It looks like many people with a love of gardening are stopping by.

It is an exciting time for me in the garden.  My gourd plants are getting the female flowers on and that means baby gourds.  The hardshell gourds which I grow, have white flowers that look like crepe paper.  There are both male and female flowers on gourd plants. They only open at night and so around 8pm I go out and do a little hand pollinating to make sure it gets done. I don't always trust the nighttime insects to get the job done right.

You are so right about composting.  We have a number of piles around and get a good amount of compost to use each year.

When I had more time, I would drive around town in my truck and pick up the bags of leaves people left on the curb.  We don't have any large trees in our yard and I would eye those bags of leaves up and want every single one of them.

Martha

Hi Mary,

Gardening is the best therapy I know. There is something about pulling up those weeds and feeling the cool black dirt between your toes that is very relaxing. Like mother nature wrapping you in her arms and soothing the worries away. I grew up on a farm and I have never been very far away from the earth. My father always reminded us that the land was the most important thing and that it had to be cared for if one wished for peace.

I grow vegetables and flowers. It is very relaxing. Sometimes I even work outside in the rain.

What can I say? I like it.

Sincerely,

Lucy Walker

Lucy,

Welcome to our forum.  Make yourself at home among our gardening friends.

You have described the benefits of a garden so nicely.  The sounds, smells, rustling as the wind passes through....all contribute to make our  body in tune with the good earth.

Yes, we should take care of what is so precious. If I see litter in the park, it gets picked up. It is disheartning to see litter in the streams.  So here we all are gathered together as caregivers to one of God's richest blessings.

Come back often and visit.

Hi, thank you for the invitation. I like gardening, my husband says it's a waste of time becase it's too hot in Miami but is a therapy. I like geranius but they need some shade they are not full sun. I have my plants in pots, different sizes and colors, I like Mexican Heather, Asters, Lilies, Marygolds, Verbenas, Azaleas, Roses (but they take too much time), I also like palms, Like Adonidias, bottle palms and others. What I enjoy about it, is that flowers are like people you treat them well, and take care of them, they bloom with beautiful flowers in colors and shades you never expected as if they were telling you "Thank you" 

Maria Sastre

http://www.newlifesite.com

http://www.allsolutionsnetwork.com/MS/MS39644

Hi Maria,

I found the Mexican Heather.  The site says it is Central American in origin. However, it can tolerate some of the northern climate.

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/aransas/mexicanheather.htm

http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Plant.asp?code=A113

Its main value is the beautiful flower. Marigolds are quite popular for their color which lasts late into the fall here in the north. Like geranium, one gets a lot of long lasting color.

I assume your verbena is Lemon Verbena. (Verbenaceae family)

Lemon Verbena's attraction is the clean, sharp, lemony fragrance that gives unexpected pleasure with each contact. It is a native of South America and was brought to Europe by the Spanish who grew it for its perfume oil. Altho not a hardy plant it can survive if covered with straw.

Thank you for sharing your warm climate garden.   Come back and see who else visits with us.