In the old days I was pretty regular in rec.gardens and rec.gardens.roses.

I've always participated in this forum a bit, but it didn't get much traffic so I wandered off to the higher traffic areas such as roses, daylilies, ponds, iris....
and I love looking at the pictures in the galleries associated with those forums.

But this year the traffic here is much better.

I have quite a bit of "book learning" (loads of biology and botany courses back when getting a chemistry degree). But I prefer to post on stuff I've had actual hands on experience with.

Oh crud, the clouds have just moved in. It's getting colder.

Well, I came out of a long lurk when I saw someone suggest bpgreen was pitching a product. Geeze, he was just asking about Revive, but since it is a regional product they didn't know he was supposedly pitching it. So I jumped in and they haven't shut me up since. :)

I think I first posted because I had some questions about chlorosis, then about native grasses. As I learned more, I was able to answer questions.

I enjoy hearing about other's gardening experiences, and then I don't feel so bad.

I accidentally found this form in a google search about a month ago and have been reading, learning and, from time to time, adding my way of thinking with no real regularity. I especially appreciate the connection with other gardeners that struggle with our climate, soils and thin air in this rocky mountain area.

It really does seem like a community, digit!

I dont remember just how I found GW in the first place, but I didnt lurk more than a couple days. When I saw all the questions, I couldnt not start answering them! In the beginning I posted on Perennials and Ornamental Grasses, and I was having a lot of fun, but sometime late in 05 I got into a knock-down-drag-out with one particular member, and it took all the fun out of it, so I quit posting. (By then I had already quit posting on OG because of all the hostility and competition I had found around there.)

But I still checked in just to read occasionally, and at some point I ran into RMGand the rest is history! This is just the friendliest, funnest board Ive ever found anywhere! And I love how active its been lately!

I dont mind lurkers at all, but Im glad a lot of them checked in on the Whos Here thread just to let us know theyre around! Its nice to know theres more people around here than just the few of us long-winded folks who do most of the posting. You know who you are!

Suns gone and the temps not going up anymore! I have to get out into the back yard to put up a couple more lattice panels on the fence for vinesand privacybefore the rain starts!

Glad youre all here,
Skybird

Back in 2000, when I lived near Sacramento, I created my own gardening site (valleygardens.com), and I put a forum on there for discussion of gardening in California's Central Valley. It only attracted a handful of participants and then some spam started showing up. I shut the forum down when I moved to Utah in 2001. I still have the garden website, and installed a blog on it that I mostly just use for my own personal garden journal, although I know some people check in on it to see photos -- I like to post photos of what's blooming or fall colors, etc.

Anyway, after getting rid of my own forum, I looked around for an online community of gardeners and found GW in 2002. In the past, I've spent a lot of time in the forums for trees, perennials, and annuals. I noticed the new Utah forum in the past six months and have been involved in that quite a bit, but this forum has more people and feels more like a community at this point (that's why I posted the baby news here). I hope the Utah forum continues to grow, but I'm also having fun with this one, more now than ever.

I think Skybird's heavy involvement this winter/spring has really energized this forum. Thanks, Skybird!

I'm new to CO and have really enjoyed Garden Web - its been great to learn new tips and tricks though I have to say, I find that the specific forums (ie Tomatoes) have been more heavily used. I still check here daily though and I'm eager to learn more about what people are doing in their yard week by week (since its all new to me).

I just found GW a few weeks ago so after posting the question I had I've mainly been just reading. I have a lot more questions than answers when it comes to gardening so I'm just taking it all in. I really like how friendly this forum is.

Steph

I don't even remember how I actually stumbled onto GW, but at the time I was searching for information about native/xeric plants in order to increase my chances of success in this harsh climate. I'm too impatient to lurk though. I knew if I never asked the questions, I would never have the answers, so I just jumped in. I figured no need to worry about looking foolish, since no one can see me anyway!

That was almost 2 years ago, and it has only been recently though that I have actually had answers to OTHER people's questions, which feels good to be able to give back.

Gee, >>blushAnd, isnt if fun for those of you who came to just ask questions, and then find yourself answering them too! I think just about anybody who searches far enough to get here can answer some of the questions! Everybody has their own little cache of wisdom! I know Im always learning new things around here. Sometimes I think I enjoy the "general discussion" threads the most! Like digits "Grand View" thread last falljust kind of rambling onand everybody can have something to contribute. If Im not mistaken, thats when Jali started to get really involvedat least, thats when I learned about Cedar Breaks on the Eastern plainswould really like to get out there to see it sometimeof course Id like to see that "other" Cedar Breaks too sometime! ;-)

I think the fact that this is a regional forum, giving us a LOT in common, makes it easier to get a really "close knit" feeling, but Im REALLY impressed with the quality of the people here. I dont post or lurk on a whole lot of other forums, but I cant think of any other ones Ive visited that are this "comfortable" feeling. Even the Books For Soldiers site I participate in, which has a bunch of really great people, has a few that always seem to be taking umbrage (theres that word, Steve!) with other peoples opinions. That doesnt happen around here! Sometimes we disagree with each other, but its never done in an offensive way.

