Happy Birthday Carolyn’s Shade Gardens
Carolyn’s Shade Gardens is a retail nursery located in Bryn Mawr, PA, specializing in showy, colorful, and unusual plants for shade. The only plants that we ship are snowdrops and miniature hostas. For catalogues and announcements of events, please send your full name, location, and phone number (for back up use only) to carolyn@carolynsshadegardens.com. Click here to get to the home page of our website for catalogues and information about our nursery and to subscribe to our blog.
This photo of my display gardens illustrated my first post.
Carolyn’s Shade Gardens’ first article appeared on November 3, 2010, so my blog is one year old today. When you are one year old, you don’t want to celebrate an anniversary—that’s for adults—you want to celebrate a birthday. So this is my blog’s first birthday party during which I am going to immodestly and unashamedly (like a one-year-old) celebrate all that my blog has accomplished in the last year, illustrated with some of my favorite collages (click on any collage to enlarge). You are all invited to celebrate along with me.
Spring flowers at Carolyn’s Shade Gardens
To say that my blog has exceeded my expectations would be an understatement. Almost every customer who has visited my nursery this year has told me how much they enjoy it. In addition, in my first year I have had over 81,000 views, and 660 readers are permanent subscribers.
Epimediums
However, about a week before I started it, I didn’t really know what a blog was or what it could do. I just knew that I was frustrated because I couldn’t easily communicate to my plant nursery customers all the interesting things that I have learned about shade gardening over the almost 20 years I have been in business (and the 35 years I have been gardening). I was thinking about a website, but then I realized that a blog is the best of both worlds, an interactive website where I can place basic information that doesn’t change, but also write articles and show photographs of everything that intrigues me about shade gardening.
Primroses at Carolyn’s Shade Gardens
I have published 58 articles in the last year, and when I looked back, I realized that most of them fall into six categories: plant profiles, design, “how to”, places to visit, musings, and sustainability. As part of the celebration, I want to recap my favorites (I will talk about your favorites later). To view the actual article, click on the orange link.
Christmas roses, Helleborus niger
If you have been reading this blog and my plant profiles, you know that I love plants and that I am addicted to certain plant groups (genera) about which I won’t shut up. I am very proud of my six part series on hellebores because, although there is still more to be said about hellebores, a reader will have a very good background on these beautiful, winter-blooming, deer resistant plants after reading my articles.
I have written a lot about hellebores.
I am also an admitted galanthophile (snowdrop addict) so I enjoyed confessing my love for snowdrops in three parts. I share a love of hostas with my customers, and it’s fun writing about them, especially the miniatures. Camellias, wintergreen ground covers, and woody plants for shade have also been hot topics. Finally, I have really enjoyed my Garden Bloggers Bloom Day posts on the fifteenth of the month, highlighting shade plants blooming in my garden.
A galanthophile’s favorite thing
Design articles included Pleasurable Pairings for Spring with some great plant combinations and New Year’s Resolution to Edit the Garden where I urged readers to edit their lives and their gardens. How to divide hybrid hellebores allowed me to show off an article I wrote for Horticulture magazine and Shade Gardening in Fall: Leaves on the Lawn contains valuable time-saving advice. Did you know that you can mow up to 18″ of leaves right on your lawn and leave them there?
Chanticleer, A Pleasure Garden, in Wayne, PA
I have had a lot of fun visiting gardens, nurseries, and horticultural events and writing about my experiences. The last year included trips to Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, the Philadelphia International Flower Show, Chanticleer, Duke Gardens, and Juniper Level Botanic Gardens, among others.
Philadelphia International Flower Show
I think I have the most fun writing articles that contain my “musings”. In I Dream in Latin and Snowdrops: Further Confessions of a Galanthophile, I hope (and thought) I was amusing while discussing some of the intricacies of the plant world. Readers were intrigued by my unresolved inquiry into whether snowdrops are thermogenic. My essay on The Joys and Sorrows of Snow struck a chord (and is particularly apropos right now!). Finally, I was so happy that I was able to communicate my delight in meeting Walter Young of Young’s Perennials in Freeport, Maine.
