Posted by (Susan Gillespie) on March 27, 2011

I should have been paying closer attention. I seriously don’t know what a nematode looks like. I was so busy trying to do my junior reporting duty I missed it. And also missed a few lifeline names. I apologize. What an awesome day it was for a plant fair. I hope Sundays crowd (even though they miss Penny and Kim) has as good a time as all of us did.

I was thinking——do you guys have The Dirt t-shirts? You should. I’d buy one or two for sure.

Posted by (Chip) on March 27, 2011

Looks like Everyone had a good time but I was on my first week still in training but “on the road” making delivery’s to home Depot’s while waiting to be off loaded I got to wonder around the garden shops but I was still bummed out missing greenfest. Diane is happy to get her garden back but she said she was saving the weeding for me.
....“Chip”

Posted by (Susan Gillespie) on March 27, 2011

I heard this on the radio as I was driving home from buying dirt in it’s many forms. It is a quote from poet, novelist and environmentalist, Margaret Atwood.

“In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.”

We are doing our best to comply.

Posted by (Janna) on March 27, 2011

Greenfest was fun and what a beautiful day it was. My hubby and I had a great time and I really enjoyed seeing everyone. Of course we missed Chip, Diane and Dipity - but hopefully there will be many more “Dirty” events! Susan is definitely on to something with the T-Shirt idea. Wouldn’t it be fun to easily spot other “Dirt” fans while strolling around Home Depot, Lowe’s or our favorite nurseries?

Posted by (Janna) on March 27, 2011

I was happy to snap some pics and extremely relieved to discover that Penny (aka: Editor Extraordinaire) is as good with photos as she is with the written word!

I spent the entire day today in the garden! Well, it’s starting to look like one, anyway. Weeding, trimming - planting cuttings and new purchases. Anyone else praying for rain?

The smell of dirt? Yeah, I had it. Along with several other intermingled funky odors. My husband said I was too dirty to jump in the pool. I decided I was too dirty to get in the shower. Love the many uses of the garden hose!

Posted by (Janna) on March 27, 2011

Kim, thanks for the great tips on the Myer’s lemon tree! That’s the new purchase that I’m most excited about - I looove lemons. I’m sure I’ll have more questions as time goes on and it’s nice to have a place to go for answers!

Posted by (Janna) on March 27, 2011

MEYER lemon tree:-)

Posted by (Laura) on March 27, 2011

This was so much fun! Thank you!

Posted by (Susan Gillespie) on March 28, 2011

I forgot to tell you. I bought a giant milkweed out at Kerby’s last week. My sister, Cindi, is the official butterfly watcher in the house. She got hooked last year when we saw a Monarch being born on our lanai screen. Instant butterfly/chrysalis obsession. I thought if the butterflies swarm to this giant milkweed, Cindi would get a kick out of it. I had a perfect spot in mind right in the corner of the lanai. Little did I know how big this thing can get once you plant it. I’m keeping it in a pot for now and test out if the butterflies even like it. It’s an interesting looking plant though, isn’t it?

Posted by (Gardendipity) on March 28, 2011

Thank you Janna, I missed seeing you (and everyone) too!

Did anyone else think the crowd was smaller this year?  It seemed to me there were a few less vendors and less people browsing. Maybe people had left by the time I got there around 2:00 in the afternoon.

I bought a few small plants: some cosmos, pink and white salvias, Black-eyed Susans, two kinds of blue salvias, and a varigated pink/mint-colored sweet potato vine.  My mother-in-law and daughter picked up some yellow bush daisies, and my daughter also got some annuals and a large yellow-flowered allamanda bush (not the vine kind). 

Did anyone see the Paw Paw plant vendor? Lucky for us our Big Flower Paw Paw is a shrub, not the tree kind.

Posted by (Laura) on March 28, 2011

The crowd was about the same this year ... it always wanes between about 12:30 and 2:30 on Saturday. I personally purchased a miniature Pawpaw plant because I’m so excited about the butterfly (one we’ve never seen here)!

Posted by (Gardendipity) on March 28, 2011

Laura, did you get the special planting instructions for the Paw Paw?  We bought ours at Bok Tower Garden, and the employee gave us instructions saying that it is really important not to disturb the roots during planting. I’ll post the instructions if you didn’t get them.

The first day our Big Flower Paw Paw was in the ground, I had two sightings of the Zebra Swallowtail (Paw Paw is a host plant for this butterfly). I’m going to be watching to see if we get a caterpillar.

