Yes, it should be submitted

Becky- everything looks great!
FYI- you can add more than one picture to a post, which will make posts like these read more like a story. I think you would find it handy!

LOVELY Becky..you've been busy and the rewards are grand beauty of it all....
Your friend would indeed have been proud of the way her garden items were used.. The thoughts of her surely connected...

Debra, Caroline, and Trish - Thanks for the compliments about my do-it-yourself bird bath! Can someone point me in the direction of the Ideas Forum? I don't see such a forum listed.

I have two concrete bird baths that have rocks in them to make them shallow. The birds use the cheapo ones I made instead. I've seen birds lined up to use the two makeshift bird baths! If I had only known years ago ....

Gordon - Thank you! I really believe those two concrete pieces from my neighbor's estate sale were meant to be in my garden. I didn't think I would even get them during the first two days of the sale. They were desired items, but everyone was waiting until the last day of the estate sale to get them half-price. I got over there bright and early and took the stickers off them to claim them! (Much to the disappointment of many who arrived after me!) But I truly thought they would be sold before the last day! I genuinely believe it was Helen's desire for me to have them and so it was to be!

I had read somewhere that you put your place up for sale ... did you sell your roof-top garden place? I am still in utter amazement what you were able to create on a roof top of a tall building! Simply fantastic! If you did sell it, do you have a garden at you new place?

A photo taken today of the newly added Daylily border that runs all along the front outer edge of the extended bed and over to the shrub area, too!

That border is going to be pretty. Did you mix the colors or is it monochromatic?

Becky, one question when next year is the garden tour. I need to come over to the east coast and spend some time in your beautiful garden and to see the MG's....

Just wonderful, you truly have a garden to cherish.

Debra - I have NO idea what colors the blooms will be. They are all more of my hand-pollinated NOID daylilies! But I am positive they are all different colors. (Which is what I prefer.) Even though it may not look it ... I am a cottage garden type of gardener.

Jan - LOL! My yard is far from tour worthy!

I don't really grow MGs anymore. (The I. nils, that I like the best, develop rust fungus and don't last very long here. So I don't waste any area or time on growing them anymore. Maybe an I. purpurea or I. indica once in a while, but that's about it.) I grow a lot of NOID daylilies as well as a lot of nectar and host plants for caterpillars and butterflies. My gardens are basically designed to host butterflies and hummingbirds.

...and lovely they are, too.

Oh Becky..no more MG's there's a change... do you have any sugestions as to how to stop.. it's volunteer city here... although I did plant a picotee blue from seeds I got when a friend vivited Japan..
Yes... at the leed in to the vedio of me interviewed for the NYorkers.com/Gordon-Hawkins site mentioned it was to be sold... that was filmed a few years ago... at the time it was in sort of limbo...with an approaching divorce [ 26 years ] it would have been sold ... I was able to make an acceptable offer for it .. and now it's mine... free and clear.. Although I am still doing some renovations to the X's home and lower office space where she sees patients as a marrage therapist... Go Figure...
I think I'm pineing for a warmer place to garden though... and today as I was digging things up and putting them inside the cool room and into the house [ always a bone of contention ] in the snow flurries and cold temperatures .. the thought was truely driven home yet again... the garden will be up and running next year with everything secured now...
Great big plumeria there... : > )

Debra - Thank you. I will be adding more to that front bed. Haven't decided what just yet, but I want some blue stepping stones in that area to lead to the bench. I was even thinking of a free-standing wooden swing in that area. I have lots of ideas, just have to decide what would look good and serve a purpose. That front yard garden room is for butterflies and hummingbirds, too, but it is also a place to greet the neighbors and chat. So I need some seating there (besides the hidden bench).

Gordon - I had to chuckle when you mentioned divorce and your ex-wife is a marriage therapist! Hmmmmm ....

I am glad to hear that the place is still yours ... free and clear! Tropical climate locations are nice as you can grow plants year round ... but that comes with a price ... drought, hot summers, insects beyond your imagination, too many plant diseases, and poor ground soil. But there are ways around any challenge. I am still working on the challenges here! LOL! I wouldn't want to have to drag in plants every winter either, but sometimes I do! Not as many as I am sure you do! Too bad you can't enclose your whole roof top in glass or clear hard plastic like a green house or sun room for the Winter months ... but that can be removed during the growing season.

