Most extension offices actually encourage and teach how to grow native plants along with commercially available annuals...it almost guarantees success as well not to plant invasive species or those that will cost money by not surviving...sound like your garden is thriving!

I split plants and give them to the new neighbors in our area to help them get going...wonderful plants you have...any pictures?

Oh...my woods have may apples that most don't consider a flower...I love peeking under to see if they have flowers...

@thinktwice All of my pictures were lost when the computer crashed & burned. But they were no different than those of the Nature Conservancy or other native plant pictures. The May Apples are edible when the fruit is yellow & soft. Otherwise it is toxic. & of course the flower is hiding underneath.

aww thanks!

I will have to learn what grows in NC! I lived in Atlanta for 20 years and won Yard of the Month in our development...so maybe some of that info will come back to me!

That is a sign of a good garden...continual color, interest, change...beautiful!!

lol might have been built by the same people...two brother working on the PA railroad built my house...the area has a few older stone houses like mine...did you see the picture further down...it does look like an old mill...ha ha ha

@thinktwice yes that is why it came to mind. I looked at all of them. You still making your trips to ? LOL

Sure, we are practically neighbors...but I require French Fries as payment...any good places around you? ha ha Gardening is hard work!

@thinktwice Lots of decent restaurants in Huntington. Nothing super close, though. Come on down!

thank you...my favorite time of year

Post pics! I love seeing peoples' gardens....

@thinktwice I'll do so once it's blossomed!

Not quite ready for veggies here...after Memorial Day...

@thinktwice I live in Pennsylvania too. I usually plant earlier than this but it’s been too wet and cold.

@Eshaftic same here...but I have starters in the garage...we will plant this weekend...cukes, tomatoes, peppers, squash...and herbs...but I probably won't get to harvest much...moving in August...

@thinktwice where are you moving to ?

@Eshaftic North Carolina...PA is too cold...hey, you don't know a Vivian or Doug Chiapusio where you live, do you? ha ha I was friends with her and last I heard, she was where you are...they would both be about 65 or so by now...

@thinktwice know most of the people here but that name is not familiar.

@Eshaftic I forgot...that is her maiden name...I forgot his last name...oh well...ha ha

My black cats love to play under the leaves and sit out with me....

@thinktwice This is a little of last year's garden, with the fountains my husband purchased.....

@Lilac-Jade Love your yard statues and fountains!

@Lilac-Jade Here is my youngest black cat a year ago...he is way bigger now, but still loves the garden...

@thinktwice Gorgeous kitty. I miss my Wisspurr….my avatar.

@Lilac-Jade My baby is named Rocket...he zooms around...he is three and hopefully will be around for a while...he has yellow eyes...the big one has green eyes...yeah...they sure add to life's joys....

@thinktwice Wisspurr was only 17 months when we lost her. Her body wasn't making red blood cells.

@Lilac-Jade It is sad to lose them young to genetics or disease...I am sure her short life was well lived...

@thinktwice We loved her, she was such a lovely girl.

Wisspurr & her ping pong ball...

@Lilac-Jade Too cute!!!!

My rhododendron..

@Buddha Beautiful and huge! I have trimmed azaleas in the front and non-trimmed ones in the back...I would love to have an orange rhododendron someday...

Oh no, then you have to start all over ! Where are you moving to ?

@Buddha North Carolina...it will be my fourth garden...I like the process and the end result but I am not sentimental ...the next garden will be just as lovely for me to tackle

@thinktwice my daughter lives in Greensboro...
She likes it..

@Buddha I will be in Wilmington on the beach...have to get used to pine straw, I guess...ha ha

@thinktwice I'm sure that you will adjust !

I am lucky that my yard is hard to access by the many deer in the woods...as well, by keeping the woods and underbrush natural, it provides food and shelter for them and all of the other animals we see and enjoy...I used to have an electric deer fence but it seemed to throw off their access to food and water and they were in my yard eating hostas and drinking from the birdbath...upsetting the balance is a thing man does...I had it taken down and now we all co-exist...

@thinktwice i gave up on worrying about the animals, i just coexist and replant. Lol

@Buddha yes...I am co-existing as well with the weeds...and some of them are quite lovely as well!

Thanks! I have four doors that lead to the backyard...in spring and summer, I often leave them all open just to have a view of the yard...on the upper level, I have large picture windows to see the birds and wildlife...it is relaxing...

Yes...the back is shady and the front sunny...gives me a chance to have a lot of plant varieties!

The house was built in 1954...the beams are railroad ties from the brothers who worked for the railroad here in PA...it is interesting...ha ha

It is maintenance free for me...I have a service that does my lawn and trimming... ;D