Summer flowers at Carolyn’s Shade Gardens
The most important topic covered on my blog, and the one closest to my heart, is sustainability and how all gardeners, including me, can help the environment. In My Thanksgiving Oak Forest, I described how Doug Tallamy in his book Bringing Nature Home helped me finally understand how important native plants are to our survival. Part One and Part Two of an article on supporting sustainable living talked about my own efforts in this area. Powered by Compost, Letting Go: The Lawn, and Fall Clean-up describe some concrete steps everyone can take.
A few of my favorite miniature hostas
Well now you know some of my favorites, but which articles are your favorites? My blog host, WordPress, has wonderful statistics showing the most viewed posts and the most commented posts. Views come from three places: my subscribers and customers, other garden bloggers, and Goggle searches, which is probably my biggest source. My most viewed post by far is Miniature (& Small) Hostas. The rest of the top five are Evergreen Ferns for Shade, 2011 Snowdrop Catalogue (this is a permanent page not a post), New Shade Perennials for 2011, and New Native Shade Perennials for 2011.
European wood anemone, A. nemorosa
Another way of measuring popularity is the number of comments on a post. However, because most of my comments come from other garden bloggers, most commented usually, but not always, shows which posts they liked the best. Six out of my top ten most commented posts were written for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day with the most commented being May GBBD: An Embarrassment of Riches. On GBBD, garden bloggers from all over the world post photos of what’s blooming in their gardens on the blog May Dreams Gardens—it’s a lot of fun. Setting aside GBBD, articles that many different viewers felt compelled to comment on covered getting rid of your lawn, whether snowdrops are thermogenic, An Ode To Seed Strain Hellebores, miniature hostas, and snow.
Green is beautiful.
Which brings me to a completely untintended consequence of my blog—I now communicate on a regular basis with bloggers from all over the U.S. and the world. I read blogs and get comments from India to Scotland, Australia to Russia, and Jordan to Argentina. You can click here and run your cursor over the map to see all the locations (my personal favorite is Ascension Island). Garden bloggers are a really fun group, and I treasure my interactions with them.
Fall flowers at Carolyn’s Shade Gardens
I have three important goals for next year. First, I would like to improve my photography, particularly my landscape shots. I will probably need a new camera. Second, I would like to update the layout of my blog, which terrifies me because I don’t like technology. Finally, I would like to encourage more comments and questions from my nursery customers. Just scroll down to the box marked “Leave a Reply” and type something in. If you are enjoying my blog, you can thank me by using this resource.
Enjoy, Carolyn
Notes: Every word that appears in orange on my blog is a link that you can click for more information. If you want to return to my blog’s homepage to access the sidebar information (catalogues, previous articles, etc.) or to subscribe to my blog, just click here.
Nursery Happenings: The nursery is closed for the year. Look for the snowdrop catalogue (snowdrops are available mail order) in January 2012 and an exciting new hellebore offering in February 2012. If you are within visiting distance and would like to receive catalogues and information about customer events, please send your full name and phone number to carolynsshadegardens@verizon.net. Subscribing to my blog does not sign you up to receive this information.
CAROLYN'S SHADE GARDENS 
November 3, 2011 at 10:38 am
Happy birthday to your blog! I love the way you write, and of course, WHAT you write about!
November 3, 2011 at 11:03 am
Cynthia, It is so fun to get my first birthday wishes from someone who spends so much time at Carolyn’s Shade Gardens. Carolyn
November 3, 2011 at 10:49 am
Carolyn, Happy Birthday to your blog! You are my guru on blogging. I would give anything to have my new blog (suggested by you) gain as many followers as you have, but do not think home buying is nearly as exciting as gardening. Nor are the photos as thrilling. But seriously, what is the secret of your high subscription rate? Do others “forward” to their friends?
November 3, 2011 at 11:06 am
Linda, You have been great about commenting over the last year, and I really appreciate it. A lot of my customers have subscribed, and I continue to promote the blog to that audience in my emails. Other garden bloggers have subscribed, but I don’t think they are a large number. A lot of subscribers are people all over the world who have come upon my blog during a Google search and then subscribed. Carolyn
November 3, 2011 at 10:53 am
Happy Birthday!! I so enjoy your emails and blogs. They are informative and the pictures are great! Thank you for sharing with us and I hope to visit you during 2012.
Wanda Davis
November 3, 2011 at 11:07 am
Wanda, So great to hear from a customer. See you in 2012. Carolyn
November 3, 2011 at 10:54 am
Oh, I’ll have to go through this post slowly and follow all the links tomorrow! But I just wanted to say Happy Birthday!