I exchanged the MG addiction for daylily addiction! LOL! And am back to gardening for what I originally intended ... wildlife!

Becky

I'm so sad to hear that you aren't able to continue with the MG's, you had some incredible ones. Daylilies are an easy addiction in my book. I love them but I love small ones, the common stella dora I love mainly for the size. I'm going to be looking into more daylilies once I get settled more.

nice

Becky,
I really enjoyed looking at your pictures! I once had a yard that was almost as nice. I loved those birds and butterflies too! I had a major life change and now my garden is in my home. There are "mini" garden centers in a few of my main rooms. The living room has three garden shelves (mini greenhouses) that are in front of the windows. They are filled with lots of African Violets.

You inspire me, maybe this year I will get outside and reclaim the yard. Btw, what are MGs? Remember, I am from Colorado so you may have to explain.

Enjoyed your pictures, thank you for sharing!
Leda

Leda, think she means Morning Glory.

Leda - Yes, Debra is correct .... MG = Morning Glory. I don't really grow them anymore because they like many other plants are prone to rust fungus. Thank you for the kind compliments. I wish you a successful Spring/Summer regaining a garden in your yard. I would LOVE to see photos of your indoor gardens. I used to grow African Violets, too! Please share some photos as I would love to see them!

Hi Becky, the Denver Metro climate isn't as prone to rust, mostly powdery mildew. This is an novice talking... I am not sure this is the year I start gardening outside or not. Maybe some containers on the deck, I will see how I feel come spring.

Here are some of my AV's from the file. (I have two dogs on my lap and one beside me, keeping me cozy and warm as I look out and see a gorgeous picture of "Christmas snow.") I have so many babies, I don't know what I am going to do.








Thank you for asking me to share. It makes me feel good.
Leda

Leda - Your African Violets are beautiful! You seem to have a knack for growing them! I always kill mine.

Thanks for sharing your beautiful plants! I hope you can at least do some container gardening outdoors this Spring/Summer. Plants always lift my spirits! Especially blooming ones!

Thank you. There has been a huge learning curve with my violets. I have made many mistakes!!! LOL

You are enticing me with the outdoor gardens! It has been five years since the yard looked nice. We will see.... Some things have died, some have grown past their territory. I have time to think about it. (Our average date for the last frost is May 10th here.) I wish the plants were a bit cheaper, they seem to have almost doubled in price.

I hope your plants have survived the brutal weather conditions!
Leda

Leda - It looks like you are growing your AV under lights? If so, something to consider is getting plant cuttings and rooting them. Do you have neighbors or friends who garden that might share some cuttings with you this year? Or perhaps consider seeds?

Most of my garden comes from seeds or cuttings. I rarely buy a plant because I have a limited garden budget. Start with one small area and do a make-over of that area. Then expand the area or go to another area and start another small garden, etc. I have been gardening since 2004. I do one or two hardscapes a year (sometimes big, sometimes small) and then grow plants from seeds or cuttings year round. Either indoors or outdoors. I also make lasagna beds (raised beds) because the soil here is not so great. Just some thoughts to think about ....

Becky,

It used to be that people came to me for cuttings and starts. Unfortunately my health started to decline and we had a life altering event in our family that "emotionally paralyzed" me for almost the last five years. I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel now. My other forum calls it "reengaging with life."

My AV's have a corner window that gives them southern and western light. I supplement them mostly with CFL's in 5 different lamps (most from Goodwill.) I use the artificial lights off and on depending on Colorado sunshine (and what time I get up in the morning.) I teased my husband that we had to move to Florida after seeing your gardens.

This is Colorado today:





I have so many cuttings of houseplants and AVs. I don't know what I am going to do with all of them. We do share, year before last we fed almost all the block with our three peach trees. Last year a storm froze most of the blossoms. Some of our neighbors liked our raspberries and rhubarb.

Some of the hardy plants can be brought back and then there are those that are too hardy and need to be plucked. If I get out and walk the dogs, I may meet some of my neighbors who would be interested in a trade. Thanks for the idea.