RE: Hello

> From: Grem, Beth A <GremEA@navair.navy.mil>
>   A new house is fun, but a bit overwhelming.  I eventually would
like some
> landscaping, but the budget doesn't allow much!  About heirlooms,
the only
> ones I've tried are tomatoes-Prudens Purple.  How about you?? 
> Beth (MD zone 7)
-------------
How did you like the Prudens Purple ?

Indeed, overwhelming at times. We did most of the work ourselves
taking 14 months to build. Okay, some trim work and a master bathroom
yet to finish, but done enough for now.

As for ''landscape'', we have NONE by design, except for a good size
rose garden (no hybrid teas) I put in just May. It's on the south
side of our house, (veggie garden will set just south of this rose
garden this Spring) with some grass paths about the rose islands. 
Driveway on one side, house on another, two sides are pasture land
where the sheep come up and beg for faded rose blooms. I grew tired
of cutting lawns at the old house, So the sheep graze everywhere else
for us. They also keep the blackberries back in our small forest.

As for heirloom vegetables, I can only recall growing Golden Bantam
corn some 12 year ago and loved it. Last year (kind of a last minute
thing) I did ''fit in'' some veggies into the bare spaces of the rose
garden.  I planted Sugar Dots corn (hybrid) along with some Golden
Jubilee corn (hybrid) and they were not to wonderful at all. More
like store bought stuff. Hummm... Could they have ''crossed" ?

I also added some Oregon Sugar Pod II, (I'm not sure if they are
heirloom - Oregon Sugar Pod's are, but unsure of the ll added here.) 
my boys and husband love them and snacked them all up. (I don't care
for that ''fresh garden greens taste'', bad me... I prefer them
steamed.)

I also planted carrots (don't recall the name) but fresh home-grown
carrots are always wonderful. Tossed in a few onions bulbs and a
couple Roma type tomato plants. Tomatoes where a bit late getting
into the ground, but they loved the rich amended soil and put up tons
of fruit. Sadly they didn't all ripe well, as I didn't cage them up
and Fall was at hand.

This year I am planning more deliberately, and plan to add things
I've never grown before.  Like celery, asparagus, artichokes, shell
beans, Chinese cabbage, 5 pepper varieties, 7 kinds of potatoes (love
home-grown potatoes but have only grown russets) and a good sampling
of squashes. Also have many other heirloom varieties I will grow. 
I've read that they have much better flavor, better nutrition and I
like the idea of saving the seeds. Looking forward to growing
'Brandywine' tomatoes, I've heard good things about them.

Sincerely,       
~Carleen~
Keeper of Sheep & Old Roses
Rainier, OR  zone 8
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