November 3, 2011 at 11:09 am
Thanks, Mac, I would be amazed if anyone had the time to follow all the links, but I appreciate it that you are considering it. Carolyn
November 3, 2011 at 11:12 am
Happy 1st Birthday Carolyn’s Shade Gardens 🙂
November 3, 2011 at 11:43 am
Joey, Thanks for visiting and commenting so regularly over the last year. Carolyn
November 3, 2011 at 11:17 am
Happy Birthday and thank you for your wonderful blog and beautiful photos. I am a new gardener and have learned so much from your blog. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Nancy
November 3, 2011 at 11:35 am
Nancy, I am so glad that you are finding my blog educational. Feel free to leave questions in the comment section. If you want to know something chances are that other people do too. Carolyn
November 3, 2011 at 11:19 am
Congratulations Carolyn…what a wonderful achievement you’ve made. Looking forward to seeing you again in the Spring.
Marge Kennedy
November 3, 2011 at 11:36 am
Marjorie, I really appreciate all the comments you have left this past year. I love it when I hear from my customers. Carolyn
November 3, 2011 at 11:32 am
What a wonderful variety of superb plants you have shown us, Happy Birthday to your blog Carolyn, I really enjoy reading your posts and learning everything you are telling us, I just wish it were possible to visit your nursery – who knows, maybe one day.
November 3, 2011 at 11:37 am
Pauline, Kind of a hike from the UK, but Jill from Landscape Lover’s blog visited from Paris. I hope you make it and appreciate your support. Carolyn
November 3, 2011 at 11:38 am
Happy 1st Birthday Carolyn, looking forward to wishing you happy birthday for many more years.
Although I enjoy all your posts the galanthus certainly have the most appeal for me. You know I am such a huge fan, people in Barbados think I am crazy for leaving for Canada so early, but I could never miss the season.
November 3, 2011 at 11:42 am
Deborah, You are a true galanthophile, returning to Canada just to see the snowdrops bloom. I appreciate your support overthe last year. Thanks, Carolyn
November 3, 2011 at 12:28 pm
Happy Birthday Carolyn! I have enjoyed your postings so much. You have such good advise for the gardens and the your pictures are always so lovely. We hope you enjoy many more Blogging Birthdays.
November 3, 2011 at 1:17 pm
Lona, Thanks for your ongoing support. This blog is a lot of work, but it is helping me achieve some of my own objectives like developing a library of photographs and forcing me to write, which I love to do but never have time for. Someday I can see that it might be too much work though. Carolyn
November 3, 2011 at 12:32 pm
Happy Birthday from Finland! I love gardening in the shade and this blog truly is a wonderful source of inspiration and information. So many gardeners are afraid of shade and complain of lack of flowers. lol. No need for that. Thanks, I am eagerly waiting for more!
November 3, 2011 at 1:21 pm
Stina, So wonderful to receive good wishes from Finland. I wonder if you have a blog and if not how you found me since people are asking how I get readers. Many gardeners really do think you can’t have flowers in the shade. I say LOL to that too!. Carolyn
November 3, 2011 at 1:36 pm
Happy Birthday, you great blog you.
jim
November 3, 2011 at 2:02 pm
Thanks, Jim, I was wondering if you were reading. Carolyn
November 3, 2011 at 1:45 pm
Happy Birthday! Doesn’t one year fly by quickly?! I have enjoyed reading your posts tremendously! I love shade gardening and your plant profiles have prompted me to expand my plant choices in my shade/woodland garden. I wish I lived closer to your nursery! Cheers to another fulfilling blogging year!
November 3, 2011 at 2:03 pm
Thanks, Karin, I have really appreciated your support over the last year. Carolyn
November 3, 2011 at 1:55 pm
Happy, happy birthday…how wonderful to reach all these incredible milestones in one year…when I do visit, I would love to profile your gardens…it would be such fun…I think your photographs are wonderful…you have been a great resource for me and a wonderful blogger friend!!
November 3, 2011 at 2:05 pm
Donna, You have been one of the biggest supporters of my blog, and I really have valued your continued comments and your wonderful blog. We will make a visit happen this spring, but after all the hype, disappointment could follow :-). Carolyn
November 5, 2011 at 1:21 pm
I highly doubt it…I will bring my credit card too 🙂
November 5, 2011 at 1:35 pm
Wow, you are intent on shopping. I don’t take credit cards though.
