"Cheryl Isaak" wrote in message
...
Oh - I forgot the pond (completely impractical, but I want one)

C

Pond saga:

There were more advantages to working heavy construction for years than just
the paycheck. We were installing a huge storm water retention system. In the
'dump heap' was a 34" re-enforced concrete bell tile. The bell end had been
cut off with about a 3 foot tail of the pipe left. "I want that!" Friday
afternoon: Brought that home. As I park in the driveway I announce to the
boys, dig a hole as deep as the tile and drop it in for me will ya...I'm
going to fix dinner. There was the usual grumbling. "Hey guys, if one of me
can get it into the truck, three of you should be able to figure out how to
get it out. Make a ramp, it's round, it rolls. Use the level across the top
after you get that thing in the hole two feet away from the angle in the
deck...~pointing~." I didn't mention I had use of a fork lift to load
it...*wicked chuckle*

That evening I mixed up Quick-Crete and put in a bottom and used a little
whisk broom to brush up the sides to make a nice seal. During the following
week the boys learn 'life skills of siphoning everyday after school since I
wanted to leach it as much as possible. The next Saturday I got two
miniature water lilies (wonderful scent!) and a pot of tall iris looking
things. Dropped in the lilies, built a 'pedestal' of brick for the tall
plant pot and dumped in 3 feeder gold fish (25cents each). I had the "pond"
right in the angle of the back deck. Did a little camouflage planting around
the rim from divisions culled from the rest of my garden......one more
successful, lovely "hardly cost anything" project complete!

During one dinner on the deck I lavished praised on the boys for their
resourcefulness and skills while admiring my little pond garden......they
just kept their eyes on their plates and all swore they were going to grow
up to live in high rise condos.

Val

"Scott Hildenbrand" wrote in message
...
Just a chit-chat thread..

Is there anything that you all had always wanted to do in your yard/garden
but have not done so far?


My "garden" is now a 3rd floor balcony......I want to make a hypertufa
trough and have a succulent garden, maybe make another for a few alpine
plants......still pondering.

Val

Val wrote:
"Hettie®" wrote in message
...


Val wrote:

That is inspiring. Just last week I've been trying to get rid of some on
freecycle for a neighbor, some has brick facing in it from an old garage
floor. No luck.


Post that picture on "Craig's List" and put FREE in the heading. Seems to
work better around here than Freecycle.

If my latest fails, I will do that, thank you. I have checked out
Craig's list, and it doesn't seem very active for my area, have heard
many good things about it. It was so near Thanksgiving when I first
offered it, I tried again today with a link to the photo on two
freecycle lists for my area. I also posted a free classified w/uploaded
photo on our local online auction/classified site that runs for 14 days
and gets quite a bit of traffic.

When I had some, broken sidewalk in my case, and not as flat and slabby
as his, I finally paid a neighbor who offered to haul and dump it for
$20 which was a good deal. Then somebody wanted it after all. I still
had to pick out chunks from the remaining dirt pile, chip off all the
slag, do all the backfilling myself, can't remember how I got rid of
that last bit. The guy who did the cement work was torqued off at me
because I got him to do six steps and several feet of sidewalk for $800
(but I had to pay $350? about that for the cement in a truck). He cut
out on me after I paid him (I know never pay until 100% is done, the
worst was done so I paid), and I was left with the rest of the mess. He
was mad because I got custom-made ornamental ironwork rails rather than
the cheapie ones he recommended from Menard's.

"Nobody chips off slag." Well, I knew I'd want to stick a shovel or
trowel in there, and didn't want to buck concrete to plant something on
the borders. So mine had to come off. My son did some of it with a
hammer for me.

I called the neighbor to make sure he hadn't made other arrangements for
it, told him what I was going to try next. He said he had found a note
on the door from someone who offered to haul it away for $80 and thought
it might have had to do with my attempt to rid him of it. One freecycle
list didn't post the last time, the other one edited out his phone
number as being too personal, I only wrote East Name-of-Town, so I think
it was coincidental about the offer. We both agree that is too expensive.

It is a royal pain to try to get rid of some stuff, they make you jump
through hoops and pay extra landfill fees even if you are lucky enough
to be able to haul it somewhere yourself.

I have two wastebaskets full of mixed topsoil and clay from a french
drain I dug and installed (only partly effective turns out, I gave it my
all). I'd sure like to get rid of the stuff, don't want to put it back
in my garden or try to compost the clay, am waiting for a chance to get
rid of it somehow, too heavy for me to even lift (hate that, needs
someone stronger). I'd have to empty it partly out and haul to my
little car or wherever in batches.

