Geocaching in High Falls State Park, GA

BY SKEETER

 The Saint and I left our GEORGIA GARDENS to partake in some Geocaching in High Falls State Park. Click HERE to learn more about the park...

The upper basin has a man made waterfall. 

 One can stand out on an old bridge to see the rolling waters below and the newer bridge. 

 Following the rolling waters, one will go under the new bridge to find a wonderful surprise.

 A large natural waterfall.

 I am captivated by natures waterfalls.

 The sound of water falling over rocks is so soothing to my soul.

 There are times during the hot steamy summer months, that I would enjoy to sit on the rocks as the water rushes over me. But not to be in these waters as they are ever so dangerous!

 Ruins of an old grist mill.

 With mill wheels eroding away. Sigh, I so wish State Parks had more funds then they receive.

 I spotted several of these little wildflowers in the area.

 In the Violet family maybe?

 Our walk took us through the woods.

 On this warm sunny spring day, many turtles were taking advantage of the heated rocks.

 It amazes us to see turtles high upon boulders. Just how do they get up there? Claws a digging...

 Along the trail, the Saint almost got himself into a mess. I spotted this hanging down just in front of his path, then I stopped him in his tracks!

 A bright orange goo was forming and dripping down from the tree and its dangling roots. Strange stuff and it just about dripped on the Saint. Ick! Mother Natures April Fools Joke no doubt...

We spotted many Native Silver Berry's while out GEOCACHING IN HIGH FALLS STATE PARK, In the Garden...

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

Back At It

BY SKEETER

 I have finally finished Posting about the Garden Bloggers Spring Fling! I know some of you are saying FINALLY! But it was such a wonderful event that I wanted to share every thing with those of you that could not make the visit to Asheville, NC. I hope I have inspired you to get to that beautiful city as it is worth a visit. Or at least be a bit more open minded about different types of gardens.

Now I am back in my Georgia Gardens and a lot has been going on. With all the Fling talk, time did not stand still and my gardens are ever blooming and expanding. As I sit at the computer in the sunroom, I look to the right and this is my view out the window!

 I am ever so happy to see Hibiscus Luna is doing well and getting bigger and stronger each year. She is filling my eyes with lots of beautiful blooms.

 Not dinner plate size but about dessert plate size. I will take this on my plate any day.

 I am not happy to see this guy. Japanese Beetles have been showing up the past few weeks. I have been squashing them as fast as I find them. It appears this one has been in this spot eating for a while. See the poo behind him? This one succumb to my fingers just after me snapping this photo. I did not know there was a second one under the leaf until I saw this photo loaded on the computer. That is the beetle that got away! Bugs are really bad this year especially the grasshopper and crickets. But to be expected with such a mild winter.

Right in the middle of composing long postings on the Fling, the McCorkles "Giant Plant Sale" (Open to the public) took place. The Saint took the day off from work and accompanied me to the event! We had agreed we would not get any trees as this is not the ideal time of year to plant them with the heat taking off and our continued drought conditions. The first plant in our little red wagon; A darn tree! The Saint grabbed a 10 gallon Leyland Cypress for $8.00. He said he could not resist and the hole was already dug and ready. The tree is now in the spot where we lost a leyland from last years drought. It did not take me long to get my wagon full several times. Once I felt there was nothing more for me to see and I was starting to melt from the heat of the day, we cashed out and left. I came home with a nice haul.  

 Knock Out rose's for $9.00 in colors of red (double knockout) and yellow. Hosta @ $3.00. Butterfly Bush @ $3.00. Hydrangea Mini Penny @ $5.00, Deep purple (rare) Crepe Myrtle @ $12.00, A huge Agapanthus, Barberry, Plumbago, etc.

 A return trip had me taking home some small perennials and annuals as well. $7.50 for a flat of 12. Fun things such as Salvia, Sage, Coneflower, Phlox, Purple Queen, Moss Phlox, Angelina Serena, Coleous, etc.