November 3, 2011 at 2:04 pm
Happy 1st blog-day to you…
Happy 1st blog-day to you…
Happy 1st blog-day dear Carolynnnnnnn
Happy 1st blog day to youuuuuuuu
And many more!!!!!!!
November 3, 2011 at 2:07 pm
Cathy, Now that was very cute. You are a customer who has commented on several of my posts–thanks so much for that. Carolyn
November 3, 2011 at 2:10 pm
Carolyn, say happy birthday to your blog from me. So glad I found it, the amount of visitors and comments which you get does not surprise me. Lets face it, if we wanted the same results we would require the knowledge of plants which you have and also the blogging skills. alistair
November 3, 2011 at 3:16 pm
Alistair, You noticed that I included Scotland in my countries, and I thought of you. Thanks for the good wishes and continued support. You are one of my top commenters. I am pretty impressed with your blogging skills and really enjoy reading what you have to say. Carolyn
November 3, 2011 at 2:24 pm
*Raising a glass to you* …
Happy, happy Blogger-birthday Caroloyn! May your blog continue to grow from strength to strength and continue to be the invaluable resource it is for all shade gardeners – even the ones in SOUTH AFRICA!!
Lots of love
Christine
November 3, 2011 at 3:18 pm
Christine, In the U.S. we think of South Africa as a very sunny place 🙂 so I am glad you have some shade that draws you to my blog. Your support over the last year is valued highly. Carolyn
November 3, 2011 at 2:43 pm
Happy Birthday! It is quite an accomplishment to have reached that milestone, and my, what you have done! All the interesting posts have been so full of your appreciation for plants, and many were very informative. I wish you another year filled with blog adventures and plant tributes. As a fellow blogger and one of your regular readers, I have enjoyed your posts and the interaction.
November 3, 2011 at 3:22 pm
SB, You are also one of my top commenters–thanks for that. WordPress provides this statistic too under “Recent Commenters” so I am not sure what it covers. I enjoy going back and forth between our blogs sharing our thoughts. Carolyn
November 3, 2011 at 3:09 pm
Happy Birthday! You have accomplished a lot in a year.
In my last visit I asked you about blue hostas and whether they were really “blue”. You replied asking for some names of blue varieties. I found a list of blue hosta varieties at the bottom of this page in case you are interested: http://www.hostasdirect.com/hosta-info/blue-hostas
November 3, 2011 at 3:27 pm
Jennifer, Thanks for the birthday wishes. You had mentioned that you had seen a hosta marketed as getting bluer in the fall, and I asked for the name. But this article explains how that could be possible. It says that different hostas emit the wax that makes their leaves blue at different times. So a hosta that emitted the wax in early fall would turn bluer then. I would love to know which hosta that is. Thanks for following up on this. Carolyn
November 3, 2011 at 3:31 pm
Happy Birthday to Carolyn’s blog!
It must then be a year ago that we first met. Your thermogenic snowdrops fascinated me.
(BTW if you do tweak your blog, I battle to read white on black, but that’s just me)
November 3, 2011 at 3:36 pm
Diana, Thanks for the good wishes. I still don’t know if snowdrops are thermogenic!!! I love the black background for the photos, but I would like the font to be larger and the line spacing to be wider. I can’t do that with my current theme. Every time I think about changing my theme I get cold sweats because it was a stressful experience setting it up to begin with. I have my eye on the WordPress 2011 theme.
November 3, 2011 at 4:20 pm
Carolyn – Best wishes from the UK on your blog’s birthday. The way you combine running a business with ethical choices is exemplary. I know this because I’ve read your 58 posts!
November 3, 2011 at 4:31 pm
Bag, Have you really read all 58 posts? That is an incredible compliment to my blog. I try to do what’s right when running my nursery and display gardens and I find that, contrary to popular belief, what’s right is often what’s easiest and cheapest too. My U.K. readers have been some of the strongest supporters of my blog, and I always love hearing from them, especially including you. Carolyn
November 3, 2011 at 6:38 pm
Happy birthday blog! It’s an inspiration, and always a joy to read and to see your beautiful photographs. Thank you, Carolyn!
