So Lucky to have found this forum!

My name is Arlene. Moved to Twin Lakes in Iowa (Zone 4b) after 26 years in Southern California. I am a Chiropractor and a chef.

Presently: Enrolled-Master Gardener Class-Iowa State

CURRENT PROJECT-Removed everything between house and road (other side of the house faces the lake), built a new garage and am now in the planning stages of all courtyard, retainers, and plants - no lawn.

My Focus is:
- Tropical Hibiscus (have 1 double ruffle peach-3 years old
and a new yellow w/ red throat called "Sundance"

- Topiary with an Oriental (Bonzai'd) look (not the little bitty ones in a tray, but taking a tree or shrub in the yard and pruning it to give unusual look.

New Favorite plants: peonies, hydrangea, iris

- Interest in building something around my new vegetable garden area, with greenhouse like materials, that
has removable parts. To put up for protection when winds
get high and remove on nice days. Maybe an over sized
cold frame of sorts?

I will be checking this forum daily, so any input is appreciated.


This message was edited Tuesday, Nov 12th 11:18 AM

Welcome, Arlene! DG is just the best. Looking forward to seeing you around this beautiful garden.

Edited to say that I did not choose to use Tamarack; found out from neighbors that they are too invasive.



This message was edited Wednesday, Aug 13th 7:45 AM

Was that photo shot on your property? Very lush, if leggy!

Thank you for the welcome, White Rose

No it wasn't my yard - YET. From a neighbor.

Am looking right now to find photos to show you my progress. We razed the property in spring and brought in 25 truckloads of soil to raise property level. Then built new garage. Final project is to do all landscaping and plants, shrubs, trees. Plus pergola with some Oriental
influence.

Oh, that will be beautiful. How did you find DG, were you doing a search?

Arlene, Arlene,....
What were you thinking when you left our beautiful climate of year round gardening for the harse weather of Iowa???? giggle-giggle

Welcome to DG and you will get a lot of help with all types of gardening from these wonderful folks. There are many people here who have taken the Master Gardeners courses and some who are just very good gardeners.

So where did you live here in So Cal? I am an EX- Chef Assistant myself. It got to be too hard on my legs and back...and lets not forget the long hours and Holiday work!!

I look forward to seeing you around the forums.

Donna - SoCal

In searching the net for plants, shrubs etc I came across the Plants Database first which is very helpful then found the rest from there.

Donna,
probably needed my head examined for leaving CA, but was born and raised in Iowa and CA born husband fell in love with the heartland. After a 10 year commuter marriage ~ left CA to be with DH in Iowa. We still have children and a grand daughter in CA so I am there frequently

Best of both worlds.

But gardening in Iowa is like starting all over after 26 yrs in California. Without the net, would be in some dark hole! I found my pics so will post them.

Thanks for the friendly welcome.
Arlene




This message was edited Wednesday, Aug 13th 7:50 AM

North Side Before Changes

During

That's a big change -- the property is going to look so pretty when you get it all landscaped. Am glad to hear you're able to return to California so often, it would be hard to make such a big change and not be able to get back there. Judging from the posts, a lot of people find DG on searches that lead to the Plant Database. So glad you found it!

After

This is the start of the retainer wall work
and second shot of the back side of the garage;
So you see, I am almost to the fun stuff -
flowers, shrubs, trees . . . I already jumped
the gun and planted some new tulip bulbs!

It will take most of next year to get it together!

There will be a white pergola to the left of the garage
out front.

Final pic and then I have to get to some work!
Thanks! will keep changes posted on this thread.
Arlene

Done for now!

Oops! forgot to show you the Lake Side of the house!

Very, very nice, what you've done is beautiful. It will be a lot of fun to landscape the property.

Hi...and welcome to the best place on the We!! You will get so much help and fun here that you'll find yourself neglecting other things!! Have a good time! Jo,in Arizona

http://davesgarden.com/f/bonsai/ Arlene...I think you will enjoy this forum...Jo

Welcome to Dave's Arlene glad to have you join our garden!!!! You sure are a busy girl!!!!!!
When you get a chance check out this link, it is our very one DG cookbook that a bunch of member's contributed too and Trish (mrs dave's garden) had made up! There are lot's of great recipe's in it!!! My favorite would have to be Horeshoe's Rabbit and Dumplings!!!!! hehe
sue

http://store.standardout.com/s/vbc/1

Jo, Thanks for the link; went straight to it and spent an
hour reading. So I guess that when you apply Bonsai principles when pruning a tree it is called Topiary. And
if you put it in a pot it can be called Bonsai.
Well, I will keep that link and read on

Ruby, I would love . . to have that cookbook; I have so
many and I just bought two more this summer. Visited the
Governor's Mansion, Terrace Hill in Des Moines, IA and the first ladies put out a yearly cook book. I couldn't pass them up. I have a weakness for them. Thanks for telling me.
Arlene

hi Arlene (my middle name:)
come on out into the big wide world of DG, click on forums on the right and explore. If you think you might not find your way back to a thread, you can click on 'watch this thread' and if anything new is posted it will tell you. And if anything new isn't posted, but you want to read it again, click on member page and it will let you view the threads you're watching. I know that the rest of DG will love to meet you!!!

Thank you tiG
I used the free plant database so much, figured I owed
to at least join and I already had my money's worth.
Since joining, I have learned so much.

Thanks for your help

Arlene

Welcome Twinlakes. I know I will love getting to know you through all the forums.