Posted by (Susan Gillespie) on March 28, 2011

Ah! Zebra Swallowtail comes with planting a Paw Paw. No wonder everyone wants one. I’ll look forward to the Paw Paw reports.

Posted by (Kim Franke-Folstad) on March 28, 2011

Thanks again to everyone who helped us out at GreenFest. And to everyone who attended our, um, very informative talk. We had so much fun. I love the photo of Meems!

And thanks, too, to all the GreenFest folks who made it a breeze for us this year—from the volunteer who helped me unload our stuff when I got there, to the wagonmaster who got our equipment to the speakers’ tent without a hitch, to the Lauras we love, to the woman who helped us load my car afterward. What a fantastic group.

Posted by (Gardendipity) on March 28, 2011

Laura, if you go to Bok Tower, there is a beautiful Paw Paw plant growing beside the Ridge trail.

Susan, I loved your Giant Milkweed!  It’s beautiful, I haven’t seen one before. I hope it brings you lots of butterflies. I’m sorry I haven’t called you yet. I still have your plant for you. This month has been just crazy for me, we’re taking church classes and we are doing some extra grandchild babysitting, and I’ve been in the backyard working on the new garden every chance I could get. I think of you every day, I promise to get this plant to you soon. I’m looking forward to seeing you again!

Posted by (Becky P) on March 30, 2011

Finally got time to get registered on DIRT!!  Enjoyed the Greenfest presentation, although I was out of there quick- so many plants - so little time.

This is Becky ( but you can call me Sue)!!!

Posted by (Susan Gillespie) on March 31, 2011

Hey Dipity, I didn’t post a pic of the giant milkweed but a pic of a lavender trumpet vine. I don’t see it now but they look really different. What I do see up there is a very cool midcentury looking pot. Who’s is it and where can I get one?

Posted by (Susan Gillespie) on March 31, 2011

Friends with taste. Doncha love em? It was a cool gift, Penny.

Posted by (Iluvpumpkins) on March 31, 2011

I had a really great time Saturday and went looking for some plants to fill in a shady spot for my Open Garden. Well I did get some plants but the Open Garden got rained out. But we sure needed this rain. Pumpkin

Posted by (Iluvpumpkins) on March 31, 2011

Penny, It was yesterday and today:( I got three foxgloves, a very very cute dish garden and two mona lavender. Stay dry. Pumpkin

Posted by (Iluvpumpkins) on March 31, 2011

My garden is open 24/7 to all FOD, come on over on Saturday. Pumpkin

Posted by (Janna) on April 01, 2011

Thank you, Pumpkin! I’ve SO been wanting to see your garden “live and in person!”

Nice to see you here, “Lauras” and Becky.

I’m also anxious to hear the updates on the pawpaw. My stepdaughter and I have been watching our Monarch caterpillars - we saw them form the cocoons and have been checking them every day. Well, TODAY I got home from work only to find shreds of transparent “leftover” cocoon. Can’t believe we missed it!

Posted by (Janna) on April 01, 2011

Chip, hope the big rig driving is going well for you. We miss your comments here! Would love an update from you and Diane when you have a chance.

Becky and Laura - what gems did you bring home from Greenfest?

Posted by (Laura) on April 11, 2011

Hi, everyone!
Penny, I know I had accidentally created two accounts to post to the blogs, but this one is just opening up automatically now (I’m new to commenting on blogs), so I’m using it as the default.
Yes, this is Laura Barber (I will try to figure out how to add my last name—too many GreenFest Lauras!) ... and I loved reading everyone’s comments about GreenFest! Our committee had its wrap-up meeting this afternoon, and this was our best year yet in terms of attendance and positive comments from speakers, vendors and guests! Thank you all! It’s a hard-working committee, and we appreciate the kind words!
Be right back with another post about the pawpaws and butterflies (think I’ve used the character limit)!

Posted by (Laura) on April 11, 2011

Regarding the pawpaw, ours is still in the original container because I’m waiting to borrow a friend’s post hole digger to get a deep and narrow area for its roots. The vendor, Pietro’s Pawpaws, was new to GreenFest this year and did provide detailed verbal and written instructions on planting. I haven’t seen the zebra swallowtails yet, but the butterflies are beautiful!
I’ve become obsessed with finding a green shrimp plant ... any suggestions? It it the host plant for an equally cool butterfly, the malachite.
We love the butterflies ... passionvine is loaded with Gulf fritillary caterpillars, and the fennel and parsley are waiting for the black swallowtails!