November 3, 2011 at 8:48 pm
Brucie, Great to have such kind words from another customer. Carolyn
November 3, 2011 at 6:48 pm
Happy blog birthday Carolyn! Only 58 posts? I was sure it must have been more than that. Always an excellent and informative read, and I think your photos are lovely…but like you, I wouldn’t mind a new camera either 😉
November 3, 2011 at 8:53 pm
Clare, I really slacked off in posts over the summer plus I decided at some point during the year that one post a week was all I could handle. My camera is a high end point and shoot which takes great close up shots. However, it is difficult to get a good landscape shot. If you ever saw a really good one on my blog, it was probably the result of 50 tries. I am glad that everyone thinks the photos are good though because the point and shoot is so easy to use and to transport everywhere. I want my photos to look like Les’s on A Tidewater Garden, and I’ll never get there with this camera (and a healthy dose of additional talent). Carolyn
November 3, 2011 at 8:29 pm
Congratulations Carolyn!! I am pleased to be sharing the state of PA with such an accomplished gardener as you!
Thanks for sharing your wealth of knowledge in your well-written articles this year. That is an impressive body of work to have produced in a short time period! It shows your love and passion for plants.
I am hoping for a chance to visit my sister in Kennett Square in the spring in time… and to maybe take a walk around your spring flowers? When do you open for weekends? I love spring & the woodland, so I will think about it often during our long winter, I am sure.
Many thanks,
Julie
November 3, 2011 at 8:57 pm
Julie, I would love to have you come and visit my nursery and gardens. I am open all the time by appointment and especially for visiting bloggers. I can take you to Chanticleer. From April 15 on is the best in my garden unless you are particularly interested in winter-blooming plants like hellebores and snowdrops. You can see what is going on at different times by looking at my GBBD posts. Thanks for your support of my blog. Carolyn
November 3, 2011 at 10:32 pm
I am just four days older than you! Happy first birthday to us – may the celebrations continue. Congratulations.
November 4, 2011 at 9:22 am
Karen, Then best wishes to you too. I will stop by to celebrate. Carolyn
November 3, 2011 at 10:35 pm
Happy Birthday to your blog! I should have have thought of that (birthday rather than anniversary). Oh well. Blogoversary is a cute term, too. Either way, your blog is one of my favorites, and I very much appreciate your expertise, your support, and your beautiful photography!
November 4, 2011 at 9:36 am
PP, I am so amazed (and I am not just being modest) that people keep referring to my beautiful photographs—maybe I don’t need a new camera after all :-). Thanks for your support of my blog. I always enjoy hearing from you. Comments on this post have made me realize that a lot of bloggers read my blog more regularly than I thought but just don’t say anything so I don’t know they are there. Carolyn
November 4, 2011 at 12:29 am
Carolyn,
Happy blog birthday and congratulations on all you have achieved in your first year! You and I joined Blotanical at the same time and were both chosen by Jean as her blogs of the month, so from the start I felt an affinity for your blog. Then getting the chance to spend a day with you in Pennsylvania was fabulous – I feel honoured to have seen your garden in early Spring, with its treasures just starting to appear. Moving from Paris to Delhi has not dimmed my enthusiasm for your posts, although we have precious little shade here! Good luck with your objectives for the next 12 months of blogging. I look forward to continuing to learn from and enjoy Carolyn’s Shade Gardens.
November 4, 2011 at 9:55 am
Jill, I was going to include something in the post about bloggers who had visited and bloggers who had been especially helpful but it was getting too long as it was. I too have a special place in my heart for you and your blog starting with our joint appearance in Blogs of the Month and am avidly following your adventurous life from the U.K. to Paris to Delhi. I will never forget when you visited from Paris, and I asked if you liked Indian food and you said that’s funny, I am moving to India. I am so glad you visited and wish I could return the favor :-). I did visit Jean this summer and hope to do a post on that trip soon. Your support is treasured. Carolyn
November 4, 2011 at 3:08 am
happy birthday,you have such beautiful blog and amazing flowers,wish you success always.
November 4, 2011 at 10:04 am
Thanks for the good wishes, Muna.
November 4, 2011 at 6:23 am
Dear Carolyn
I remember that first image so well and so many of your eye-popping, mouth-watering variations of shade lovers ever since (especially hellebores and epimediums). In my mind’s eye I’ve wandered round your nursery, impressed by all the information you provide and very torn as to what to choose to purchase
Happy blogoversary and wishing you large sales too!
