GardenWiseGuy

Billy Goodnick here: Looks like a whole bunch of you suffer from this dread condition. I don't want to steal Jerry Lewis' thunder, but perhaps a telethon is in order? I'm sure we can raise a few mil to develop a cure.

Danielle: Time at a dinner table with Amy is indeed a marvelous experience. She's a wickedly wonderful wit and a great boon to the garden communicators world. Glad you got some face time.

Ryan: welcome to Fine Gardening. What a pleasure to read more than 140 characters from you! For you others reading this, Ryan and I have been connecting at Twitter for a while. When his head hits the pillow in Wales, I take over; when I'm down for the count, Ryan rules the world!!! Mwah, ha ha!

But seriously (LOL) I very much enjoyed this post and getting a feel for how gardens vary so much, yet fundamentally fill the same need in so many people. You're fortunate to have that Gulf Stream influence. Same as southern Ireland? I was there on my honeymoon and expect to find a very foreign landscape, but found many of the plants that I know from southern California, of all places. Cordyline growing on the grounds of ancient stone abbeys!

Great job! See you soon. BTW: Don't get too good at this or I'm out of a gig just as I'm getting started with Cool Green Gardens here at FG.

Well of course you're having trouble warming to worms. You haven't gone to the trouble of getting to know them. And you can't really know them until you name them. I suggest you make little "dog tags" for each one, put them around their necks (that's the hard part, since sometimes it's hard to know if you're looking at the "inbound" end or the "outbound" end) and have a little one on one time with each of the little dickens.

In my bin, they all come to the side of the box when I opening it up, wag their little tails and I greet them each by name: Hi Doc, yo yo Dopey, lovely day Sneezy, gee your hair smells terrific Moe, wazzup Larry, mah man Curly, S'happnin; Bambi, glorious day to you Thumper, eh Dubbya, grrrr Cheney, top of the mornin' Ebert, how DEE Siskel, you da man Hannibal...you get the idea.

I'm betting my first FG paycheck it's Kalanchoe blossfeldiana...Did you get to see it with blooms open?

Link: http://media-2.web.britannica.com/eb-media/69/1869-004-F96CEE3C.jpg

Waddaythink?

Actually, it's not in the daisy family (Compositae) but is a form of ice plant called Lampranthus, probably L. spectabilis from South Africa (Aizoaceae family). They can grow right on the beach, take salt spray and are amazingly drought tolerant. Colors tend to be a bit gaudy, so wear your cool Louis Vuitton shades.

Better stop - spell check is going coo coo.

The area has a very nice ambiance and seems like a great place to spend a summer day. Where is it located? Looks like a palm tree in the corner, so I'm guessing it's not upstate New York!

Billy Goodnick here (aka Garden Wise Guy): Thanks to all you great folks who have commented. I think I'm having a Sally Fields moment: "You like me, you really like me!" There's plenty more where this came from and I'm already thinking about the next post. If there are issues or topics you want me to expound on, come back and leave me a note. I'll see what I can do.

Liz: What zone are you gardening in? I can tell you that the Purple Robe is even frost tender here in our coastal Mediterranean climate, so unless you're in a very protected area, it's a long shot. That doesn't mean you can't create a similar effect with another purple-leaf ground cover and light colored spiky plant that are adapted to your climate.

Bees & Chicks: Thanks for the deleted expletive. Shows great maturity and control.

Kate: I don't think this combo will work up there in Saskatchewan (OMG - Google has a lot of spellings for your fair province. Notice I didn't say "state")

Arcadia/Kate: We'll start the anti-lawnist revolution. You're in charge of finding a red beret that will fit my oversized head.

JeanAnn: Punk rock wig! That's a great image. Maybe my next design will go with a Mohawk effect - rows of Chondropetalum tectorum with all the side growth trimmed away. Gotta try that.

MaineGardener: "Rapacious woodchucks" To coin a phrase from my idol, Dave Barry, "Great name for a band."

RedBloom: Over 50 and you get it...watch out handing me those softball straight lines. I'll hit em out of the ballpark. Good to have you here. Y'all come back, now.

Shirley: So good to see you here; I wallow in your praises. Can I come visit your gardens and write about you. Don't know if I can take an L.A. summer, so we'll wait for fall.

Jayme: we'll see if FG has a tolerance for my Motion Sickness Productions video blogs. Perhaps FG can get Dramamine to sponsor my blog?

DoubleD: it's nice to stretch beyond the 140 Twitter limit. Now I can use multisyllabic words (words like "multisyllabic).

Roberta: I snapped my fingers - you can stop quacking now.

Bookish: you left out the part where I rub my hands together in a sinister manner while uttering "MWAH HA HA"

Mike: "Wealth and fame"? Did you find the password for my off-shore account in the Grand Caymans or do you have my winning numbers for the lottery? I thought I was just "comfortably well off."

Later, skaters...gotta bang on my drum all day.

Can you post a pic zoomed out a little. Seeing the leaves helps a lot.

I so envy those who can grow Hostas. They have no place in southern California. The other horticulturist's hosta is always greener. Great photography.

I especially like the harmony of the gray wood arbor, weathered sculpture and foliage around it. Gray, pink and white - infallible.

I like your bold hand with the daylilies. The left side has enough going on that the strong contrast of Hemerocallis anchors the whole design. One suggestion - a stronger focal point at the fence on the other side of the lawn. Maybe a Japanese maple or Magnolia soulangeana? Just the nosy designer/teacher in me rearing it's head.

I'll have to wear my waterproof pants, but it looks like a great place to sit after the hailing stops and I take my hardhat off. Enjoy it this spring and summer.

I love gates (or any architectural boundary)in a garden. It adds some allure and your hubby did a very skilled job. Kudos!

Ah, what I wouldn't give for a good macro lens. Very nice opportunity snatched from nature. Love the red and yellow combo. Hot, hot, hot!

What a stunningly beautiful shot of the little hummer. And your floral design eye is great. Just makes me want to sit and sip. But I gotta get back to wicked work.

What an amazing flower! Is it a particular cultivar? I haven't seen such dark blue.

Sweet concept, beautifully executed. You and your spousal support unit have a great handle on garden design. Show us more!

I just love this killer combo! Cinnamon with lime-green has such great contrast and impact. I use it at a large scale in some of my designs for clients. Purple/burgundy foliage against light green or bright variegation always draws the eye.

Got more?

I love that you're using sheet mulching techniques to eliminate weeds without introducing toxic sprays. The cardboard decomposes eventually and the bed is left weed free. Good for you! The key is to cover it with at least 4-5 inches of greenwaste and let it cook for a little while.