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Howdy.....I've been growing flowers in containers in what I like to call a bird garden for a few years now. I've always lived in an apartment till recently and since I had a ground floor apartment I was able to have a garden in the back. I had about 50 - 16 inch plastic containers and five 8'x4' wooden raised beds. Grew various cone flowers, coreopsis, bee balm, cardinal flowers, agastache, salvias, rudbeckias, shasta dasies, Joe Pye weed, sedums and veronicas. Mixed in there were about 30 or so bird feeders of various kinds. We always enjoy watching birds, squirrels, chipmunks and butterflies going about their business amongst the flowers and feeders, its very relaxing I think. Not many things in life more enjoyable I think than reading a good book sitting with a cup of coffee out by your flower beds early in the morning and hearing all the birds.
My wife and I recently moved into our first house and I moved about 250 perennials last fall to our new home. I have about 2,800 sq. ft. of beds planted now. I killed the Bermuda grass that was there, brought in about 17 yards of planting bed mix from a local landscape supply, had it all tilled in and then set out my plants. So far so good, but the first thing I learned was that weeding containers and keeping weeds outta flower beds is definately two different things. Been fighting chickweed, henbit, etc. so far...Trying to learn about annual weeds and how I can manage to keep them at bay.... Looking forward to learning many new things from you folks and maybe being able to help someone else also.
Plants: 4 | From: Alabama | Registered: Jan 2006
| Seeded: 66.32.6.75
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Hi there Sinai and welcome to the Forum. Sounds like you have a lot going on at your place. Must be pretty in full bloom so please don't be shy in sharing pics!
* * * * We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart. Plants: 30076 | From: Washington, the state that is... | Registered: Aug 2004
| Seeded: 66.235.45.83
Welcome! You've got some beautiful flowers and a nice bed for them. Wow, it looks like you've done a lot of work in a very short time and it shows. It looks great! Just do what Weezie said because once you get the soil loose it's so easy to keep the weeds in check.
Have a GREAT day!
patches
* * * * "Lord, I love you and I need you, come into my heart, and bless me, my family, my home, and my friends, in Jesus' name. Amen!" Plants: 6492 | From: Illinois | Registered: Feb 2006
| Seeded: 199.217.139.105
gardenmom32210
guest
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It's a pleasure to meet you!
Your pictures are amazing I can't get over the wonderful gardens you had at your apartment,they were breathtaking The yard at your new home(congratulations by the way ) is going to be beautiful. I bet there were ALOT of sore muscles the day ya'll put it in. WOW...200 plants in 2800 square feet I can't wait to see pictures as it grows and blends together
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Howdy, Sinai! I love to meet a gardener who likes birds! I don't have much room for gardening at my house but really enjoy it. I am however a fanatical bird watcher and now primarily a bird photographer, with about as many feeders as you have. I am a member of several worldwide wild bird forums as well as having a little cubicle here in the "Birds and Butterfly Gardens" section. When It gets to hot in Summer for the birds to be stirring, we birders switch over to insect and plant study. I am retired and spend most of my time after birds or on the internet.
* * * * A bird in the hand......can sometimes be a mess. Plants: 2894 | From: Nashville, TN | Registered: May 2005
| Seeded: 68.19.196.76
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Looking forward to learning many new things from you folks and maybe being able to help someone else also.
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Penny
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Just do what Weezie said because once you get the soil loose it's so easy to keep the weeds in check. ![[kitty]](graemlins/kitty.gif)
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The yard at your new home(congratulations by the way ![[shocked]](graemlins/shock.gif)
I can't wait to see pictures as it grows and blends together 
Printer-friendly view of this garden