, build a new life.

Other hobbies besides gardening?- reading, exploring,writing, photography, building.

How long have you been gardening?- Most of my life.

Where is your garden located and what is its size?- Back in northen Mn. ;-( But I get to have the pleasure of starting all over again in Alaska. I found several old overgrown gardens on the property that I think can be rehabilitated. I also am coming up with a comprehensive plan to be installed as time and funds allow.

Courses in Horticulture?- Master Gardening hort classes MN. Self taught for the most part and through the generostiy of other gardeners.
What are your specialities in gardening?- Perennials and mixed beds. Kitchen gardening.

Favorite Flower-Wild roses, self sown annuals and biennials that knit togather magic in the garden. Violas for their cheeky charm and bravery blooming in the cold spring.

What has been the best-performing plant/plants in your gardens?-Roses, Lillies, Paeony. It varies with each individual garden. Each one has been completely different.

Seed catalogues- Pine Tree, Parks, Cooks Garden, Totally Tomatoes, Vermont Bean Seed.

What is your favorite tool?- Garden pitch fork, small scale spade so I can't overdo heavy shoveling and a childs red metal wagon instead of wheelbarrow.

What are you most comfortable in when gardening?- What ever I have on at the time, ruined a lot of clothes by letting my self wander into the garden for just a minute!

What has been your best garden purchased or project? My husband purchased all new hand tools for me with ergonomic handles for me so I can garden until I no longer can.

Any projects in the works or planned?- Learning how to garden in Alaska-it is a whole new way of doing things. The soils stay cool, the temps on the coast are to cool for a lot of plants I am familiar with unless special care is taken, day length in summer can positivly and negatively influence plants. MOOSE ARE HELL!

If you had an unlimited budget, what would you do with your gardens?
I would spend money on hired labor a couple of times a season for the work that is getting to hard for me to do. I would invest in hardscape matirials that I wanted instead of making do, including a propagation setup for a greenhouse fully loaded. Most of all I would travel on botanical trips to learn about plants from all over the world.

Describe an experience with a garden pest that had you ready to throw in the trowel?- Rose Chafer beetles-BT for a couple of years spread into the soil got them manageble.

What advice do you have for the novice gardener?
Relax and enjoy. It is a process, the journey is what counts. Don't be afraid to try new things and don't be afraid to fail miserably on occasion-it is all good.

What is your motivation for gardening?- Food for the table, food for the soul, feast for the eyes, spiritual renewal. Intellectual curiousity. I love knowing where plants came from, evolved, how they are used in different cultures and times.

GW Name - mikomum

What does your GW name stand for?
Miko was my when I first started on forums back in the day

Real Name - Stacy

Age - old enough to know better

Companion -

Children? Grandchildren? 2 children

Pets? Gideon Greyhound

Where do you live or used to live?
We live near Grande Prairie AB now, we did live in Edmonton

Zone? 2b-3 depending on who you ask

Do you work? I'm a mom, of course! I'm also a potter

Other hobbies besides gardening? design and claywork

How long have you been gardening? for myself, about 12 years. I've always helped my mom and grandma though

Where is your garden located and what is its size?
Our home is on a small town corner lot (50x148) and we own the pre-war house next door (my pottery studio) so that backyard is combined with our own (48x148) The front yards are seperate

Courses in Horticulture?
No

What are your specialities in gardening?
none really. I have a knack for figuring out beds and design but that's about it

Favorite Flower?
that's like naming my favorite child!

Favorite Tree/Shrub?
I've always coveted a Japanese maple

What has been the best-performing plant/plants in your gardens?
hops, calibracia (sp?)

Most Challenging Plant?
none---if it can't survive, I give it a years grace and then plant something new

Favorite Gardening Quote?

Favorite Garden Magazines?
Gardens West (because the gardens are REAL)

Favorite Garden Books or resources?
Seed catalogues

What is your favorite tool? my mini cultivator

What are you most comfortable in when gardening?
yoga pants, a t-shirt and my clarks's muckers

What has been your best garden purchased or project?
I'm loving our raised garden we built last year from the lee valley catalog. We did the sidewalk block beds

Any projects in the works or planned?
Expanding gardens in front yard and doing something in the studio yard. We're renovating and expanding our house this summer so all bets are off.

If you had an unlimited budget, what would you do with your gardens? Do hardscaping. I'd love poured paths and a pergola

If you could invent a plant, what would it look like? I'd love to have a plant like a fast growing fushia that could take the wind and sun

Describe an experience with a garden pest that had you ready to throw in the trowel? We go away every July, right at the hottest part of the summer. My Mom waters for us but not methodically enough (beggars can't be choosers) and I come back to stressed aphid infested pots and hanging baskets. They are the only thing that I have a lot of problem with--- and only if the plants stress

What advice do you have for the novice gardener?
Plant in pockets (groups) and amend your soil first!

What is your motivation for gardening: I love creating beauty. With our short summers I want to suck every moment out of being outside. I love that my young daughters know more plant names than most adults. Yard time is family time in our household.