Community Yard Sale

BY SKEETER

 The County in which I reside here in GEORGIA, had a Community Wide Yard Sale. This sale was located at our Fair Grounds. Since the Fair Grounds are across the street from where we live, we just had to drop by to check it out. I came home with a few things for the garden.

 This plastic birdbath which fooled me into thinking it was iron, was a mere $5.00.

 This decorative piece still had the price on it of $15.99 from the store in which it was purchased. I gave $5.00 for it. The Clay pipe was a dollar as was the tin wall basket! 

 I gave $3.00 for this little table. It is not in the best shape but I can reuse the frame and make my own top for it.  

These two iron stakes will have a vine growing on them some day. $2.00 each. And the iron chair was $3.00!

 Even though all my purchases were bargains, this was the bargain of the day for me. One single dollar brought this Gnome home!

A fresh coat of patio paint and now the toads in my garden have a new place to call home! I have one more grand bargain but I failed to snap a photo of it today. I shall save that treat for another day so stay tuned... The Saint and I were very pleased with the COMMUNITY YARD SALE, In the Garden...

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

Busy week ahead

By SKEETER
Lucky me to be able to find "back-up" evergreens for the two that may not make it here in my Georgia Gardens. The harsh summer has taken its toll on the June planted beauties but they are still hanging on for me. Not only did I pick up two replacements (if need be) but also a nice 15 gallon Holley filled with berry's. McCorkles Nursery "Sale to the Public" had these on special for $15.00 each, again! Wow, I love a bargain...
I came home with this Chamaecyparis Sungold (False Cypress). I had recently seen these in the Garden Centers at prices of $25.00 or more. This one cost me less then half that price!
I love butterfly bushes and this Pink one makes 5 different colors to my collection. I am still looking for that Orange colored one.
Anthony Waterer Spirea's blooms caught my eye and I could not resist.
One thing I was on the look out for was Mexican Petunia and I found it! Daisy, Ajuga, Sage, Bee Balm, Sedum, Hollyhock and Silver Grass will now call my gardens home as well.
Hosta, Asiatic Jasmine and Schizophragma will be added too. Schizo vine was so healthy and I could not resist the name.
I have been eyeing Black and Blue Sage in the garden centers but would not let go of the money they wanted for them. Here I found them for bargains of $1.99. I hope they are happy in my gardens as I so enjoy their colors.

I do not know much about some of these plants and normally I just read the tag and stick the newbie into the ground and let it be. This go round, I have been doing some research on the Internet. I find it funny how the tags and professionals say one thing while people on blogs or forums tell a different story. I find the tags and info on the Internet only a guideline but fun to read about them just the same... Now, I need a bit of help with this one. Somehow, I could not find the tag on this plant. That is my only complaint about this Sale. Some pots are not marked with tags or prices. The prices can be found by going by a price guide of pot sizes unless a special plant, like variegated. But without tags, one is left to a mystery at times.
Here is my mystery filled with beautiful dainty white sweet scented blooms. They smell as sweet as Jasmine!
The foliage is dark green.
Can anyone give me help on this beauty's identification? I cannot believe I picked up a plant without a tag. Well, yes I can. This is not the first time. Duh....

Our ground has had 4 inches of rain in the past week so I am sure the ground is soft enough for me to now dig. I will have a BUSY WEEK AHEAD, In the Garden...

Note: The next Public sale of McCorkles Nursery will be June 14-16, 2012.
Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

McCorkle's Nursery 2011 Fall SALE...

By SKEETER
I shared a great discovery with you all back in June. The McCorkles (Open to the public) Nursery Sale! Click HERE and also HERE to see the 2 part Post on the great bargain's I and our neighbor brought back to our Georgia Gardens.

Above, you see the Black Elephant Ear thriving in the spot I chose for its new home. Next to the Air Conditioner Unit for free watering during the hot, drought summer we had...Other happy plants from this awesome sale were the fringe plant's and,
The 3 Rose of Sharon's just to name a few. I shall show you more in time.
This Red Rooster Crepe Myrtle is healthy but not so large right now.
Branches and Blooms keep falling off the Myrtle. What is causing this you ask?
Well, this little toot of course! Grrrrrrrrrr...
Due to the extreme heat, drought condition and hard ground, I have yet to plant 6 Monkey Grasses, a Rose Bush, a Canna and...
This flat of Ivy. They will find their homes in my garden once we have rain and the ground softens up a bit. Thank goodness the extreme heat is gone.