November 4, 2011 at 10:09 am
Laura, How exciting, my first virtual shopper and from London no less. I am so flattered that you remember so much about my blog, including the first photograph. You were one of my earliest supporters and I really appreciate it. Carolyn
November 4, 2011 at 7:59 am
Happy Happy Happy Birthday to Carolyn Shade Gardens! A lovely blog I learn a lot from all the time!
November 4, 2011 at 10:10 am
Tina, Thanks for your good wishes. You are one of my most frequent commenters in my WordPress statistics. I enjoy reading your blog because your pure delight in gardening is infectious. Carolyn
November 4, 2011 at 9:43 am
Happy First Birthday to your blog, Carolyn! I’ve very much enjoyed reading your blog ever since I discovered it. I had no idea it was so young. I’ve really appreciated you sharing your extensive knowledge about gardening for shade. Your personality definitely comes through in your writing. Thanks so much!
November 4, 2011 at 11:58 am
Alison, Thanks for the good wishes. Several people have said that my personality comes through in my writing but without saying what the result was. I prefer to take it as a compliment that my writing has a distinct personality and is enjoyable for that reason. Carolyn
November 4, 2011 at 11:23 am
Happy Birthday, Carolyn’s Shade Gardens! You’ve done an amazing job Carolyn. Your first year has been a huge success and I can say I’ve personally learned so much from you generously sharing your passion and knowledge! Here’s to another successful year!
November 4, 2011 at 11:53 am
Thanks, Cat, you have been a big supporter of my blog, and I really appreciate it. Carolyn
November 4, 2011 at 12:59 pm
Happy Birthday, Carolyn! Congratulations on successfully producing such an inspirational and yet practical blog. I know what a lot of work is involved, and I appreciate what you do and the message you send to gardeners all over the world. I eagerly look forward to your posts. My greatest regret, when I read your blog, is that I am too far away to be a customer. No doubt you would empty my pocketbook!
November 4, 2011 at 2:32 pm
Deb, I couldn’t get a higher compliment from you than inspirational and practical–that is what I strive to achieve with my posts. I too regret that I can’t empty your pocketbook and those of all the other bloggers who want to visit–think of the sales. For now I am satisfied to share gardening with you. It was a highpoint of my year when my name appeared in your post title, I am still giggling. You are one of my most frequent commenters, and I really appreciate that too. Carolyn
November 4, 2011 at 6:24 pm
Well, Happy Birthday! Your blog has certainly been successful, and I attribute that to your vast knowledge. People want to learn, no matter how much gardening experience they have. I hope your garden customers will chime in more. They would probably have many questions that are relevant but that us bloggers might not think about. Now, where’s the cake? 😉
November 4, 2011 at 7:05 pm
Holley, Customers email me all the time with questions that I know other people would want to know the answer to. There seems to be some incredible reluctance to typing the question into the comment box on my blog. I understand this because although garden bloggers are so familiar with the blogging world, the general populace hasn’t the faintest idea what it’s all about. As I said, I was like this the week before I started. You have been a regular reader and commenter, and I really appreciate that. I love cake, but virtual cake just doesn’t satisfy. Carolyn
November 4, 2011 at 7:22 pm
Carolyn has been a busy girl. Happy Birthday!
November 4, 2011 at 9:01 pm
Les, Thanks for the good wishes and the support you have given my blog. I find your photography inspirational and hope to improve mine because because of what I see on your blog. Carolyn
November 4, 2011 at 8:23 pm
Happy blog birthday Carolyn and congrats on a successful first year, with many more to come. It was great getting to know you this year.
November 4, 2011 at 9:19 pm
Donna, Of all people, you have been the biggest help to me and the biggest supporter of my blog. I am sure you are my most frequent commenter (but you don’t show in the statistics because you comment from two blogs), I know you have picked me the most on Blotanical. But more importantly you have helped me time and again work out how to do “everything blog” from dealing with WordPress to navigating Blotanical (so many times you gave me step-by-step instructions by email) to understanding my fellow bloggers to inspiring me with your endlessly creative posts on your own two blogs. I just went back and looked and we have exchanged 320 emails in the last year. You have been my blogging mentor extraordinaire, and I wouldn’t have enjoyed it half as much without you. Thank you so much, Carolyn
November 5, 2011 at 7:13 am
Happy Birthday / Anniversary…if I’d known I’d have a baked a cake!! Congratulations xx
November 5, 2011 at 9:38 am
Thanks, Jane. I should have included a photo of a birthday cake. Carolyn
November 5, 2011 at 10:11 am
Happy Birthday, Carolyn — and many more years of blog postings to come! I really look forward to your writing and especially the accompying photos.
