| Author | Content |
cathy4
St. Louis County, MO
(Zone 5a)
April 09, 2009
03:15 AM Post #6385425
| Hey Critter, my yard passes! We lost some trees and I fight my DH to keep a brush pile. I even have a toad who lives under the patio. It is a very good process to review a yard, I encourage everyone to visit. |
sallyg
Anne Arundel Co., MD
(Zone 7a)
April 09, 2009
08:06 AM Post #6385724
| I did the certification years ago. I'm glad to see they still have the program. It seemed to me rather easy to meet the requirements. Do they still give you a plastic sign? Mine got 'worn out' from the sun.
Pretty pictures and the colored border is nice on them. |
critterologist
Frederick, MD
(Zone 6b)
April 09, 2009
10:11 AM Post #6386161
| My sign is metal, and yes they still have them (for an additional fee).
:-) |
critterologist
Frederick, MD
(Zone 6b)
April 09, 2009
10:12 AM Post #6386168
| I'm glad you both enjoyed the article. Thanks for your comments!
(Cathy, tell DH the brush pile has to stay -- it's a garden "feature" not a problem!) |
dahlianut
Calgary, AB
(Zone 3a)
April 09, 2009
11:21 AM Post #6386435
| What a great iniative! Thanks Critter. I have a perfect spot behind my compost to create a brush pile from my prunings. I'm happy that I meet alot of the other criteria. |
critterologist
Frederick, MD
(Zone 6b)
April 09, 2009
11:27 AM Post #6386458
| I get a kick out of being officially certified now, but I think one of the best things about the process is reading through their criteria and getting additional ideas... You're going to be amazed at how many more garden visitors you'll have with that brush pile! |
mrs_colla
Marin, CA
(Zone 9b)
April 09, 2009
12:24 PM Post #6386771
| Two people walk past my garden, a man and a woman. The woman says "wow, what an amazing garden!" The man answers " What? THAT f#%^*^ jungle?!"
It's in the beholder of ... the nest!
CC
The young man in the photo is my apprentice, showing off! ( he is also my son :-) )
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
critterologist
Frederick, MD
(Zone 6b)
April 09, 2009
12:28 PM Post #6386785
| Everybody should have such an apprentice! What a cutie. And the flowers behind him look good, too! :-) |
sallyg
Anne Arundel Co., MD
(Zone 7a)
April 09, 2009
01:57 PM Post #6387329
| That sign might avert a few critical comments on some ' intensely planted' front yards. (Comments from the un-enlightened) |
Elphaba
Houston, TX
(Zone 9a)
April 09, 2009
03:47 PM Post #6387822
| I am sooooo laughing at myself right now. I've wanted to do this for years. I thought that this year, I might actually qualify. OMG! I was checking everything. I passed with flying colors. I'm so excited. Thank you for making it so easy with the great article! |
critterologist
Frederick, MD
(Zone 6b)
April 09, 2009
04:14 PM Post #6387940
| I've been debating whether to put my sign in front or in back... in front may be more visible to the HOA enthusiasts! LOL
Congrats, Elphaba... are you going to send in your application & become "official?" |
Elphaba
Houston, TX
(Zone 9a)
April 09, 2009
05:06 PM Post #6388151
| Yep, paid for the sign and everything! Most of my neighbors like my garden and give me lots of compliments. The neighbor behind me, however, told me it was a mess and used a very nasty name. He's been extraordinarily nice to me lately, so I think he regrets his temper tantrum. It will be nice to have a proper explanation of my "mess" should anyone as short-sighted as he is complain again. He solved "the mess" problem in his yard by cementing it. That's all right though, all the little animals can come and live in my yard! |
critterologist
Frederick, MD
(Zone 6b)
April 09, 2009
06:01 PM Post #6388347
| Oh dear, I have a backyard neighbor like that, too. His idea of perfect landscaping is uninterrupted green grass (he told me that once), so you know my cottage garden is absolutely not his style. But his kids like the flowers, so maybe he'll eventually come around LOL. He planted a hedge row of Leland cypress, so between those and the crooked willow I planted in the corner (he hated that initially also but told me last summer how much he loved it LOL), his view of my yard is pretty well screened off. That should make him happier. :-)
Maybe I need one sign in front and another in back, where my neighbor can see it... |
Elphaba
Houston, TX
(Zone 9a)
April 09, 2009
06:14 PM Post #6388394
| LOL, two signs! Hmmmm... |
carrielamont
Milton, MA
(Zone 6a)
April 09, 2009
07:41 PM Post #6388804
| All I need is the water ... I'm so afraid of extra mosquitoes. I'll get over it - my insurance guy thinks our brush pile is a fire hazard, though. I told him it was a compost pile. |
critterologist
Frederick, MD
(Zone 6b)
April 09, 2009
11:52 PM Post #6389869
| Depending on the size of your water feature, you can add mosquito dunks, or fish, or just keep the water moving (mosquitoes prefer still water).
LOL@ your insurance guy... good answer for him! |
Elphaba
Houston, TX
(Zone 9a)
April 10, 2009
02:35 PM Post #6391969
| Ditto on the mosquito prevention with one addition: dragonfly nymphs. One of my ponds doesn't have fish b/c I use it for plants. It has moving water but not that much. However, I can't even pull a leaf out of the pond without pulling up a dragonfly nymph. I don't know how it works in colder climates, but here, I have nymphs in that pond all year munching on mosquito larvae. The best part is that I didn't have to do anything. The dragonflies came, laid eggs and took care of it for me. |
dahlianut
Calgary, AB
(Zone 3a)
April 10, 2009
09:49 PM Post #6393686
| We are fortunate to have dragonflies too. I think there will always be a 'manicured' gardener in every neighbourhood. I practise 'messy gardening' as I try to be waterwise and we've been in drought. The leaf debris not only retains moisture, it also makes great homes and breeding grounds for my goodguy bugs. |
carrielamont
Milton, MA
(Zone 6a)
April 11, 2009
11:23 AM Post #6395486
| You have dragonflies? In z. very cold? Where do I get some? Lol. |
