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[PRIMROSES] Water

Patti, I don't know the water availability of your new place but if you can
capture any runoff from the house then you can create a bed to grow
moisture loving plants such as hosta.
I'll describe what we've done, hopefully you can find a method of recycling
some of your water, air conditioner water is a good source. Our kitchen
sink and washer empty into the front yard of our house which is on a hill.
We've made 7 ponds 2 to 3 foot deep lined with rubber pond liner, each of
these ponds empties into the other.  The bottom is filled with 1 foot of
volcanic rock covered with landscaped clothe then covered with soil then
mulch. I plant directly into the mulch and the plants seek the water that
flows under and through the rock. These bogs are never dry and there is no
watering required, just wash the dishes. Hosta, pulmonaria, estillbe are
very happy so far. Last year a tomato volunteer popped up so we let it grow
and the tomatoes were wonderful. I collect my urine and poor it into the
top bog, so far this is the only fertilizer used. With this system you
could have moisture loving plants growing in what would look like a
mountain stream flowing through a desert with the lush edges moving out
into the surrounding arid area.

At 04:50 PM 12/26/97 -0800, Patricia R. Wenham wrote:
>Hello!
>
>I am quite excited to be able to join this list because I will be able
>to grow shade loving plants again next fall.  I used to live on the
>coast of WA state where it was wet and we had a goodly amount of shade
>where hostas and primroses flourished.  I also grew ferns and begonias.
>We moved to the reclaimed dessert in North Central WA state and I can
>grow iris, lilies, cactus and hardy hibiscus.
>
>My new home will be by a creek and there are several shrubs and trees
>planted along the bank.  I will have to prune lover branches and make
>the creek visible from the yard.  I will grow my shade lovers under the
>trees.
>
>Sherryl, I will be retiring from the Assessor's office next November.  I
>have been an accountant and a real estate appraiser most of my working
>life.  I have always grown flowers.  Hostas were almost impossible to
>grow here because of the extremely dry conditions and the extreme heat
>in summer.  I did get a collection several years ago that was supposed
>to be heat resistant.  They were and remain favorites to this day
>because all survived.  I do not know anything about hybridizing them and
>have never grown any from seed but plan to do both at my new home.
>
>Patti Wenham <prw@televar.com>
>
>

"Conflict is as addictive as nicotine, alcohol, drugs, etc.
I'm sorry to report that cooperation is not."
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