Anyway, even though I have yet to get these items into the ground, I am headed to MCCORKLES NURSERY FALL SALE, In the Garden...

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NOTE: For anyone in the Georgia area looking for super bargains, get to the Nursery this weekend!

McCorkles Nursery Fall Sale 2011

Friday Sept.23 from 8:00-5:00

Saturday Sept. 24 from 8:00-3:00.

Bring a wagon to assist your haul to your truck!

McCorkles Nursery Info Click HERE.

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

McCorkle Goodies

By Skeeter
This past Tuesday, I showed you a post on McCorkles Nursery. Today I will show you some of the things we picked up for our Georgia Garden... Sorry but I failed to snap a close up picture of the Green Giant Arborvitae (Thuja) before we put them into the ground. Here you can see three of the 5 we purchased. 15 gallon pots for $15.00 each! See how tall they are as the Saint is standing nearby them. I am planning a natural fence between us and the neighbors for privacy. Right now with summer and the trees in full foliage, you cannot see much over there but during winter, I see an eyesore of a yard next door. I want to see evergreen beauty and I think these Green Giants will do the trick. We planted them fairly close for quick gratification.

The Saint has never liked Magnolia trees. He does not like the thick leaves that will not be mulched with even a mower blade. Being a Southern gal, I have always wanted my very own Magnolia tree. Imagine my surprise when the Saint said okay to this 15 gallon $15.00 Little Gem Magnolia! My parents have one in their yard and it blooms all summer long. The little Gem is not as large as the Southern Magnolia but I will enjoy it all the same. Thank You Saint for this wonderful gift! Don't worry, it will not be planted where you see it located in this picture. We had to put it in a safe place during high winds of a passing storm. Oh, we are getting a bit of rain so thanks to any of you that said prayers for us to enjoy a drink from Mother Nature.

Another in the tree category, which could also be a bush if you desire, is the Rose of Sharon. We had these at the old house when a child. My parents had one of my brother's dig a few of them to take to their current home and they are thriving. I had two of these at our Gartenplatz when we lived in Germany. Imagine my shock to find them missing one day. Our partner, which knew nothing about gardening thought he was doing me a favor by taking out the dead trees. It was winter and the trees were only dormant. He had taken them to the compost dump and I never saw them again. Grrrrrrrrr. I love hibiscus and never made the connection until now that Rose of Sharon is in the Hibiscus family. Silly me, the blooms pretty much tell all, Duh. Such bargains that I got one in Pink, White and Blue!
I was happy to find Red Rooster Crepe Myrtle. I have wanted a red myrtle for some time but they are way too pricey for me. I was shocked to find them at $10.00 for a 3 gallon pot! The Saint and I were so happy that we picked up 5 of these. I plan to take one to my mom in Tennessee as she has wanted one of these since seeing them here in Georgia. Unfortunately, I think they are mislabeled. They are blooming in bright Bright Pink which is beautiful as I have one but I really wanted Red. Sigh...

Moving on to bushes, I have my very first Oak Leaf Hydrangea! Ellen Huff in a 3 gallon pot for a mere$6.00. I have seen these for $23.00 and passed on that price.
I also picked up an Endless Summer Twist and Shout Hydrangea! I hope with our acid soil that I will have blue blooms some day. It has a bud now so who knows, I may get a blue bloom this season. I don't know much about Hydrangea's so I hope I do right by these two additions to my garden.
The Saint found this little gem. A Dwarf Variegated Gardenia. So cute and unique that we picked up two of them. I plan to put them with the Endless summer.
As soon as I spotted this beauty, I grabbed it up quickly. My parents have this bush/tree in their yard and I love the thing. My parents call it the Blue Bush better known as the Chaste/Vitex though. A hole was dug and the pot is sitting inside for safety during the storm. Saints idea and it worked as nothing fell over!
I was on the look for a Yellow Butterfly Bush since seeing one in the Saints Parent's Garden. I found one and only one at the sale! Happy Day for me...
Many Blogs have recommend "Knock Out" for those of us scared to attempt to grow rose's. I decided it was time to give her a go. Pink was my color of choice for this 3 gallon pot of beauty.
Strange looking Elephant Ear (unmarked) but I had to have one.
Also unmarked is this Black Elephant Ear. I had a Black ear in the past but she never returned after winter. I don't know if not hardy or if a Vole had a good meal that winter. This one, I plan to plant by the AC so it should have plenty of water. The Variegated Monkey Grass will accompany the ear.
Canna made me think of you Lola! I am adding these in your honor sweetie!