You have a gift for writing, a way with words, humorous touches, and
seem to find very creative ways to do things for a gal (I assume you are
a gal). Kudos to you. In my old age, I am more resourceful than when
younger, and have tackled a few projects I never would have thought I
could manage before because otherwise it means beg or pay, but am amazed
at some of the things women will tackle these days, wasn't like that
when I was growing up. Roles were more strictly defined with a few
exceptions. I did dig up with a fork a large garden plot (breaking sod)
in my late 20's when my ex did about 1/3 of it and quit, I wanted my
garden. It was gruelling work for me, but I was determined.

"Val" expounded:

During one dinner on the deck I lavished praised on the boys for their
resourcefulness and skills while admiring my little pond garden......they
just kept their eyes on their plates and all swore they were going to grow
up to live in high rise condos.

LOL! My youngest brother always said the same thing, also that he'd
never live in an old house. He lives in a small town north of Boston,
house was built in 1798, with a good acre of lawn to mow )

Great pond story!
--
Ann, gardening in Zone 6a
South of Boston, Massachusetts
e-mail address is not checked
******************************

On Nov 25, 7:11 pm, Scott Hildenbrand
wrote:
Just a chit-chat thread..

Is there anything that you all had always wanted to do in your
yard/garden but have not done so far?

Myself, well, I have a few things I'd always wanted to do but still have
yet to in any of the places I'd lived.

One close to the top would be to build a nice flagstone or other style
rock patio with 2" of space between the rocks for plantings.. Since we
have a larger yard now I may end up doing that within a few years...
Maybe..


I always thought that I would like a "little" more space, maybe an
acre
or two. But at this time, I think .33 will do very nicely, Thank you!
A pond? well I tried a small one. Worked all day digging it, and then
all of the next day getting the rocks and plants all just right. The
next
day I went to admire my work. Well, the rackety goons (who called
them that? I love it) decided they would rearrange things to suit them
selves. Later they ate the fish. So now I have a bog which I enjoy.
And the RGs come and make artistic swirls in the pine needles.

A shed, I wanted a garden shed and my DH built one a couple of years
ago. So it isn't that either.
Plants......I ALWAYS want more plants, but I have roses, I have ferns.
I have 10 varieties of Heuchera. Shrubs, native plants, it's a
sickness;
I do not need More Plants. for sure. But if there is a square foot of
space,
I will fill it up.

So now I have to think of something after all this rambling.
Well I would like a couple of bantie hens, or maybe a rooster and a
hen. But that will be for when I get old(er).

Emilie, NorCal
Or maybe a pair of little goats.................

"Scott Hildenbrand" wrote in message
...
Just a chit-chat thread..

Is there anything that you all had always wanted to do in your
yard/garden but have not done so far?



Myself, well, I have a few things I'd always wanted to do but still
have yet to in any of the places I'd lived.

One close to the top would be to build a nice flagstone or other style
rock patio with 2" of space between the rocks for plantings.. Since we
have a larger yard now I may end up doing that within a few years...
Maybe..


A couple years ago someone posted a photo of a wire globe filled with
hens and chickens. I don't recall who. I have seen them in catalogs but
they are very pricey. I wonder if he christmas lights in globes could
suffice? I think the framework is plastic and it wouldn't rust. I bought
a round pot of hens and chickens the other day at our Lowes just in case
the mood hits me to build this momma. I have old hangars with shredded
something in them I can stuff it with/ Think this would work?

Betsy

Phisherman wrote:
On Mon, 26 Nov 2007 06:30:26 -0500, Cheryl Isaak
wrote:

On 11/25/07 10:21 PM, in article ,
"Ann" wrote:

Scott Hildenbrand expounded:

Is there anything that you all had always wanted to do in your
yard/garden but have not done so far?
There are so many things....

A chicken coop

A small garden pond

Oh - I forgot the pond (completely impractical, but I want one)

C


I am very fortunate to have a pond. It happened by chance, actually.
When I moved here there was a low spot in the backyard with wild
roses, wild raspberries, and soggy soil. After removing the
vegetation I found seven springs that kept the ground wet. I built a
pond--no liner, no pumps. A PVC pipe was buried to catch the overflow
to a nearby stream. The pond is about 8,000 gallons and the water
runs during a drought. I use the water for watering the garden and to
breed goldfish.


That is a really nice find.. I don't have anything like that here.. Best
pond I can hope for is one via EPDM liner slapped into a hole.. Which..
Is on the list of things to do..