I just refreshed the screen, highalt, and saw your post: Quote "I figured no need to worry about looking foolish, since no one can see me anyway!" Soyou think we cant find you, huh?

But thats the point I was just trying to make above. No need to worry about looking foolish around herewhether we can see you or notbecause nobody is going to make you FEEL foolish. Thats pretty unusual in this day and ageat least in my experienceand that makes it a fun place to be.

Skybird

P.S. Anybody want to join me in a search for hialt? hehehe

Whoops! I forgot to add this to my post, with all my waxing philosophic above!

Im planning to repost the name list pretty soon and I have some questions!

Luckybottom, I have you on the list, but Im not sure where you are. Are you in Greeley, or is there some other town youre closer to?

Rwaldheim, same question! Are you in the metro Denver area? Do you want to localize it a little bit more than that?

And, Stephinco, same thing! I added your name to the list too, but all I have is "north of Denver." How far north of Denver?

People seem to be really enjoying knowing where people are and whos close to them, so if youll all let me know, Ill change it on the list before I repost. Post it here to let me know! PMing me on GW doesnt work!

Skybird

You are so ready to lend a hand, Skybird. Thanks so much for helping us all feel/stay connected.

We too are north of Denver but it is by 50 miles. The little town is Kersey and we are 3 miles north. But we are both transplants from Wyoming. It took abut 3 minutes to get use to the wind not blowing sooo much and one growing season to appreciate the time difference between frost dates.

I really do think your second scenario will be what happens in the near future: getting busy outside, but then that activity lending its self to more questions that need asking and great friends helping each other out answering those quesions.

The way I first learned about GW was thru a neighbor. She and another neighbor were mixed up in a feud. It got so bad I was honestly expecting fisticuffs and I was caught in the middle.

One day, the really really aggressive neighbor (as opposed to the only really aggressive neighbor) bustled up to me with a piece of paper and said, "See, this is what the experts think about it!" I didn't know anything about such a forum of experts so I went on the 'net and found this GW body of "experts." Turned out they were just folks with ideas and opinions like most everyone.

This has been at least 5 years ago but I lived with a certain amount of anxiety for a long time that suddenly someone on GW would start yelling at me, "So, Steve! WHAT are YOU doing about SO-AND-SO!"

I really, really had about all of the 2 of them that I could take (and their hubbies, too!). Fortunately, one has moved away and I don't know if the other bothers to use GW anymore - if she does, she's changed her handle. At some point, she probably got tired of setting the ignoramuses straight.

Skybird's welcoming and enthusiastic nature has made a HUGE contribution in encouraging us all. (And, BTW - Altho' he didn't tell us why he started posting, I like David's answer as to why he reads GW. :o)

DigitS

Thanks for the reply, Lucky. Ive updated your location.

I just checked out your website, and my niece would LOVE your ranch! She works at a stable northwest of Chicago where she cares for, rides, and shows horses for people. As near as I can tell, horses are her whole life. If she ever comes out here to visit me, Ill have to take her for a ride up your way. Bet shed love to see a real "western" horse ranch!

Glad to have you here in not-quite-windless, but less-windy-than-Wyoming Colorado,
Skybird

I found GW when I encountered the tomato forum during a web search. I lurked primarily because I was a new gardener and trying to soak up as much information as I could. I didn't have many questions (my tomatoes got squished by hail pretty early on), but it was still fun to research and plan for the next season. I only found the RMG forum this past month, but I felt compelled to sign up immediately. What appealed to me was that people in this forum could give me regional specific advice. Plus, everyone seemed unbelievably friendly!

Can't remember how I found GW, but it was in 2001. I had been living in NM and moved back to CO near the 3 grown kids. The planting in NM was so wonderful, bright colors, new plants unknown. My deal at the time was to go full xeriscape in the backyard of a newly built home. So, the adventure started to connect plants loved in NM to CO. GW probably showed up on a search.

I normally do not post, am actually a tad shy, hesitant for reasons others have mentioned. Would use links and info suggested, then go my way. Even now I either step back before posting or want to hit myself with some I have. But no one here has ever responded in the negative.

Now (Darn you Skybird) I post and love reading this whole forum, will be showing up at the plant swap in May and have a veg. garden started again.

I have no expertise regarding RMG, just love plants and dirt. Dirt must be really high on my abilities as there are 4 pairs of shoes outside with an inch of mud stuck to them. So, if I write anything with scientific planting info....do not believe me. Or ignore me and someone will set the record right.

