Hi Joyce!

I garden in my small Minneapolis yard that I share with my 3 dogs. I'm also starting to bring a few plants up to my parent's cabin near Hibbing. That's the only logical place to plant new stuff since I've pretty much run out of room at home.. My favorites include roses, hydrangeas, iris, lilies, daylilies, clematis, and pretty much everything else. My biggest disappointment this summer would be not having enough time to get everything done. And as a result of not having enough time to care properly for my roses they haven't looked their best this year. For next year I hope to take better care of what I've got and maybe put the $$ into some garden art. I would like to add more flowering vines to cover the large amount of 6 ft chain link fencing though.

I don't post much on the forums these days, but I'm always reading when I get the chance..

Laura.

Hi, Joyce: I am Ying, a new gardener in Woodbury, MN, east of Twin Cities. I just started my first garden this summer. I like peonies, they are very popular flowers in my native China. Settling here in Minnesota, I am also learning about the plants here. I have planted shrub roses (carefree sunshine, island dancer, bonica), Siberia iris (CaesarÂs brothers), hostas, bleeding hearts, lily of the valley, black eyed susan, garden phlox, sumac (tiger eye), a Rose Light Azalea and some shrubs I don't know how to spell the name, have to go home look up the tag. :)

My most flavorates are peony, day lily, iris, and annual cosoms. I also love morning glory and Cardinal Climber, but I never had much luck with Cardinal Climber. It seems the season is too short here for they to really grow.

Welcome Joyce! I too am a plantaholic. Favorites include hostas, lilies, and sedums. This year I've come to the realization I'll have to expand the garden considerably after all the trading I've done over the past couple of years. I plan on doubling the size next year.

Dave

Hi Joyce! I'm Joyce too :-) I live in Owatonna. I've been gardening all my live, but have been working on my garden here in Owatonna, only since I married and moved into my husband's garden (oh yes, house too...) 3 years ago. Hostas are one of my favorites too and I've seen you post in the hosta forum but didn't realize you were a MN gardener too. I love all kinds of plants though, especially those that attract birds (particularly hummingbirds) and butterflies. I have a rosebed (all of which can survive our MN winters without any pampering), a few perennial beds, a veggie garden, and this year added a 'forest' which is really several berry bearing shrubs located between a triangle of 3 existing trees. Since my kids are all grown up, I spend my time on my garden. When I'm not at work, or fishing, golfing, and camping with my husband, or playing with the dogs.... Hope to meet you in person sometime, maybe at the Winter Blues seed swap next January!

Welcome to you, Ying, as well. Aren't peonies beautiful? I do love them too, as well as all the others you both mentioned.

Hi to Laura and Dave too! And to everyone else who posts in this thread which looks like it's rapidly developing into a 'get acquainted' thread for the whole group. Which is a VERY good idea :-)

Hey there Joyce!
Welcome to the MN forum- so glad you found your way here! And Hey there to you too Laura- I have missed your posts here!
You are in great company when you visit here- I think we all have been bitten by the MN horti bug in one form or another!
I like to start seeds into plants and see what they will do if left pretty much up to their own devices- I have found great joy in trying new plants (usually)- and I do enjoy sharing the wealth at our swaps- or when folks stop over for a "shovel tour".
I do love my hosta- heucheras- lilies- tree peonies- daturas- little mini alpine/rock garden plants- sempervivums- saxifrag- fruit bearing trees and shrubs- tellima- oh geeze- it would be easier to say what I am not too interested in! Like tomatoes!
This summer was a little hard on my plants- as we just didn't get the rain like they would have liked- and I dont water as well as should. But I still have a ton of seedlings all tucked away in their nursery beds to sleep the winter through!
I do hope to see you at one of our get togethers- the MN Winter Blues Seed Swap will be coming up next- sometime in January- or at our one of Spring or Fall Swaps!
Hey Dave- which way are you expanding? Out twoards the road? Along the house? The back yard? Or all of the above?
Julie

Hi Julie, I'm gonna move the whole garden (the main one in front of the house) out 10 feet that should double the size.

Dave

Welcome Joyce and Ying! Glad to have yoou join our friendly little group!
I garden in the woods between Cambridge and North Branch. Having mostly shade has presented it's challenges, but I am now digging up a sunnier area of my back yard so I can expand to include more sun-loving plants. I grow mostly perennials, but do like to add a few annuals every year. My favorites are daylilies, but I also love hostas, columbine, hydrangea, and just about everything in between!

Recently added two Nanking Cherries to my collection, going to try my hand at fruit!

Hope to meet you at a future swap!

Linda

Hi there! I am a Minnesota gardener, but am so far from the metro area that I feel like I am in a different state. But actually Wisconsin, Iowa and South Dakota are all closer than me!! I am on 5 acres in the North West corner, north of East Grand Forks, about 350 miles from Mpls. Zone 3 on the border of 4.

I like flowers of all kinds, and have peonies,lilies, irises, a couple shrub roses, and some columbine. I am looking to expand my gardens into some sunnier spaces, and even a shady spot outside my studio window. Unlike most people I don't really like hosta's! And I can't explain why, but I love love love ferns! So I am going to try to get as many various ferns as will grow here into my shady garden.

My husband likes to plant shrubs and trees with edible fruit. And has been planting them since we moved into this house 13 years ago. As a result I have a number of apple trees and various berries growing in my yard too.

I would love to make it to a plant swap, but it's a bit far to drive. Who knows, maybe someday.