Already have two preformed "ponds" by the side entry, if you can call
them that.. It's hard to call anything less than 5-6k gallons a pond
IMO.. More like a water feature.

Hoping to do around 2k gallons or so with the liner. Who knows.

Val wrote:
"Cheryl Isaak" wrote in message
...
Oh - I forgot the pond (completely impractical, but I want one)

C

Pond saga:

There were more advantages to working heavy construction for years than just
the paycheck. We were installing a huge storm water retention system. In the
'dump heap' was a 34" re-enforced concrete bell tile. The bell end had been
cut off with about a 3 foot tail of the pipe left. "I want that!" Friday
afternoon: Brought that home. As I park in the driveway I announce to the
boys, dig a hole as deep as the tile and drop it in for me will ya...I'm
going to fix dinner. There was the usual grumbling. "Hey guys, if one of me
can get it into the truck, three of you should be able to figure out how to
get it out. Make a ramp, it's round, it rolls. Use the level across the top
after you get that thing in the hole two feet away from the angle in the
deck...~pointing~." I didn't mention I had use of a fork lift to load
it...*wicked chuckle*

That evening I mixed up Quick-Crete and put in a bottom and used a little
whisk broom to brush up the sides to make a nice seal. During the following
week the boys learn 'life skills of siphoning everyday after school since I
wanted to leach it as much as possible. The next Saturday I got two
miniature water lilies (wonderful scent!) and a pot of tall iris looking
things. Dropped in the lilies, built a 'pedestal' of brick for the tall
plant pot and dumped in 3 feeder gold fish (25cents each). I had the "pond"
right in the angle of the back deck. Did a little camouflage planting around
the rim from divisions culled from the rest of my garden......one more
successful, lovely "hardly cost anything" project complete!

During one dinner on the deck I lavished praised on the boys for their
resourcefulness and skills while admiring my little pond garden......they
just kept their eyes on their plates and all swore they were going to grow
up to live in high rise condos.

Val





Really great recycling idea.. Thinking out of the box IMO.. So did you
seal the concrete with anything or no?

At any rate, great idea! And such easy labor, too..

Val wrote:
"Scott Hildenbrand" wrote in message
...
Just a chit-chat thread..
One close to the top would be to build a nice flagstone or other style
rock patio with 2" of space between the rocks for plantings.. Since we
have a larger yard now I may end up doing that within a few years...
Maybe..

I made a lovely patio out of recycled concrete. On my way home from work one
day I saw a construction crew tearing up old sidewalks. They were just
lifting it with the teeth of the back hoe bucket and dropping it to break
enough to put in the dump truck. I costs a lot of money to dump in a
landfill so......I asked the guy if they'd like to dump that concrete in my
yard, about a mile away....SURE! It was in nice big, random shape and sized
pieces and about 4" thick. They dumped the whole load next to my driveway. I
had 3 big teenaged boys at home then so grunt labor wasn't a problem I
laid out my patio area, dug down six inches, slight grading AWAY from the
house, laid down a good two inches of coarse sand and then supervised the
boys in placement. We did have to make a tripod and rig a block and tackle
to move a few larger pieces. They also learned to use a level. I just told
the boys these were valuable life skills .....I won't tell you their
grumbling answers to that but they learned it was better to do what Mom
asked at a very early age. (The wrath of unhappy Mom aint pretty.)

I had anywhere from 2-6 inches between the concrete slabs, some pockets I
left even bigger. After it was all set and leveled I filled in with some of
the soil I removed and planted a variety of dense growing creeping plants,
most scented. Lemon thyme, the tiny mint, there was some teeny prehistoric
fern looking thing and little blue star flowers, etc. In the larger pockets
I planted edelweiss, snow drops, miniature narcissus and these tiny little
red tulips. It really looked stunning. The soil I dug out I just piled and
made mounds for a couple of flower beds, more interesting than "just flat" I
think.

When people walked over it and in the evenings the scent was wonderful. The
little bulbs popping up through the last of the snow and early spring made a
nice scene. By the time it was nice enough to be outside the bulb leaves had
died down and the creeping plants grew right over the top. After the second
year it took only about 5 minutes of weeding a few times a year because the
ground cover was so thick.

It took me one full weekend to dig this out, grade, level and spread sand.
One Saturday afternoon to supervise "life skills" and help with setting the
slabs and I planted Sunday morning. The only cost was sand and plants, lots
of picturesque bang for the buck.

Val



I'd always been one to keep an eye out for people breaking up concrete
or anything else that would need hauling off. Have yet to run across any
good finds though...

