How do YOU survive winter without being able to 'garden'?

[Newt]

Hi Janie,
How about a dwarf form of holly for your hedge? There are some that have soft leaves. Actually, there's one called 'soft touch' that is lovely. Also consider using something that will offer berries for the birds so you'll have winter entertainment. My daughter used to live in northern Illinois and I helped her plant a garden. We used dwarf nandina but it's only hardy to zone 6. They are lovely as well.

With no disrespect to Groundskeeper, I wouldn't plant privet. It escapes to the wild from the berries the birds eat and is an invasive pest. It wants to grow very tall and would be a constant effort to keep it pruned to that small a size.

Regards,
Newt

[GroundsKeeper]

Tis true about privit but with work it is nice but box would be better for that look :D

How about Oregon Grape, its a holly type with berries for the birds and you can make jam for you toast. :D

[Janie2004]

Hi all.
The dwarf holly and the grape holly would both be very pretty especially since they stay green through the winter with pretty red berries.

The only thing is the curve I would need to plant is 70 ft. (I measured it today) and it would just cost more than I want to spend for that many plants.

I have the blue boy and blue girl holly; would it be possible to propigate about 30 plants from cuttings this Spring?

Otherwise I will just have to go with planting something like cosmos seeds or hollyhocks (but the hollyhocks wouldn't bloom until the next year.)

Do you know what Malva Festivia (sp) looks like?
It re-seeds and sends up a lot of new plants in the Spring.
I probably could get enough plants to go around for the background.
It makes pink flowers and gets about 3 ft. tall.

Love, Janie

[Newt]

Sure you could propagate holly or boxwood. If you go with the boxwood, which would be easier to keep pruned small, you could purchase just a few plants and use those to get started. Here's a site that should be helpful.

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8702.html

Good luck,
Newt

[Janie2004]

Thanks for the site, Newt.

It was VERY informative.

From another Newt. (My maiden name was Newton.)

Love, *Fig* :lol:

[Greener_pastures]

Winter Sowing! My favorite topic!!! I have over 50 containers sowed already and I'm planning on another 100 or so. I keep busy in the winter winter sowing and starting my seeds,cleaning my yard tools and playing on internet web sites also trading seeds. Ordering catalogues etc.
Without winter sowing, I'd go craaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazy!! :lol:

[Newt]

Hi Janie,
It's always great to meet another Newt! Actually my name is a 'handle' that I took from my yellow lab. I named her for a little blonde girl from the movie 'Aliens' who survived all alone on a planet for months. My Newt was a rescue dog who lived in a basement all alone for 4 months before she came to live with me. She has been a joy and we adore her.

Glad you liked the site.
Newt