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[SHADEGARDENS] Introduction

Hi Sherryl,

Thanks for the welcoming message.

My name is John Ford and I live in Blacksburg, Virginia USA which is in
the mountains of the Southwest portion of the state - being on a small
plateau partway up a mountain we are a bit cooler than the USDA Zone 7
rating for this area of the state.  We usually only see minimums in
the -5 to 0 F range, but I have seen temps as low as -20 F on a couple
of occasions.  This is really rough on plants since we rarely carry
any snow cover for extended periods.

I generally only grow species, but must admit to being seduced by the
occasional hybrid.  My favorite genera are Aquilegia, Penstemon,
Tricyrtis, Sedum, Corydalis, Astilbe, Thalictrum and Salvia.

My current projects revolve around five larger perennial beds and 4
smaller beds which total about 4000 sq ft of which about 1600 sq ft
qualifies as shade to part shade.  These beds are currently home to
slightly over 700 species of perennials, 25-30 species of ferns and
about a dozen or so species of ornamental grasses.

Projects for the current year include planting a 100 sq ft raised alpine
bed, scalloping a 16 x 22 ft area beside my driveway for a succulent
bed; this will involve removing approximately 25 cubic yards of soil and
then toping the area with about 4 yards of mixed sand and gravel.  I
also want to start a 20 x 30 ft herb garden (culinary this year, the
apothecary's garden and the enchanter's garden will follow over the next
two years) and start work on a bog garden once I decide where to put it.

My projects are spread out because I prefer to do the work by hand
rather than relying on power equipment.  It's good exercise, good
therapy after spending all day staring at a monitor and I get more of
a feeling of accomplishment when I look at project and know that I did
it with my own two hands.  Since I tend to be somewhat outcome oriented,
I also feel that doing it this way keeps me more involved with the
process of creation rather than the "get it done and in production"
approach that rules my working day.

I also grow about 600 plants of a variety of different types indoors (I
need a greenhouse badly).  My special interests are non-cactus
succulents, gesneriads, carnivorous plants, aroids, ferns, orchids and
just about anything that has chlorophyll and is either pretty or
unusual. I also grow a variety of mosses (intentionally, not just
because they showed up) and a couple of liverworts.

I belong to a variety of plant related organizations:

American Gloxinia and Gesneriad Society
American Orchid Society
American Penstemon Society
Blue Ridge Orchid Society
Cactus and Succulent Society of America
Gesneriad Society International
International Aroid Society
International Carnivorous Plant Society
North American Rock Garden Society

John
jford@runet.edu
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