About the bonsai-ing of trees and shrubs. I have a lot of self-sown trees in my yard so I practiced on a few of them and learned a lot by mutilating a few poor defenceless plants (please don't report me to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Shrubs ;) Oh, BTW, I have a really odd sense of humor, but when I talk about plants, I try to not be too funny, else the information I am trying to share will not be believed.

First off, as long as they are deciduous (non-conifers) you really can't hurt one by pruning or over-pruning a young one. It might look odd, but it will survive. The older ones have a harder time recovering from over-pruning. If you can get hold of some fairly quick-growing, inexpensive things you can practice on them while you perfect your skill.

I practiced on oak, hawthorn, American elm, and white ash. I thought about trying with some of our native honey locust, but changed my mind. I also practiced on arborvitae, carpet juniper and rose of sharon. Only the juniper really never recovered from my pruning. It didn't die, but it didn't leaf out where I had pruned it too severely. The rest were fine.

Your landscaping looks wonderful. I am looking forward to hearing about what you decide to plant in your new area.

Kathy

Kathy,
Thanks for the encouragement. Where to I purchase
any special tools to do the cuttings?
Arlene

Hi Arlene & welcome! Now your question about where to purchase special tools is good timing. Dave (DavesGarden Dave) has just updated the site so that any member can have a storefront and do ebusiness just by being a member! It's very new, but I know some of the folks are putting their own stores together. Someone might just sell the tools you need here at DGs! If not, I've not a clue. But, many a member will have some good advice. You may want to post the same question in the bonsai forum. You'll get lots of answers there!!!!

Thank you, Morph!
I will be looking for the new store.
Arlene

Welcome TwinLakesChef. Good to have you hear.
Your're between Manson and Pomeroy, right? Know that area pretty well. Moved from Iowa to Oklahoma and then to Texas where we will spend the rest of our days.
Good to see someone here from our local area.
I also have a weakness for a good cookbook. Just can't get enough of em, can we?
Email me if you would like to talk more. I would love to catch up on some things that are going on around that area.
Welcome again
CoCo

Hi Arlene!! I have only been here a week or so and have found the site to be incredibly useful. The people here are very friendly and knowledgeable, and are very giving of their time in answering questions, providing identifications, etc. Welcome and have fun!

Thanks, Bugguy!
I think we joined about the same time. I have a house
in Orange, California that my daughter lives in so I
am still gardening there. Lived there 25 years and
now moved back home to be on the lake in my semi-retirement. I have been to Hemet a few times - nice
area.
I also have found very nice people here.
And I am very impressed with the way this website is set up-genius!
So handy the way it works. Price is a steal!
Regards,
Arlene

Gotta love those tamarisk. Been trying to get one started every imaginable way for 2 years and still no luck. Had bareroot, cuttings, bottom heat. Kept dying off on me. I am still trying as they are wonderful and so hardy once they adjust. Love the pic of them trimmed to "bonsai" style. Soon as I get one going will work on that technique.
Thanks
Candee

Hi Arlene, I haven't been a part of this long enough to have it figured out. I will tell you your welcoming is like something I have never seen before. Certainly didn't happen to me. Ahh well. Good luck gardening in the 'Waller' country. So fun to do things to a place that has been neglected or just needs something done. I will be watching your treads to see you bring smiles and happiness to all these people. My best.

Sorry to have missed you yons - a belated BIG welcome to DG. Not much to figure out here, great people and conversation and INFORMATION. There are so many new folks arriving every day, it is just difficult to keep up with all of you. Thanks for coming, you have found the right place!
Candee

OH! Yons...I am so sorry I missed welcoming you! But I was gone back east for 2 months...and a lot of us had just been to the big Dave's Garden Round up in TN...and was so busy posting on the round up forum we neglected our new subscribers....twenty lashes with a wet noodle to us! Now...please accept our appology and come tell us about yourself...you'll just love it here. Jo

PLEASED to meet you yons!

Must say . . . DG has fast become a part of my every day! Don't even get a newspaper - spend at least an hour or two every morning reading posts here and lurking! LOL But that is how I learn so much from you all.

All God's good and gracious blessings on Dave.

Think that writing some info about yourself on your home page helps others get to know you better and I plan to put more on mine when more time is available.

Been in the new garage painting the last 3 days so did not get to the computer. Had a BIG WET EARLY snow the last 3 days so nothing to be done in the garden. (And I promise not to post a picture of the newly textured garage walls!)
;)

Will spend the winter dreaming over plant choices and potential challanges. When Spring comes I will do plenty
of posting pics of the progress with new plants. After all these really will be YOUR gardens too as you all are influencing the choices!

Tend to be looking for plants unusual or different from those commonly seen in my area.

Regards to all,
Arlene

Wow..what a lovely place you have..so lucky to be on the water..you have made some beautiful changes..
Welcome..from Canada

Plesed to meet you Starzz,
I am hoping to make it more lovely with all
the valuable gardening info from this web site.

Twinlakes, welcome to Dave's, and I too was wondering why someone would leave California and move to a colder climate. sounds like you have the best of both worlds though, since you go back and forth.....

I enjoyed seeing all your photos, keep them coming, it's fun to watch people's progress...

looking forward to seeing you in the garden!

Welcome Arlene-ive seen you around and im really glad you are finding a home here! Its a great friendly site-just ask and someone here will help! I luv all your pics-looks like lots of work!
Im freezing here today in Michigan-high 30s-i bet its cold over there! brrrrr
again glad to have you here!
dori

Hi Arlene, I saw the pics. You did a lot of work, you have my respect and congratulations. To you also a warm welcome on DG!

Saya