And my pride and joy find was this Persian Palm @ $8.00! I have seen them priced at this size for $29.00 and up! I happen to be at the truck when it came in from the fields. I am a seasoned veteran with this sale and know that when a closed truck comes in from the field that you better be by it when the back doors open as you may miss out on something great. I was there when the worker took the Palm off the truck and I said to just hand that one to me rather then stock it. He said I was the lucky winner as it was the only one they had from the greenhouse's! As I walk to my truck with it, people kept oohing and aahing and asking me about it. It is hardy in zone 8-11 and I fear it will perish if I plant it outside. We do have mild winters and I may plant it. At that price, it will not be a great loss. I may weaken up and bring it inside and into the NO NO Room away from the cats for the winter. Only time will tell as to my decision.

I also found Silver Berrys @ 6.00 when I normally pay $15.00 for them Retail. Yes, this is a bargain hunters world, this twice a year Open to the Public Sale! McCorkles grows for Companies such as "Southern Winners" ... "Gardens Confidence Collection"... "Southern Living"... "Knock Out Rose" amongst others. These are some of the goodies I have in my collection.

Mark your calendars for the next sale this fall where we plan to rack up on some evergreen items. September 21-22, 2012. You can find Magnolia's, Leyland Cypress, Giant Green, etc in 15 gallon pots for $15.00! There are bargains galore and you never know what they will be bringing in from the field next! I spotted an Atlas Cedar Tree in 15 gallon pot for $75.00. Garden centers have them at retail in 10 gallon pots for $128.00 and up!  

They have lots of bushes also but I do not know much about them. I so need for someone that knows these plants to come to GA for a visit and go with me! Tina, Janet, are y'all listening? You will have free Room and Board.

I have most of my new goodies in the ground as I have been working my rump off the past few days. We had a low humidity spot and I took total advantage of it. I have a few remaining items that must find a hole but I have decided it is time for The Saint to dig a hole or two as I am not a good hole digger. 

As you can see, I am BACK AT IT, In the Garden...
Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

Silverberry Berries

BY SKEETERLook at what I spotted on the Silverberry Bushes here in my Georgia Gardens. Finally, Berry's just as Tina said they would give me! The bushes were filled with them but by the time I got around to snapping some pictures of them, most of the Berries were missing. I can only assume the birds had a wonderful treat. I was able to find a lone ripe berry laying on the ground. Look at how large they are compared to my hand.

This one measured in at 3/4 of an inch!
I just love the little spots on them. Spots are a trait of the Silverberry as their leaves, blooms and now berry's show me spots. Click HERE to read about my discovery of their blooms. I read theBerries are edible so I gave one a try. I spit the thing out the second my taste buds reacted to the tart thing. The birds can have them as I will refrain from ever putting another one in my mouth. Yuck, they are not for me.
I just love these bushes and they are doing just what I had planned for them to do.

Hide the Ugly from next door. I wish I had planted more of them back in 2008 for additional screening from neighbors. It looks as though nature is taking care of at least one more new bush! While picking up downed limbs from all the crazy high winds of late, I spotted this sapling which I believe is indeed a Silverberry Bush! I am happy with this discovery and hope to find more in time. But for now, I love my Bushes, Blooms and now SILVERBERRY BERRIES, In the Garden...


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

Silver Bells

By SKEETER
Tuesday, I was walking up the driveway into my Georgia Woods to remove the Halloween Decorations. Suddenly a strong sweet scent caught my nose. Ah, what a sweet smell. I was thinking that maybe a fabric softener scent from laundry was in the air. I kept walking past the Silverberrys we planted back in 2008. Hum, they are growing like weeds and doing well.

Tina posted about these bushes some time ago and after her report on them, I just knew they would do well in this area of our land. Click HERE to read Tina's post...
The Saint and I started on a walk and again, I had that scent take over my nose. That is when he spotted blooms on the Silverberrys! I had forgotten that Tina said they would have tiny blooms full of sweetness.
They are the cutest little blooms and pack a big punch on the Smell-O-Meter. The blooms have tiny spots as do the underside of the leaves. Kind of difficult to tell the leaf from the bloom to the left.
The top of the leaves are a glossy bright green with some silver touches.
I love these bushes as they are doing exactly what Tina said they would do for me. Thrive! They enjoy the shade most of the day with some afternoon setting sun in the summer. They do not seem to be bothered by our hot drought summers here in Georgia. I have never fertilized them or anything more then sprinkle some water on them a time or two. They are tough bushes to say the least. I have yet to spot any berrys on them but I just may not be looking at the right time for them. I have no idea if this is the first year for the blooms or not. They are located in an area we do not frequent. They have only been in place for 3 years but are already hiding the ugly yard next door. These are my working bushes as they do a job for me (hide the ugly) and I some times forget about them. I will not forget them now with that sweet smell in the air! With Christmas just around the corner, the tiny blooms remind me of the song SILVERBELLS, In the Garden...

