Hi Folks,

I just leapt in when I joined this newsgroup but thought maybe it would
be nice to make a "proper" intro post.

We live in a terraced house in South Liverpool, so only have a small
back yard, and an even smaller "front garden" - about 2 square yards.
Did a tiny amount of gardening when the kids (now 25 and 27!) were
small, mainly things like geraniums and lobelia in pots.

Began to get more serious about gardening when husband gave me a large
blue ceramic pot of Stargazer lilies for my 50th birthday (am 57 now),
these live at the caravan, though have been replaced a couple of times -
the bunnies love them! :-( And the slugs too I think.

Back yard in Liverpool is full of plants, unfortunately many of them are
weeds! ;-) Last year grew runner beans for the first time, they were
really pretty when flowering (and the bees loved them), and really yummy
when cooked. Bought bean plants again this year, but it's been too cold
and windy to plant them on yet - need to get new BIG pot for them too.

Lots of violets - tend to treat them as weeds as they seed so
prolifically! My Mum did warn me when she gave me a few seedlings. But
if I have to have weeds violets are lovely ones to have.

Have various things that have come from school and church fetes over the
years. A really nice yellow day lily that has put up a load of flowers
this year - previously it's only given me one or two flower stems.
Dwarf iris, but sadly the only flower on that got mashed this spring
(the problem with having building work done!), and another one that may
be iris sibirica, which is about to flower I hope!

We like to keep the wild flowers in the hedge at the caravan, but have
put in some bushes, and also herbs. Lots of pots, but from the pictures
John took last Sunday a lot of stuff hasn't survived the winter. And
what has looks a mess - will take cuttings when I get down there.
Pictures here (bit depressing!):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/liverpo...7594150021211/

When I have the time and energy I blog too, so you can find stuff about
both my gardens here (and elder daughter's garden in London too):
http://liverpool-leftovers.blogspot.com/

I am quite disabled by ME/CFS, so gardening is difficult for me.
Husband likes digging big holes and that kind of thing, so he does the
heavy work - I do the fiddly bits like sowing seeds, planting pots up
and so on.

Am feeling happy today as one of my Datura (Brugmansia?) Ballerina Mix
seeds has just shown it's head - happy dance! :-)

My best success I think was the Morning Glories I grew last year by our
front door:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/liverpo...vers/42650167/

Sorry this is so long!

Maggie
in Liverpool, where it's *really* chilly outside!