WONDERFUL idea using recycled concrete from a slab like that.. And I
love the thought of putting bulbs in between the slab chunks.. Really
great idea..

I'm hoping that I run across a find as good as that.. Though, I do have
a stack of bricks in the back yard it's not enough to do a good patio
out of. Besides, I like a broken look better such as you describe in yours.

Hettie® wrote:


Val wrote:

That is inspiring. Just last week I've been trying to get rid of some
on freecycle for a neighbor, some has brick facing in it from an old
garage floor. No luck.

I could find a use for it on my terrace, but there isn't quite enough,
and it would be too much for me right now anyway. Some needs to be
broken down more.

Think I'll go out and take a photo of the pile and try something else.
Just met the young couple, and they are incredibly nice, offered to help
me with chores in my yard, but I don't like to take advantage of people,
certainly might call on them for an emergency.





I'm glad you brought up freecycle.. Ended up signing up to the local
division.

I figure I'll hang around and see how it works before I pester the list
with requests.

Too bad I don't live close, sure I could put it to use.

Sheldon wrote:
On Nov 26, 3:59�am, "Val" wrote:
"Scott Hildenbrand" wrote in message

...

Just a chit-chat thread..
One close to the top would be to build a nice flagstone or other style
rock patio with 2" of space between the rocks for plantings.. Since we
have a larger yard now I may end up doing that within a few years...
Maybe..
I made a lovely patio out of recycled concrete. On my way home from work one
day I saw a construction crew tearing up old sidewalks. They were just
lifting it with the teeth of the back hoe bucket and dropping it to break
enough to put in the dump truck. I costs a lot of money to dump in a
landfill so......
SNIP

Val

Sounds really nice... post some pictures.



I'll second that request.. Would LOVE to see it!

Hettie® wrote:


Scott Hildenbrand wrote:

I wanted to put nice tiers held by really good dressed stone blocks on
my back terrace, maybe 30' or more of it. I've dragged my feet on that
because of the expense of the stone and don't want to rip something up I
may not be able to maintain, plus a couple trees are in the way and
should clear them out but hate to do it. Of late, I've been thinking of
planting the terrace as it is, clearing, planting and mulching a little
at a time.

Sounds like a fairly steep grade to it.. It's hard to find something to
do with areas like that..

Know the feeling about cutting out trees. I'd removed some younger ones
when we moved in.. I could have left them but for them, it'd have been
bad so they had to go.. Doesn't sound the same for yours. Perhaps they
can be worked in?

Price on stone has kept me from doing quite a few things.. I'd love to
edge these cheapy pre-formed ponds I have beside the side entry but for
now I'm holding off, trying to think of a really good budget way of
dealing with it.. It'll come to me in time.

The other thing is that I have always wanted to experiment with plant
propagation and hybridization, the old-fashioned way, not with genetic
manipulation, wish I'd taken more courses in botany and biology in college.

Didn't you say that you were getting into lilies? I'd say that is by far
the best place to start. Friend of mine has a Day Lily farm and has
thousands.. He's registered quite a few in his and his wifes name. Says
it's fairly easy to do.

I would love to do more with lilacs, heirloom roses, trees and shrubs,
have been working with roses lately with many disappointments and
failures just getting them to root, have tried several different
methods. I would like to cross pollinate roses, but you have to do
hundreds of seedlings and have a place to keep them; some take a couple
years to come into bloom, same with the lilacs.

Lilies are like this, but not as bad. Nice smaller scale and blooms in
first to second year or so depending on how well the cross is.

Of course, you can buy all that stuff, but I've always been fascinated
with the work of Luther Burbank, Mendel, that Canadian woman who worked
on lilacs, and a man whose name I can't remember who worked on getting
higher yields on food crops before they knew the science of altering
genes. He did his work in Mexico. It is very tedious and
labor-intensive work.

It is indeed hard work, but you've got to admire the payoff. In a way,
science has taken the fun out of it..

Hmmm, isn't there a plant that scientists did which glows? For some
reason I recall hearing about it.

One of my big regrets in life is that I have found unusual trees and
things growing out in rural areas in ditches, etc., and didn't have the
means with me, strength and motivation to dig them out of the mess and
drag them home to see what they would do. Someone would know what some
of the things I've seen were.

I'm always on the lookout for odd mutations, wish I'd saved dandelion
seeds that grew a fuzzy top like a cockscomb lol and a viola that
crossed with the johnny jump ups. I got a light yellow one with a
pretty sky blue border one year, wish I'd been motivated to try and save
the seeds from that.