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

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day December 2008

There is not much blooming in the garden this month. The German Chamomile still puts on its very small show, the yellow button mums are still going (but the funny thing is the mature specimens are pretty much past their bloom, the cuttings planted this fall are still glowing and I don't understand that at all), pansies are hanging tough, and the sweet alyssum is also hanging, albeit a bit low.

But it is all okay, I do not normally expect anything to be blooming in the garden in December. We shall see if I can find any blooms next month. I think I will be able to since my vernal witch hazel is in full bud. If I do find blooms, then a goal of mine from many, many years ago will have been met. When I began gardening here back in 2001 or so, I had endeavored to have something in bloom every single month of the year. I am nearly there and will be ever so happy if it happens-finally! And trust me when I say having something in bloom every month of the year is not due to my gardening techniques or green thumb, we who live in this area are lucky to have weather that allows gardening all year round and that is one of the reasons I love Tennessee.

Here are a few pictures of December blooms in the garden. Begonias are in full bloom in the house, I'll showcase them later in another post. The first picture on this bloom day post is of Eleagnus pungens, aka Silverberry 'Fruitlandii'. I love this shrub as a hedge and filler and everything else in the garden too. These blooms were a surprise and had I known earlier that they were blooming, this shrub would have been my plant of the month simply because it has a larger mass of blooms; which are fragrant, and this shrub is very reliable in the garden. I am not going to say these blooms smell as good as Daphne in the winter, but they are pretty darned close and can perfume a good two acres on a still night! I think if Skeeter checks her silverberries she will find the same blooms and scent. Here are some other blooms for you. Skeeter, do check them out! The ubiquitous (thanks Rose) pansy, complete with ice (this is December after all).
Poinsettia; which was a lovely door prize at this year's Montgomery County Master Gardener Association Christmas Party.
Silica transparencii, aka Bottle tree. It always blooms, never needs watering, fertilizing or pruning. Thanks TC for the book Tough Plants for Northern Gardens by Felder Rushing that identifies the bottle tree by latin name for me:)
Kerria japonica 'Plenifora' is bravely showing a bloom or two. It must really like the cold. There are no leaves on it and it has been blooming off and on since I planted it back in April-more so once the weather cooled down.
A just for fun picture that shows the ice in the garden on this day (Saturday).

Sweet alyssum, a stalwart.

Carol at May Dreams hosts GBBD.

I will be offline for a bit, in the meantime do enjoy the regularly scheduled posts and your holidays. I'll be back as soon as I am able to, and for now I am........

in the garden....enjoying the sweet scent of silverberries.

Let's Make the Road Disappear

I have talked at great length about hedges and their purposes. I will not belabor the point, but wanted to demonstrate how you can make a road seem to disappear.

I call this border the 'Shrub Border'. It has two rows of shrubs planted in it to provide three purposes. The three purposes are to: provide a physical barrier to the road, provide a visual barrier to the road, and to provide a noise barrier to the road, all while providing beauty to my family and guests.

The outside row of shrubs consists of nine Eleagnus pungens, aka Silverberry. Inside and between the silverberry are planted a variety of flowering shrubs. These shrubs are all deciduous whereas the silverberry is evergreen. Amongst the shrubs are perennials, some ground covers, and bulbs.


The highway and its enormous amount of traffic in front of my home has seemed to disappear and will truly disappear once the silverberries mature. Hedges can serve so many functional and beautiful purposes and I know many people want hedges in their gardens. My one piece of advice is to know what purpose you want the hedge for, then plan carefully and do your research before you run to the nursery and buy your hedging plants.
away from the road and in the garden....