Nice to meet you all!
Jenny P

Hi: Joyce: We are just about neighbors. I live by Gaylord which is about 25 miles south of Hutch. I love my
lilies, coneflowers, really any kind of pern. as well as
annuals. Really there is not to much that I do not like.
We will have to get together to compare notes. WELCOME!!
OrDella

Hello Joyce, everyone. I'm Susan and I live in Duluth at the tip of "the big sea shining water". I love lilies, daylilies, phlox, iris, ferns, black eyed Susans, purple coneflowers, bleeding hearts, heuchera, Veronica, nepeta, and hosta - to name but a few. I put in my first sedums, Shasta Becky, and salvia this year and want to add a few more hostas and daylilies next season. I like annuals too - my new find this year was Statice. What performers those turned out to be in a gap in a sunny border!

Hi Joyce & All: I live north of Alexandria on 40 acres. I had fun propogating mums and sedum this year. Definitely going to do alot more of that next year. We just dug up a spot for a shade garden for next year where I plan to put hostas, ferns, lenton rose, bleeding heart, etc. For now I'm putting down on paper where I planted things this year (and where I want certain plants to go next year) so I don't forget it by next spring (which I hope gets here fast!)

--Mary

Hey all, thanks for the big welcome. I hope to have a little more time to visit the forum this winter. Looking out my window as I write this I see snowflakes swirling around. Though I would really, really like to have good snowcover for a change, I'm not quite ready for it now. Still have to plant my garlic next week and grind my horseradish (which I prefer to do outside). Hmm, guess I can add digging my callas and dahlias to my list for next week or this weekend. I guess that like Julie, it might be easier to list plants I don't like, I'm pretty sure there are a few..dandelions and thistle come immediately to mind.Better go and get some HOUSEWORK done. (Gardening is housework that gets done outside.)

"Better go and get some HOUSEWORK done. (Gardening is housework that gets done outside.)"

You think that line would work if I told my wife that?

Never hurts to try!

I bet it would sound better to her if she was enjoying some "new" antiques in her new bedroom.......
Now- if I could only find a way to talk my Hubby into weeding, or digging up new beds, or even housework for that matter......

I prefer to keep my hubby out of my flower beds, however he's welcome in the veggie garden anytime. My kids have a picture of Dad unloading the dishwasher once.... However his muscle was put to good use pulling out some ugly junipers for me this summer. I just don't care to have him "help" in my flowerbeds unsupervised. Guess he couldn't do any worse than the time his mom came over to help me get things ready for graduation. But that's another story.

Hello to all. After a year of lurking on these forums I started posting this summer.

I have a large perennial border and several smaller beds in my NW suburban Maple Grove yard. Gardening is my "lab" where I can experiment and still enjoy the beautiful results.

This year I have been adding more clematis and hibiscus(absolutely love Plum Crazy!)and using more annuals with wintersowing. Zinnias were outstanding. Also went to my first plant swap!

I have appreciated others ideas and comments and am adding a large bed to the front yard with the cardboard, compost method this fall.
Bobbie

Welcome!
I should talk, I haven't been on here for ever!

Living north between the Twin Cities and Duluth in Pine City. Have been gardening most of my life. I have mostly shade gardens, so hosta are a big part of my life. I started collecting them almost 5 years ago. Most of my gardens revolve around them. I just got started collecting daylily this year. Am also an avid fan of Iris, Oriental and Asiatic lily.
And any plant in between!
I hope to stop in a little more often.

Hey Dave, how are those hosta trades doing?

{{gwi:1056078}}

Hello, my name is Pauline and I am a plantaholic. (That is plant not alch)
I live in South Mpls in a small urban lot that I am slowly turning into a perennial bed with paths of low maintenance grass. Last year was my first wintersowing and I am going to do that again. It is so easy.

I am also making clay sculptures for my garden.

Do watch for the seed exchange and plant ones as well. They are great fun.

Hi chevy57red! The hosta trading has slowed a little bit we'll have to get together next spring! Now if I could just find someone with lots of dahlias...

Dave

Hello everyone!

Marie here (in St Paul)... I've been so busy in and outdoors lately - barely got my new heirloom tulips planted, also put out some Siberian squill in that front rosebed of mine. I actually labled these tulips to see how they do! I'm excited :) My roses are starting to go dormant with the Mary Queen of Scots putting on the most glorious show of red.

Ok, time to stuff some squash for dinner...

Hi!

I am Donna, and I live on the outskirts of Cloquet. I "inherited" my garden when we bought our current home 4 years ago. I gave myself a crash course in gardening and have loved it ever since! I have lots of hostas, peonies and other perennials. I just planted five more apple trees and about 25 raspberry bushes this year. Next year I am planning on planting some strawberries and possibly some plum or pear trees. We have five kids and it nice to be able to grow some healthy snacks for them. I also plant a veggie garden with our family's favorite veggies. Definitely helps out on the grocery bill!

Hi Donna, nice to hear from you and welcome. it sounds as though you keep pretty busy. My brother and his wife live near Esko, so not to far from you. Joyce

Greetings!

I'm an urban gardener in St. Paul. I've converted my entire front yard into flower beds and a good portion of the backyard plus some vegetables and fruits.

I've been extremely lucky because the previous home owner put sod down over the existing lawn every few years so my yard is about a foot higher than the neightbors', but it left the soil is extremely rich.

I'm also a very lazy gardener so I am always looking for labor saving ideas and low maintenance plants.