Wow.. Those all sound like interesting finds.. Can't say that I've seen
anything like that, or perhaps I had but didn't have the sense to pay
attention.

Older I get the more open my eyes tend to be, if even a little more
tired.. Oh well.. At least I've got the sense to see.

Val wrote:
"Scott Hildenbrand" wrote in message
...
Just a chit-chat thread..

Is there anything that you all had always wanted to do in your yard/garden
but have not done so far?


My "garden" is now a 3rd floor balcony......I want to make a hypertufa
trough and have a succulent garden, maybe make another for a few alpine
plants......still pondering.

Val



Long as you're making an effort to even have a garden..

I tire of seeing stark balconies with nothing more than a chair and table..

Did a google image search a few nights ago for rooftop gardens (have two
flat roofs on this home, pondering planter box borders), wow, alot of
creative work there.

mleblanca wrote:
On Nov 25, 7:11 pm, Scott Hildenbrand
wrote:
Just a chit-chat thread..

Is there anything that you all had always wanted to do in your
yard/garden but have not done so far?

Myself, well, I have a few things I'd always wanted to do but still have
yet to in any of the places I'd lived.

One close to the top would be to build a nice flagstone or other style
rock patio with 2" of space between the rocks for plantings.. Since we
have a larger yard now I may end up doing that within a few years...
Maybe..


I always thought that I would like a "little" more space, maybe an
acre
or two. But at this time, I think .33 will do very nicely, Thank you!

The space is nice, but I'd found with the space the time to upkeep seems
to grow exponentially.

A pond? well I tried a small one. Worked all day digging it, and then
all of the next day getting the rocks and plants all just right. The
next
day I went to admire my work. Well, the rackety goons (who called
them that? I love it) decided they would rearrange things to suit them
selves. Later they ate the fish. So now I have a bog which I enjoy.
And the RGs come and make artistic swirls in the pine needles.

LOL.. I'd say too cute, but I'm sure it was frustrating at the time..

A shed, I wanted a garden shed and my DH built one a couple of years
ago. So it isn't that either.

I need one of those.. I've got a small section by the house which is
unused space, plan on building an L shaped fence of sorts out of lattice
to close it in out of view so I can dump tools and such in it. Small
enclosure shed inside the area for now.

Full garden shed will come in due time. Remaining budget goes to the
inside of the house, so will shift back to the outside for major things
later.

Plants......I ALWAYS want more plants, but I have roses, I have ferns.
I have 10 varieties of Heuchera. Shrubs, native plants, it's a
sickness;

Naaa.. And thanks for bringing up Heuchera.. It just made my wish list!

I do not need More Plants. for sure. But if there is a square foot of
space,
I will fill it up.

Shhhh.. That space to the left of you is awful bare... *chuckles*

So now I have to think of something after all this rambling.
Well I would like a couple of bantie hens, or maybe a rooster and a
hen. But that will be for when I get old(er).

Emilie, NorCal
Or maybe a pair of little goats.................

betsyb wrote:
"Scott Hildenbrand" wrote in message
...
Just a chit-chat thread..

Is there anything that you all had always wanted to do in your
yard/garden but have not done so far?



Myself, well, I have a few things I'd always wanted to do but still
have yet to in any of the places I'd lived.

One close to the top would be to build a nice flagstone or other style
rock patio with 2" of space between the rocks for plantings.. Since we
have a larger yard now I may end up doing that within a few years...
Maybe..


A couple years ago someone posted a photo of a wire globe filled with
hens and chickens. I don't recall who. I have seen them in catalogs but
they are very pricey. I wonder if he christmas lights in globes could
suffice? I think the framework is plastic and it wouldn't rust. I bought
a round pot of hens and chickens the other day at our Lowes just in case
the mood hits me to build this momma. I have old hangars with shredded
something in them I can stuff it with/ Think this would work?

Betsy




The first thing that popped into my head when I read this was a pile of
chickens in an odd shaped pen.. o.O

Not sure if the plastic would hold up, but you know, there are cheap
metal baskets everywhere to be found.. Try going to a Freds, Dollar
Tree, Biglots or something of the likes to see what they have.

Another thought would be the three tier hanging baskets, like the one in
my kitchen holding the onions.

http://www.dollaritem.com/wms/images/catalog/7090.jpg

Might be able to grow something in it.. Dang.. Gave myself a good idea..
Got to try some star sedum in it.

At any rate, it may work.. So long as the price isn't too bad be worth a
try.. But my opinion is, mo cheaper, mo better.. It's all good on a budget.