November 5, 2011 at 10:36 am
Thanks, Rachel, many more years is an overwhelming thought though. Carolyn
November 5, 2011 at 12:52 pm
Hi… Thanks for the the fave on my blog… it really means something coming from you! With all the new shade I’m creating, your blog is really the ‘go-to’ source for great info and recommendations.
I saw your comment on my site and no I don’t have that magnolia, nor do I grow ‘Boomerang’ although I haven’t seen any in the nurseries here that looked real impressive. Actually I do have one unlabeled lilac that looks very similar to ‘Boomerang’… it came out of Oregon and it does occasionally rebloom a bit, nothing impressive, but it is quite lovely in the spring bloom period. The garden season is very close to finished here I’m afraid… still waiting for jm Osakazuki to get into its red period… it appears to be very late by virtue of its nature so it will be a close finish… will the frost get the leaves before they fully color or not! Should know before long… take care, Larry
p.s. congrats on the first year of blogging!
November 5, 2011 at 1:34 pm
Larry, You are too modest–you know a lot about shade plants already, but I am glad to help out. Thanks for the birthday wishes. Carolyn
November 5, 2011 at 2:44 pm
Happy birthday to your blog Carolyn! And many more years to come. I really enjoy reading your posts and learn so much from them. I don’t comment very often because I find it difficult to find the right words in English, but I am grateful for all the information on your blog.
November 5, 2011 at 3:01 pm
Denise, You have been a loyal supporter–thanks for your good wishes. Your English is excellent and about 100 times better than my Dutch :-). Carolyn
November 5, 2011 at 2:51 pm
Happy Birthday, I love your blog because I don’t have much shade in my garden in Italy so I like readiny about, and imagining your shade. Actually there is more shade in my garden than when I first began planting it so I am able to try some of your suggestions.
Keep up the good work in your second year. Christina
November 5, 2011 at 3:03 pm
Christina, Thanks for the birthday wishes. I guess we read each other’s blogs for the same reasons plus I love Italy and pretend I am back there while I am immersed in your garden. Carolyn
November 5, 2011 at 7:30 pm
Carolyn, congratulations on your first birthday. I enjoyed looking back at your articles and happily remembered the post about getting rid of the lawn. I’m still working hard on removing lawn and have a long ways to go before my own even remotely resembles yours but I was glad to see your gardens and dream about the prospects.
November 5, 2011 at 10:15 pm
Marguerite, Thanks for the birthday wishes. I still have tons of lawn but it is full of “wildflowers” AKA weeds. Carolyn
November 5, 2011 at 7:59 pm
Happy birthday! I always enjoy reading your blog and hope you continue with it. Your garden is always so lovely, with an interesting variety of plants and very well tended. I am looking forward to more pictures and more informative posts. Good luck.
November 5, 2011 at 10:16 pm
Masha, You will probably see more roses now that I am reading your blog regularly and have a deer fence. Carolyn
November 6, 2011 at 9:23 am
Happy Birthday Carolyn and of course, May you have many more blogposts, er, birthdays to come! I’ve been ahead of you in blogging but till now I still don’t know the date i started. But like you I appreciate comments very much, they inspire me to post more. Yours is more productive because this blog is tied up with your nursery business, ours is just spur-of-the-moment things, but i gain friends through this medium.
November 6, 2011 at 9:47 am
Andrea, You were one of the original bloggers that I connected with and I appreciate your continued support (even though I think that not much of what I post is relevant in the Philippines!). Carolyn
November 6, 2011 at 9:50 am
Happy Birthday, Carolyn! The success of your blog is a testament to its quality and is so well deserved. (BTW, I have some modest techie skills and would be happy to help with the blog redesign project in any way that would be useful to you. I am going to return to sanity and have much more time once this semester is over.)