And, I'm thankful for Skybird, the STeves, Dave, Jali (and others I'm forgetting)who are making RMG as great as the garden.

Since we are in something of a mutual admiration response, I want to caution all on a couple of points.

At times, everyone is in danger of being misunderstood. Written communication is limited. Some of us try a little too hard to be "light" or get so darn serious about this or that. This will happen. I am sorry when I've taken things too far.

Everyone has bad days. I will soon have very little time to be at this 'puter. That means hasty comments and, perhaps, lengthy periods between responses. Sound like a recipe for miscommunication?

Beware of Trolls -- That is a problem again and again in some of the other GW forums. Here's Wikipedia: "In Internet terminology, a troll is someone who intentionally posts derogatory or otherwise inflammatory messages about sensitive topics in an established online community such as an online discussion forum to bait users into responding."

I can add that some folks like to be provocative in ways that aren't quite derogatory or inflammatory just to prompt responses and as a part of their "secret" life. So, it is matter of degree. And yet, one of the nicest young women I ever met (and intelligent, refined, attractive in every way), phoned in a bomb threat to a shopping center when she was a teenager - imagine.

DigitS
The difference between the almost right word & the right word is really a large matter - it's the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning. ~ Mark Twain, 1888

I have to agree that Skybird was the driving force in re-invigorating this RMG board. I lurked around but it was really slow and downright dead for quite awhile. Digit, David, bpgreen, Stevation were around but not many people posted. Then last summer it really "perked" up with Skybird's attentions and Charlene joined in and it started to take off again. I'm thrilled to see so many participating and so many aspects of gardening addressed. That's how it should be.

Each new member adds more to the community as a whole and as a result, we should have a fun board this gardening season. It is my first stop after checking the weather every day! There's more joy in gardening expressed here than many of the specific boards, and that's what really appeals to me.

Great thread. I started reading GW on my Mom's suggestion. She is a certifiable hosta freak and is active in the hosta forum. I lurked on some of the other fora- containers, vegetables, old garden roses- but got little advice that seemed useful in our dry climate. Info from somebody gardening in Florida or California just wasn't very helpful to me. So, it is the regional specificity that won me over. Plus I really dig the openness and friendliness of this group of people. Glad too the traffic has picked up.
steviewonder(ette)

Stevie mentions "old garden roses".
Ah, yet another old garden rose person.
Want any cuttings? Did you ever know John Starnes? Or Eve and Mikl?

Years ago I would invite people on this forum to my annual rose cutting party when I had it.

Cnetter, you are the person who could help me with roses . . .

It's really embarrassing (or used to be, I've grown callous from the pain). I worked nearly 7 years in a commercial rose operation but I have almost zero success growing outdoors. Of course, I'd like to have the elegant long-stemmed varieties.

What does it take? I've moved bushes out of shady locations that were already in my yard (risky business, moving), purchased new plants from local nurseries, and bought specialty varieties touted for hardiness by mail order.

The result is fewer roses each year.

Would you be willing to start a new thread on roses for cold Winters/hot and dry growing conditions?

Steve

How about you start the thread on roses with a question. Then we can all answer it. :-)

By commercial rose operation, do you mean the cut flower industry?

Egad, guys! Im almost too embarrassed to come back here! Thank you all for your nice comments, but all I did was start saying hi to people on the Whos Here thread, hoping it would spark a little more posting so Id have something to read when I check in every day. Im really glad that helped pick things up around here, but it wasnt just meit takes everyone together here to make this a successful forum. And in the last couple weeks there have been a few more new people that have started more regularly posting here. Thats really great! A regional forum like this is never going to be huge, and in a lot of ways I think thats good, but the more people we can get actively participating, the better it is for everyone. But a regional forum for our area is really important, because as a couple have said above, folks in Florida or CAor anywhere east of the Mississippijust arent going to comprehend the conditions we live with out here. How many folks in Florida are running around with their xeric list looking for plants! ;-)

And Digit made this comment above: "One day, the really really aggressive neighbor (as opposed to the only really aggressive neighbor) bustled up to me with a piece of paper and said, "See, this is what the experts think about it!" (Glad those two neighbors are less involved in your life now, Steve!)

Well, thats another of the great things around here! No experts! Just a bunch of REAL people who try to help each other with the knowledge theyve gained by actually doing something. And, since its gardening, theres always more than one way to do "it!" So the more people we have piping up around here, the betterso if some of you lurkers are reading something and go, gee, I tried that last year, dont be afraid to add your comments to the thread to get another opinion into the mix. And if youre really brand new and dont have any experience yet, dont be afraid to post your questionsrather than just reading the answers to other questionsso all our RMG "real people" can confuse you even moreI mean, so we can try to answer them! ;-)

Alright! This is gonna get long! So, whats new!

Yes, Steve, I got a laugh out of Davids reply too!

