The Hobbit Hole III - Journey to the Cross-roads!

[HairOfTheDog]

Welcome to The Hobbit Hole!

Journey to the Cross-roads
The Two Towers Edition

Come on! Come in! -if you would like to have some seedcakes and a pint and relax a while. (If it is a special occasion, we still have a few bottles of the old wineyards left!)

Our first thread ( New Zealander builds Hobbit hole ) reached 4,100 posts, and we thought that was big. Our second thread (The New Hobbit Hole ) held us for over 48,000 posts, and we loved it dearly. We talked about moving to a new thread for the last 38,000 posts, but we are really slow to muster! Finally, the time has come. Tomorrow (at 12:01 am, to be precise!) The Two Towers comes out, and we start a new chapter.

[RosieCotton]

OH MY! I love that juniper! If you grow it we might have to figure out how for you to take a cutting for me in 2 or 3 years.

Assuming I haven't managed to kill it long before then... ;-)

[Wneighbor]

I'm thinkin' I'd like to see that map superimposed over the "Bush Country" map

I had that map up on my screen when the new instructor I am "mentoring" came into my office to chat this morning. He said the same thing Corin. He thinks it looks like God's taking care of cleaning up and only keeping "Bush Country."

[Wneighbor]

I want more forsythia, but they're about $17 each.

I've never had any but I've heard forsythia is easy to get to grow from cuttings.

[SuziQ]

Logan and Zulu's spot looks so peaceful. Have you thought about putting a little bench there so you can rest in the shade after working out in the yard or in the barn?

You're in my prayers today and will be tonight for when everything else has settled down.

[SuziQ]

Sounds like a job for kudzu...

Not unless she wants it EVERYWHERE!

[Wneighbor]

Assuming I haven't managed to kill it long before then... ;-)

You won't kill it. And not knowing your finances I may be out of place saying this. But, for me and where I'm at in my finances, I think of the landscaping as a LONG term project. I could only afford ONE $13 plant if it was me. (And that one is beautiful.) So, I'd be willing to get the one and know that I could figure out how to get more out of it if I let it grow for a couple of years. It's a thought.

[RosieCotton]

I think getting one is probably the best bet. If nothing else, that way I can be sure it does OK in our climate and in my soil, and then take it from there. Whether that will mean buying more in a year or so or growing cuttings or switching to something else entirely will depend on how it does. It's just hard to be patient when I want my house to look its best all at once!

[SuziQ]

She had been selected to play the role of Fantine in a touring company of Les Miserables. But when she was told she would have to alternate playing one of the prostitutes, she declined the entire production.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Fantine a prostitute too?

[Corin Stormhands]

I've never had any but I've heard forsythia is easy to get to grow from cuttings.

That's correct. But I just planted on in March. It probably needs to be more established. My m-i-l has a forsythia she is bringing also. We want to line the back of the lot up next to the woods with forsythia.

[Corin Stormhands]

Not unless she wants it EVERYWHERE!

Well, it would be efficient. But my post was tongue-in-cheek...

[Corin Stormhands]

But, for me and where I'm at in my finances, I think of the landscaping as a LONG term project.

I remind myself that everytime I'm out in the yard. There's so much I want to do, and we're finally at a point with the rest of the house that I can do things in the yard.

But my back yard will not be in Better Homes and Gardens this season...

[SuziQ]

Huge prickly stickery monsters!

I have to agree with Hair. Junipers do fill in well, but if you want to dig them up someday, you DO have to use a truck.

Have you checked out Euonymous (I think it is pronounced Yew-on-nih-mus)? There are solid greens, and variegated varieties. I have the green/white variegated and in the fall it turns a little pink in the leaves as well. Some are shrub types, and some are lower growing, creeping varieties. They should do OK up where you are. I've had them growing here for 15 yrs. and they've held up well.

Another shrub type is Ilex, yikes. I can't remember the variety name, but it is a holly that isn't the prickly kind you use for Christmas decorations. It has very small leaves and looks much like a boxwood, except that the stems are much more woody.

[Wneighbor]

I think getting one is probably the best bet. If nothing else, that way I can be sure it does OK in our climate and in my soil, and then take it from there

Now there's some wisdom.

someday i need to try that. wisdom that is.

[Corin Stormhands]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Fantine a prostitute too?

She became one. But she didn't sing the bawdy songs.

It's interesting, I've seen similar things in our church productions. But with far more honesty on the part of the performer.

The last time we did a dramatic production for Easter there was one woman who was literally grieved over the fact that she had to play a mocker at the crucifixion. She would pray before every entrance "Jesus forgive me for what I'm about to do." Even in portraying that role, she felt it personally. But she also understood it was a significant part of the ministry.

She is one of the most Christ-like people I know.

[SuziQ]

Oops! I forgot to ping you to 27,992!

Have you checked some of the online Nursery sites? We've gotten some lovely plants from Musser Forests. They're in Indiana, PA, so they're not far from you. They sell some bare root stock plants and some container plants. They are small, but you can get more of them for the same price you'd probably pay for the one you're looking at at the local nursery. Check them out HERE

If you get smaller plants, you could always fill in with annuals before the shrubs reach full growth.

[Sam Cree]

Now that you mention it, Corin, I think you must be right that cedars and cypresses are closely related, they have the same leaves.

Juniperus Virginianus has those same blue berries that appear on alot of gin bottle labels, am wondering if the shrub versions do also. I'm guessing that they must.

[ecurbh]

I love Diet Coke, but the sodium man...

Geez, I had no idea that was something to watch out for. I actually usually have Diet Dr Pepper (1 per day) which has 55mg. Is that a lot?

[RosieCotton]

PA is still a few days away, mail wise. Might be worth looking into, I guess, but with the shipping, I wouldn't save much.

I'm not going to do much more anyway - I have some herbs to plant and a few flowers, and rocks to put up around the beds...then I'm done for this year.

[HairOfTheDog]

What about starting rhodies from cuttings? I have a real pretty one here that is just too big for the little area between the house and my walkway, and I was going to cut it waaaaay back. Can I root the cuttings?

[HairOfTheDog]

Zulu snaig.