November 6, 2011 at 11:48 am
Jean, You have been so helpful with my blog already especially when you featured it in blogs on the month. I was going to say more about garden bloggers bu the post was getting too long. One of the highlights of the year was meeting garden bloggers in person, including you twice! I will take you up on your techie offer. Thanks for your support. Carolyn
November 6, 2011 at 9:52 am
Happy Blog Birthday Dear Carolyn! I have learned a lot from your articles , and I enjoy your musings. I wish I lived closer to your place and could visit often!
Hugs,
Tatyana
November 6, 2011 at 11:49 am
Thanks, Tatyana, you were an early supporter of my blog and I really appreciate it. Carolyn
November 7, 2011 at 6:14 am
Happy Birthday! Lucky us that you decided to blog and thank you for highlighting some of the posts throughout your 1st year. So many need to be read as I am somewhat new to your blog.
I can’t wait for your snowdrop catalog. I planted some yesterday but I think you will offer some different ones that will be a must for the garden. I wish you offered your hellebores too, even if they were smaller plants and needed patience till they got to flowering size. You have some species that I have had trouble growing from seed, maybe you will reconsider?
November 7, 2011 at 12:28 pm
Terryk, Thanks for the good wishes. I am glad that my attempt to recapture my past year in one post was worthwhile to you. I may reconsider mailing my hellebores in the future but not right now. In the meantime, you should see it the species you want are available from Arrowhead Alpine mail order. Their plants are very high quality. Carolyn
November 7, 2011 at 2:59 pm
Thanks for the tip Carolyn. I have toyed with ordering from them, I think it is time to take the plunge and order. Wonder if it is too late to order and have success with planting out this year in zone 6 NY?
November 7, 2011 at 4:09 pm
I would wait for spring to insure success. You should be able to plant in March in zone 6.
November 7, 2011 at 4:26 pm
Thanks again Carolyn. Of course with the weather we have been having who knows what March will be like!
November 8, 2011 at 8:36 am
Congratulations Carolyn on your anniversary. I have certainly enjoyed all my visits to your blog and have left time and again with more plants added to my wish list. If only you were in Canada and could ship me woodland plants. One day perhaps? I look forward to more blogs and another year.
November 8, 2011 at 10:02 am
Patty, thanks for all your support over the last year. Somehow I must have known you were in Canada, but I was thinking Pomona, California. Carolyn
November 9, 2011 at 8:15 pm
Happy birthday ( a bit late) from me, too! And now I have to find time to read those Hellebore articles…
November 9, 2011 at 8:24 pm
Lyn, It’s never too late for birthday wishes, thanks. I hope you will enjoy the hellebore articles. They are kind of weighty as a pack. Carolyn
November 13, 2011 at 11:53 am
I am so sorry to comment you this late, no excuses, but work. So here it goes a huge happy blog-birthday and many, many thanks for sharing your garden and your knowledge with us. I have learned and discover many plants from reading your posts and have tried some of your suggestions, though my terrace does not offer many chances. Please do continue your blogging, your first image was beautiful!
November 13, 2011 at 2:06 pm
Lula, I feel like we came into blogging together because you and I plus Jill were featured on Blogs of the Month at the same time. Thanks for your support. Carolyn
November 13, 2011 at 12:30 pm
A new comment, wit copy of one left in jeansgarden.wordpress.com, post blogs of the month:
“… Carolyn, since your mentioned, I just review Jean’s January’s post and .. we were together with Jill and Donna’s!! Indeed Jean’s posts make good connections!!”
November 13, 2011 at 5:00 pm
Lula, I just went back and looked too and you are right Donna was there too and I have a special connection with her. It is kind of like a graduating class. Carolyn
January 10, 2012 at 10:59 am
Hi Carolyn,
Is there a list of shade plants that are native to SE PA that you can point me to? I need to do a bed in the front and it is total shade until 5PM. I’m going to use perennials, shrubs, etc. and want to create a colorful, texture, vaired display. Thanks!
January 10, 2012 at 11:49 am
Laurie, I think your best bet would be to contact the Mt. Cuba Center in Delaware by clicking here. They are dedicated to promoting the native plants of this area. Once you decide what you want, I have over 80 native plants in my catalogue and more will arrive during the season. Carolyn
January 10, 2012 at 11:59 am
Carolyn,
That is a great idea and I just signed up to receive your catalog..can’t wait to see it. Thank you for your prompt response 🙂