Emagin: Gotcha! I think youre sufficiently addicted by now that youll be around here for a while! "Loving plants and dirt" is about the only prerequisite around here! And for those of you where its still a love/hate relationship, well help swing it over to the love side!

Jali, I check in here BEFORE the weather! Well, unless something totally catastrophic is expectedor I look out the window and see something totally unexpected. I really enjoy your comments around here, too, and ALWAYS think, chirp, chirp now when I see your name!

Steviewonder(ette), I want to know how you learned to use the word "dig" in that context! Thats from beatniks in the 60's, and if you have two little kids, youre nowhere near old enough to even know what a beatnik is!

Cnetter, get in there and help Steve! He definitely needs it! ;-)

And, Steve, Ive reserved my longest comment to reply to your "4-17 at 10:47" post above! After all, you and I are the long-winded ones around here!

First of all, were you just sort of philosophizing with a purpose, or has someone said something with which youve taken umbrage? (Dont ya wish you had never brought up that word!) I know Ive been joking around a lot more around here lately now that people know me a little bit better, and I hope everybody knows Im kidding, but....... As you say, its different when youre putting things down on paper compared to when youre talking to someone in person!

Now, heres something everybody might be interested in, but I think you, for sure, might be fascinated with trying this! Its something we did in flight attendant training to understand how what you say to people can be completely misunderstood!

Have two people sit with their backs to each other, each with a small table in front of them, and give each person a dozen dominoes. Then one person lays the dominoes out in front of them in whatever pattern they want to, and then the second person tries to duplicate the same pattern with their dominoes by the first person telling them where to put them. (Just the patternhas nothing to do with the dots! Turn the dominoes upside down.) No peeking! All you can use is words. Then you switch around and the second person makes the pattern and tries to describe it so the first person can duplicate it. It sounds very simple, but its amazingly difficult, and you come to learn the importance of exactly what you say. (Thats important no matter what youre doing, but its especially important when you doing something like evacuating an airplane!) Anyway, if youor anybody else tries itlet us know how it goes! It can actually be used as a kind of funalbeit frustratinggame!

This is another fun thread,
Skybird

Skybird, I recall saying that Yago's girlfriend shouldn't be upset by mushrooms in the yard but doing so in such a way as to make light of her disapproval. Not well done on my part. Yes, I was taking umbrage with my own poor communication.

DigitS

I must have missed that one ,Steve, but I bet it wasn't as bad as you think it was. Actually, I just remembered seeing some posts about mushrooms, but I don't remember anything anyone should be umbrageing about---including you. I have forests of mushrooms coming up in my bark mulch right now! But that's not as bad as the ones I had at my last house! I called them Earth Moving Mushrooms! They were absolutely the huge-est mushrooms I've ever seen (they'd push up a whole bunch of soil as they came up)---and my dog ran around eating them! That kind of worried me, but they must not have been poison, 'cause she was always alright!

Skybird

Hi all,

Enjoyed reading the above "conversation".

I found GW while doing a google search on planting new veggie transplants. I first joined last year in late spring when I planted my 2nd vegetable garden ever for the 1st time in Colorado ever. I was worried because I had planted mostly transplants from the Tagawa gardens greenhouse and didn't harden them off but planted them right when I got home and the next day a heat wave began. I think Steve(Digit) was the first to answer me right away and reassured me they'd probably be fine with a bit of shade. And they were:)

I must admit I am guilty of what Steve(Digit) said about...

"hasty comments and, perhaps, lengthy periods between responses. Sound like a recipe for miscommunication?"

I know most people in this day and age have busy lives. This past year for me seems to have been a bit of a whirlwind and although I do check in to see what everyone's up to, I will often wait to reply when I have the time to be a little more thoughtful.

I love this community and have found everyone to be so generous with their time and gardening knowledge.

Skybird you are RMG cheerleader!
Charlene

Rah, rah, rah! LOL

Hey cnetter, OGRs make my jaded heart go pitter pat. I lurked for a while on the OGR forum but not long enough to get to know any of the regulars. I was mostly trying to ID a rose I had in the yard at my old house. I have one in my yard at this house too, but gave up on IDing roses. I am overwhelmed by the whole rose classification thing.

Thanks for your generous offer. But I have no place right now for roses. I have a shady mess in the front yard (my project for this year I think) and well established bulb/rose garden in the back yard. The sides to east and west are sandwiched between the neighbors' houses- Colorado subdivision style- and are not connected to the automatic sprinkler system. Also there is very little planted there anyway. They will require a big effort sometime in the future, but not this year. Probably not next year either. LOL

steviewonder(ina)

Stevie mentions "old garden roses".
Ah, yet another old garden rose person.
Want any cuttings? Did you ever know John Starnes? Or Eve and Mikl?
Years ago I would invite people on this forum to my annual rose cutting party when I had it.