Scott Hildenbrand wrote:

Rather than go on and on and on like I'm known to do here and elsewhere,
let's go terrace, lilies, and mutations & trees.

The terrace is about 45 degrees, oh maybe 5' high. I've got to get the
roses going on the top first, then worry about the other. My son did
offer to do it for me, but I think it's best to get a better handle on
what I've already got going. 3 iron things to prime and spray, one an
old iron fence in 3 sections I'm planning to use for a border on a small
area I dug and planted with hosta lilies & a couple plants my sister
gave me. The plant stand my friend sold me for $15, had to have that
welded for 20 something, used steel wool and a brush on my drill until I
ran out of patience. What is the third? Oh 3 pretty pieces of iron
filigree decorative pieces for something I picked up, $30 at Habitat
Restore. Only about six inches tall, very heavy, and 24-30" long? I
had to shove it under the couch lol. That will make a half hexagon for
a rose border filled in with some flowers.

Daylilies would be practical for the terrace, maybe even better the way
it is, once they multiply, there shouldn't be too much maintenance.
I'll go easy on those. I've looked at umpteen photos of them and don't
fall in love with too many and would want them in clusters. Everybody
grows Stella so I don't want it. I prefer the orientals (they like sun
all day or they bend) but daylilies are more practical and bloom longer,
have read and saved info on propagating them. Maybe see what my
fall-planted ones do, Jedi Free Spirit, got a freebie Baja going, and
start with open-pollinated seeds. I ordered a Mrs. Backhouse & couple
other odd ones (don't think they are daylilies) from Old House Gardens,
will see if they come up in the spring.

The mutations. I don't see many which is why it came to mind, probably
have missed many odd things in my life. One of the oddest ones was a
small tree growing in an unpaved area behind a fast-food type
restaurant. It gnawed away at me, should I ask if I can dig it up, too
busy with kids and too tired during that window of time. My memory of
it is now dim, it was probably not a mutation, but it had the prettiest
markings on the bark going up the young trunk, partially circular like
at intervals, thought what a pretty walking stick it would make (after I
made sure I had a couple going for living stock), just wish I knew what
it was and had a camera at the time.

I can work around the trees, one is an old apple tree I planted in the
70's at the top of the terrace and back a few feet. The other is an
apricot that grew funny because it wanted more sun. Both are taking up
room that could be better used for something else or better stock.
Nothing like a Jonathan, and I didn't see any in my Gurney's catalog.
This is a Jonadel. Apricot is a standard Moorpark, get fruit about once
every five years because it blooms too early & frosts keep them from
fruiting plus another pollinator might help. It has to self-pollinate
well because I can't think of any around here, and when it does produce,
there are usually a lot. I hate to cut down otherwise good trees.
Your case is different because you have several of the same kind and
more sq feet.

Did it again. Too long :-). I'll be on the lookout for more mutations,
interesting cross-pollinations, sports on roses and anything unusual
that would look natural for my zone.

"Scott Hildenbrand" wrote in message
.. .
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.

I planted some Hens & Chicks in an old blue speckle enamel colander I got
for a nickel at a garage sale, looked pretty cute sitting on the back porch
by the kitchen door. I also picked up a HUGE (20+ inches across the top)
wooden salad bowl that had one hair line crack in it for a quarter. I
drilled a few small holes in the bottom and planted a clump of Ladies Mantle
in it. Worked great, I had the bowl sitting on two bricks to keep it off the
ground and the thing never did rot out. I have no idea what kind of wood it
was.

Val

Val wrote:
"Scott Hildenbrand" wrote in message
.. .
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.

I planted some Hens & Chicks in an old blue speckle enamel colander I got
for a nickel at a garage sale, looked pretty cute sitting on the back porch
by the kitchen door. I also picked up a HUGE (20+ inches across the top)
wooden salad bowl that had one hair line crack in it for a quarter. I
drilled a few small holes in the bottom and planted a clump of Ladies Mantle
in it. Worked great, I had the bowl sitting on two bricks to keep it off the
ground and the thing never did rot out. I have no idea what kind of wood it
was.

Val



Good ideas.. My whole point on my post was about thinking outside the
box and using less than ordinary things as planters that can be had for
cheap.

It's good to see that others follow the same route.

Food for thought.. Cheap clear plastic glasses, imaging three of varying
sizes in the center of a table with flowers growing out of the top. Can
see the dirt and everything.. Now wouldn't that be a unique centerpiece.
All you'd have to do is drill a single hole in the bottom and place them
into a platter.

25 Nov 2007,Scott Hildenbrand in
:

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?

regain the body i had in my 20's. I wouldn't need to do this only in the garden.

but i'm probably not going to get around to doing this little chore...

:-)


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..