Coastal Gardener's profile

Hi Sue, Your gardens are beautiful and I love Your Passing the Torch album. Congratulations on your surge in votes in the "Inspire Us" contest. I'm thoroughly enjoying the competition and had to smile when I read your comment about the neighbors not wanting to let their dogs pee on your lawn. You inspired me to comment with tongue-in-cheek in an effort to get some more votes. Happy Gardening! Janet Drake

Thank you so much for the lovely compliment. I love your "My Coastal Garden" album. I appreciate you labeling all your flower varieties. I was able to travel to the east coast this summer, specifically Acadia National Park and fell in love with the area. We were there in late June and beginning to see some beautiful plants along the way. Thanks again for your kind words and happy gardening! Lynn

Just curious -- do you have to dismantle all of this for the winter?

I keep all of the trains in the house. The buildings and other stuff are stored on shelves in the garage. The track has brass rails and plastic ties, and has been out there year round for 12 years. The buildings are heavy plastic, and designed to be left outside. Some people leave them out year round, but I don't. It?s a cool hobby. A lot of fun and a lot of work all at the same time! :-) Thanks for looking. SA

Hi Kara -- I'm so glad to see another Massachusetts homeowner on this site. Seems like there's only two or three of us from this area. I'm looking forward to seeing your yard!

Hi Lark -- Thanks for you comments on "that other site" -- It's difficult to respond to questions there, so I'm using this venue. You asked about my hill -- and you can see what's happening with it in two postings right here on YardShare. One is called "The Challenge of a hill . . ." and the other is "Summer's End in New England." Both show the progress I've been making. It'll be a long time, though, until I reach the fullness of your spectacular gardens! Anyway, I just keep dividing and transplanting, but I'm sad to see the end of the season coming.

Good morning. I started my day by walking through your gardens, they are so BEAUTIFUL. It reminds me that Spring is just around the corner. Does your Fountain Grass reseed? What are you doing now to get ready for Spring? Smiles, Lark

Happy Spring. How is your weather, the first day of Spring? We have rain, which should take care of the couple of patches of snow that is still hanging on. After I am done with my tea & cookies, I will be heading downstairs and potting up some annuals that I rooted. I also need to transplant some borage and basal seedlings. What are you doing? Smiles, Lark

Hi Lark,Happy Spring to you, too. We had a beautiful, sunny day today, though a bit on the chilly side. I spent most of it cleaning up the garden, cutting back the dead stalks from last year and uncovering some of the plants that have started coming up. (I'm always afraid that I'm doing that too soon and that we'll get another snow storm or bitterly cold weather, but I'm just itching to get out there and get things moving!)I admire your ambition, starting seedlings and building your hoop houses -- I just let Nature give me new seedlings and sometimes scatter some of the seeds that I gathered in the fall. I've reached a point now where the size of my garden has reached the limit of my ability to maintain it properly -- though I'm always fighting the temptation to constantly expand it. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about!Good to hear from you ...Ellie

Hi Coastal Gardener. I live in MA as well and love, love, love your gardens, they are beautiful. I have a sloping backyard like yours and it's very sandy and rocky back there. My husband and I want to put a garden back there and currently we're digging up the weeds and grass back there to create the bed. With such a large area, how did you decide what to plant first? I'm having a hard time getting started, because it's such a large space.

Hi Garden Fairy--Thanks for your nice comments on my gardens! It seems like you're in the same position I was 10 years ago with a new house and very few plantings. I also had a very challenging slope to conquer in my back yard. Have you seen my posting about "The Challenge of a Hill . . ."? I shows what I started with (actually, nothing but some stone steps my husband put in so we could get to the top) and what it looks like now. I started by planting some birch tree seedlings I found in our woods. They have a shallow and wide-ranging root system that I knew would keep the hill from eroding. Next I chose some flowering shrubs, mainly hydrangeas, spireas and azaleas, and then began filling in with divisions of perennials I had in my other garden beds. Its still a work in progress (what garden isn't!) as I continue to add something new each year. We keep the hill mulched because trying to weed on that slope isn't easy. I'd love to chat with you more because I love seeing and hearing what others are doing in their gardens -- and since we share the same gardening zone and common problems, it would be helpful to both of us.

Hi Coastal Gardner, thanks for the tips for the hill. I'm going to start with some trees and shrubs. You're hill is where I would like to get to, it's my inspiration! :) It's funny that you mention Birch trees, that's what I'm getting my husband for Father's Day, one of his favorite trees (which we don't have). I definitely want to incorporate some flowering shrubs, my favorite are Hydrangea I just love them so. I planted some more this year, although last year the hedge on the side of my garage ended up with Cottony Hydrangea Scale, I was so upset. I've been treating with Horticultural Oil in hopes of getting rid of them. I also moved the hydrangeas away from the house to allow for better air circulation. That was one mistake I won't do again, planting shrubs too close to the house. You mentioned dividing some of your perrenials, do you think it's to late to still do this? Happy Gardening.

Hi Geraldine -- I've been searching for you on Facebook, but with no success. I figured you had to be registered on it when I sent you the message about YardShare featuring your gardens and you responded to the posting. (Maybe you didn't realize that Ellie Gilbert and Coastal Gardener are one and the same.)