And these as well. I have started dividing my cannas and have made a new area behind the swing so these will go with those canna.

Hypericum Calycinum better known as Saint Johns wort, is new to me. I have seen it on the blogs and just had to give it a try as we have a new area for this ground cover to take off and run. Research tells me that I can clip it with the mower if need be just like Liriope (Monkey Grass). I am hoping it remains in tact with our mild winters.

The Saint has a thing for Ivy. He loves it. Well, English Ivy but not poison ivy. He is dealing with that on his eye at the moment. Doctor has him back on track though. I am not sure where he plans to put this ivy. We planted 15 sprigs two years ago and the Deer ate well.

I could not resist this huge Begonia. I have never seen one so large before. I was chatting with two other ladies about this beauty. One said she gets them at this sale every year!

I picked up other fun things as well. Loropetalum (Fringe Plant) Howard Ligustrum, Leyland Cypress, Zinnia, Beard tongue, Honeysuckle, Clematis, etc.
I also found these lovely bargain priced Penta's at Wal-Mart. I must stop walking through the garden Center when running in for a few things. i love Penta's as they call in the butterflies, bees and hummers.
We have been dealing with 100-Plus degree temps and the humidity makes it worse! With the humidity, we are getting a pop-up storm or two so some rain is falling on the gardens. HA, just enough to keep the weeds happy! Grrrrrr. I am getting things into the ground a little at a time. It is hard work in this heat and it drains me. Today I had a good day with digging out two new areas! I hope to carry on until I am finished. I can't wait to see what thrives in my Georgia Gardens. Only time will tell as a lot of these plants are new to me. I have read about many of them on the blogs and thank you all for sharing your gardens with me as you are encouraging me to add these things to my life. My garden is ever growing and I cannot wait to get all these MCCORKLE GOODIES, In the Garden...
Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

McCorkles Nursery

By SKEETER

The Bathroom/Closet renovations are slowly moving along. The walls are ready for primmer painting. Hardiebacker has been cut for the floor and is ready to be screwed to the sub flooring. But we keep getting sidetracked with this renovation. We cannot seem to get one project completed, then we take on another project. Anyone else like this? Our sidetrack this go round was the nearby McCorkle's Nursery. McCorkle's business began in 1942 and thrives today. 4 million-plus container plants in sizes 1-15 gallon are produced annually. They employ up to 350 people during peak season.
McCorkles is a Wholesale business that opens twice a year to the public. Click HERE for a Forum on this years first sale. This Forum gave us all the information we needed to know for a great experience at the sale.
Our neighbor told us about this sale. He has two young daughters and wants to create a green fence for privacy in the front of their house. He was itching to get to the sale to find Green Giant Arborvitae.
The Saint took the day off from work on Friday and we left our Georgia Garden for the day. Here he is standing by Southern Magnolia's.
Imagine our shock to see these tall beauties for a mere $15 each! Giant Plant Sale indeed!
Trucks with trailers were lining up for the bargains.
Our friend took his trailer and loaded it with Green Giants, Magnolia, Holly, etc.
Encore Azalea's were packed into the back of his SUV.
Jasmine, Jessamine and Ligustrums were in his backseats.
Crepe Myrtles rode co-pilot. We had the back of our pick-up loaded as well. Once home, our friend rented an Auger and Ditch Witch to make a sprinkler system and plant these beauties. All this with high temps and humidity on the moon. But we did not care as we got bargains galore!

I wrote down the names of some plants and came home to research them on the Internet. We all returned for a second batch of goodies after lunch and Equipment pick up. Oh Yes, the Saint was even in awe with the prices. We are already planning to attend the Sept sale this fall....

MCCORKLES NURSERY, In the Garden...

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden