I am sinking........

and that is always a scary thing :). My 16th Cent garden has been laid out and pretty well planted with the help of my self-described "mules" Doug and Dustin so it's off and running to the next garden. I have made my large vegetable garden along the right of this picture and will be moving the perennial bed that has been overrun with false bamboo (noxious weed!!!) that is currently situated in back of the large tree seen here over to the 16th C garden that is currently filled with squash, pumpkins and watermelons.

My rose garden ideas are the following:

I had once thought to plan my rose garden being to the left of my house but people tend to come to the side door to the right of the house so what better way to entice them to enjoy the garden rooms than to plant wonderfully scented roses and lavender right where the wind will circle and tickle their noses?

For my birthday a couple of years ago, my mum-in-law Ginger has given me absolutely beautiful gates with rose finials designed by her brother (Doug's uncle) Bernie who has passed away from cancer. I really wanted to do those gates proud and have thought quite a bit about Ginger's Rose Garden. With the help of many DavesGarden members and Ron Thenhaus, an amazing Rosarian, I am finally ready to start getting the list of plants and finalize the design on software. I've also decided to list the roses of interests here for fun as I find them. Some others I have decided to plant is Fairy, Lady Banks, Therese Bugnot, Hawkeye Girl, and more Griffith Buck roses. I want to include a wood stump of some kind with Ginger's name on it for people to stroke as they come in. Both to honor her love of roses and to thank her for the beautiful gates.

A trip to seedsavers gave me the idea to box my raised beds with railroad ties that would allow me to add wooden sides to the edges in the winter to protect them from the spring heaving, thawing and high winds. More that winter cold, this heaving is what kills canes. I received a magazine with wood patterns that had a Christmas Gingerbread train and thought it would be nice to paint the wood with these designs, playing off her name and love for gingerbread AND have it multitask as holiday decorations. I will post a link to the wood designs since they are very cute here when I get home and can remember the company that sent me the book.

Anyway, like my title, every time I plan these things I am reminded of the following video lol: I am sinking

So many ideas, so little time. I wonder at people who get bored with life. I wish I could sublet their energy and time so I can complete these as fast as my mind comes up with them.

I can just see my hubby shaking his head at me. I need more hands, more time and more money lol.

Blessings!

Min

The Most Fragrant Roses for Your Garden: New Dawn

The Most Fragrant Roses for Your Garden: New Dawn

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The Most Fragrant Roses for Your Garden: Heritage

The Most Fragrant Roses for Your Garden: Heritage

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The Most Fragrant Roses for Your Garden: Madame Plantier

The Most Fragrant Roses for Your Garden: Madame Plantier

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The Most Fragrant Roses for Your Garden: Honey Perfume

The Most Fragrant Roses for Your Garden: Honey Perfume

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Harshbargers Hosta Club

Like many other crafters, my artistic interests seem to be many and varied. My daylily friend Wanda had introduced me to a wonderful group of ladies that loved hostas and I found myself a member of the rich and lustrious Harshbargers Hosta Club.

Judi, the President did a masterful job of scheduling garden tour and we had a fabulous time.

I need to figure out how to add streaming photo's to this blog since the photo are so much better at showing you the grand time we all had.

Good for me

I'm giving myself an atta-girl :)

I've received my grades and made 3.97, an A
so I am very happy about that and I have just sent
one belated item to the recipient that has been long
overdue.

I could bash myself with what has yet to be done
but for this moment, I am going to relish the accomplishment
of reaching out to a friend with much love AND proving
that at any age, it's so lovely to be rewarded with stars
and A's.

Blessings to all!

Mindy

And yet another purchase -

I couldn't resist!!! I couldn't resist!!!
So many designs, so little time :).

I have just purchased Chatelaine (Martina Weber) Japanese Garden
and discovered how wonderful the instructions are. After a bit of
trial and error printing out the pdf to a size large enough for me to see,
my surprise was very pleasant indeed to see how clear the instructions were.

So another little box charting the progress or lack thereof of this wonderful pattern.

Will be ordering the crystals from http://www.europeanxs.com/ and the fabbie/threads from my own favorite LNS. I love to keep her in business where I can fondle away. So for your salivating purposes, here is Chatelaine's Japanese Garden. It's lovely, even on paper :)

http://chatelaine-design.de/newweb/cgi-bin/detail.pl?CHAT049

Simple tracking tool

I have started on my Christmas projects, the first being Angel of Love for my SIL. I've found a neat progress tracker at so will use that to make sure all my presents are completed. I did complete Quaker Game board in time for my MIL's birthday but don't have the box made.

I am also very late in sending out the packages that I promised to send out. I really, really need to do that!

2009 Gardening

I've been been trying to keep busy so I don't tear my skin off. Having problems with hives and every time they back off the prednisone, I break out again. Talk about chipmunk cheeks! Anyway, gets old and more itchy if I think about it so have been busy getting my garden up and going.

These poor kale seeds have been rolling around in the back of my trunk from last year. It's been beyond freezing here in Iowa and yet they still came up when sown inside. I put them in a plastic bag, you would have thought Christmas had come round again with how happy I was to see the first emerging radicle. I can't believe how tenacious they are. There is nothing prettier I think than these little leaves. Can already taste the Zuppa Toscana.

I was so excited, I planted another seeds also but I can't remember what in the world I planted. I did sow a bunch of Aquilegia people sent me from Daves Garden but I don't think that's what this is. It will be a mystery for sure :)