Hi Sue, Your gardens are beautiful and I love Your Passing the Torch album. Congratulations on your surge in votes in the "Inspire Us" contest. I'm thoroughly enjoying the competition and had to smile when I read your comment about the neighbors not wanting to let their dogs pee on your lawn. You inspired me to comment with tongue-in-cheek in an effort to get some more votes. Happy Gardening! Janet Drake

Hi Lark -- Thanks for you comments on "that other site" -- It's difficult to respond to questions there, so I'm using this venue. You asked about my hill -- and you can see what's happening with it in two postings right here on YardShare. One is called "The Challenge of a hill . . ." and the other is "Summer's End in New England." Both show the progress I've been making. It'll be a long time, though, until I reach the fullness of your spectacular gardens! Anyway, I just keep dividing and transplanting, but I'm sad to see the end of the season coming.

Good morning. I started my day by walking through your gardens, they are so BEAUTIFUL. It reminds me that Spring is just around the corner. Does your Fountain Grass reseed? What are you doing now to get ready for Spring? Smiles, Lark

Happy Spring. How is your weather, the first day of Spring? We have rain, which should take care of the couple of patches of snow that is still hanging on. After I am done with my tea & cookies, I will be heading downstairs and potting up some annuals that I rooted. I also need to transplant some borage and basal seedlings. What are you doing? Smiles, Lark

Hi Lark,Happy Spring to you, too. We had a beautiful, sunny day today, though a bit on the chilly side. I spent most of it cleaning up the garden, cutting back the dead stalks from last year and uncovering some of the plants that have started coming up. (I'm always afraid that I'm doing that too soon and that we'll get another snow storm or bitterly cold weather, but I'm just itching to get out there and get things moving!)I admire your ambition, starting seedlings and building your hoop houses -- I just let Nature give me new seedlings and sometimes scatter some of the seeds that I gathered in the fall. I've reached a point now where the size of my garden has reached the limit of my ability to maintain it properly -- though I'm always fighting the temptation to constantly expand it. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about!Good to hear from you ...Ellie

Thank you so much for the lovely compliment. I love your "My Coastal Garden" album. I appreciate you labeling all your flower varieties. I was able to travel to the east coast this summer, specifically Acadia National Park and fell in love with the area. We were there in late June and beginning to see some beautiful plants along the way. Thanks again for your kind words and happy gardening! Lynn

Just curious -- do you have to dismantle all of this for the winter?

I keep all of the trains in the house. The buildings and other stuff are stored on shelves in the garage. The track has brass rails and plastic ties, and has been out there year round for 12 years. The buildings are heavy plastic, and designed to be left outside. Some people leave them out year round, but I don't. It?s a cool hobby. A lot of fun and a lot of work all at the same time! :-) Thanks for looking. SA

Hi Coastal Gardener. I live in MA as well and love, love, love your gardens, they are beautiful. I have a sloping backyard like yours and it's very sandy and rocky back there. My husband and I want to put a garden back there and currently we're digging up the weeds and grass back there to create the bed. With such a large area, how did you decide what to plant first? I'm having a hard time getting started, because it's such a large space.

Hi Garden Fairy--Thanks for your nice comments on my gardens! It seems like you're in the same position I was 10 years ago with a new house and very few plantings. I also had a very challenging slope to conquer in my back yard. Have you seen my posting about "The Challenge of a Hill . . ."? I shows what I started with (actually, nothing but some stone steps my husband put in so we could get to the top) and what it looks like now. I started by planting some birch tree seedlings I found in our woods. They have a shallow and wide-ranging root system that I knew would keep the hill from eroding. Next I chose some flowering shrubs, mainly hydrangeas, spireas and azaleas, and then began filling in with divisions of perennials I had in my other garden beds. Its still a work in progress (what garden isn't!) as I continue to add something new each year. We keep the hill mulched because trying to weed on that slope isn't easy. I'd love to chat with you more because I love seeing and hearing what others are doing in their gardens -- and since we share the same gardening zone and common problems, it would be helpful to both of us.

Hi Coastal Gardner, thanks for the tips for the hill. I'm going to start with some trees and shrubs. You're hill is where I would like to get to, it's my inspiration! :) It's funny that you mention Birch trees, that's what I'm getting my husband for Father's Day, one of his favorite trees (which we don't have). I definitely want to incorporate some flowering shrubs, my favorite are Hydrangea I just love them so. I planted some more this year, although last year the hedge on the side of my garage ended up with Cottony Hydrangea Scale, I was so upset. I've been treating with Horticultural Oil in hopes of getting rid of them. I also moved the hydrangeas away from the house to allow for better air circulation. That was one mistake I won't do again, planting shrubs too close to the house. You mentioned dividing some of your perrenials, do you think it's to late to still do this? Happy Gardening.

Hi Geraldine -- I've been searching for you on Facebook, but with no success. I figured you had to be registered on it when I sent you the message about YardShare featuring your gardens and you responded to the posting. (Maybe you didn't realize that Ellie Gilbert and Coastal Gardener are one and the same.)

Hi Kara -- I'm so glad to see another Massachusetts homeowner on this site. Seems like there's only two or three of us from this area. I'm looking forward to seeing your yard!