Just Joined!!

My name is Suzy and I have been studying plants for about 15 years.I plan to go to college this fall to study horticulture. I waited until my kids were both in school before making up my mind to go..I love to research plants from around the world that are more suited to our climate than what you can find at the garden center. Doing it that way sure beats high water bills.I also love butterfly gardening and cacti and succulents.I grow a lot of plants that most kids have never heard of before and I take plants to science teachers at local schools in the hopes of getting kids hooked on plants early on. This summer I've been raising plenty of 'mother of thousands' plants. The teachers can tell the kids that the plant is going to do something strange and when the babies start to drop she can send one home with them. If anyone has any other ideas for school projects, I would love to hear them.I am a substitute teacher during the winter when there is not much to do in my unheated greenhouse. I have certainly enjoyed this site so far.I am working on my journal, maybe I'll have it ready soon for public viewing.Nice to meet y'all. Suzy (zone 8 Alabama).

This message was edited Friday, Jun 15th 10:05 AM

Hi Suzy, welcome to DG!

Dave

HI Suzy..welcome! Your heart truly is in gardening and it's nice to have you as a new member :)
Trish, the other one

This message was edited Friday, Jun 15th 10:37 AM

This message was edited Friday, Jun 15th 3:15 PM

Hi Suzy and welcome to Dave's Garden! :)

Terri

Suzy, welcome to DG! I'm sure you'll get plenty of ideas for unusual plants from the other gardeners here - what a great way to get kids engaged in gardening. You might try posting a specific request for ideas on the Garden Talk forum, and maybe again on the Stay at Home Moms forum - lots of creative moms and grandmas who are involved with kids and gardening.

Hey susy WElCOME
Luv herblady

Good Morning, Herblady! Now how's that for a quick response?! Hope you have a great day,especially if you get to spend part of it gardening. Suzy

Sounds like you are a busy lady! Good for you!
and welcome from west Kentucky!

Hi! Guess I can't do a quick response at 12:18! Thanks for writing.I haven't been nearly as busy this year as last. Thanks to Allison we actually got rain this year!!! All of my plants seem to be thriving on their own.Let's hope we continue to get enough rain throughout July and August.Have a great day, Melody. Suzy

Hey Suzy...
You Go Girl! It's wonderful to hear that you're jumping in feet first after the kids have started to school. Keep up the good work!

Hi Suzy and all,
This is my first message. I also enjoy gardening with children. My grandchildren live far away so I have two "extra" grandchildren who live in the cul du sac across the street. They are 10 and 8 and love everything about gardening. I gave each of them a raised garden space of 12'X 4' and they poured over my seeds learning how to read the packets for plant height, soil and water needs. They made good choices for ones so young. We have the "word of the day" and they absorb it all. We have such fun getting dirty then we turn the hose on "mist" and play in the water. This winter they are going to borrow my extensive library of garden books to plan for next year. Christopher asked me what gardeners do in the winter and I told him "dream about spring". They have been bitten by the bug in my yard, "the garden bug".
I plan to learn and share on this site. Thank you Dave for giving gardeners a place to share, you have a generous spirit.

Suzy:
Welcome from southeastern Michigan
Everyone at DG is great

Paul

Suzy,

Welcome to DG!! I see that you have "met" a couple of our wonderful members already :) DG is a nice and friendly place- I think you'll fit right in!

Great to have you in the garden,

Trish
(Dave's wife)

Good morning, everyone! Yes, I have met quite a few nice people already.Nan has already helped me identify a plant that I didn't have the first clue about (Thanks again,Nan). Having a great time on this sight!Suzy

Welcome SuzyS!

Hi SusyS - that's pretty cool getting those kids hooked on plants :) Welcome to DG!

Thanks! I enjoy every second of my volunteer time. These kids in today's world need plenty of good things to think about so they won't have time to think of the bad things. And they never forget it when you take a little time to spend with them. They all love plants. It's a great way to relate to them and it's a wonderful feeling when the ones who get picked on all the time ,that are usually quiet, are all of a sudden in the mist of the group smiling and having a good time.Sometimes it only takes a few minutes to change someone's life for the better.If any of you are interested in volunteering at your local school,I would encourage you to do so.They need people to help children learn to read so badly!My life without reading would be so different and it's easy to share what you can't imagine living without.I started out helping the kids in my sons' classes. It's been my experience that each classroom has about 5 children who are seriously behind. Just listening to them read for 15 minutes once or twice a week has kept several from failing the grade they were in a couple of years in a row.This year one of my little readers made the honor roll. I don't think I've ever smiled so much in one day,but it was nothing compared to the smile on his face!! I can't wait for school to start back!Let me know how it goes if any of you decide to try volunteering. It's easiest if you sit in the back of the class with one student at a time.In one hour you can help approx. 4 students.And they can't wait for you to get there.A lot of them don't get very much individual attention otherwise. Most of the parents are very grateful for the extra help,as they have to work and don't have the extra time it takes to catch up the kid's reading skills.Have a great day!SuzyS

Welcome suzy

I am new here myself. I have two grils Kaylee 5 and Megan 19 months who are learning to garden. My five year old likes most task except for busting the sod,gee imagine that.
Megan just likes to dig and get wet.
Bit by the garden bug as well.
Mike

Welcome Suzy'' I joined today and dearly love the posts,so friendly and helpful' I am doing my part for children too here' We got a horticulture class at the highschool started this past year' Our little community(200+cats and dogs)volunteer daily at the schools and also help the elders with their garden work' We're a farming community mostly and we just built a daycare center too' Love the children coming by and visiting and strolling my gardens'I have butterfly plants and show them where they eat and then become butterflies and not to ever hurt them'' The most fun is having them hunt and handle worms'' They're more than just for fishin'LOL Welcome,looking forward to your posts' Sis'

a big welcome from lil here in the uk! happy to help with anything you might need, i'm quite interested in succulents and cacti myself so we may be able to help each other out!

lil