March seems to be a very busy birthday month for Blotanical bloggers! My birthday just happened to fall on the day Blotanical was having 'technical difficulties', so emails weren't sent out...but that's ok:-) I'd like to mention some other March bloggers who had their birthdays right around mine (and there were many!).
Let's see: Helen (Green Thoughts) and David (A Photographer's Garden Blog) shared a birthday on March 2nd, both Robin (Robin's Nesting Place) and Jared (Pleasant Hill Ramblings) had a birthday on March 4th, Susan's (Garden Chick's Design Tips) birthday was on March 7th, Linda (Crafty Gardener) had hers on March 12, and Nancy's (Soliloquy) is today, March 14th!
There are a lot of us Pisces out here in cyberspace;-) A collective Happy Birthday to all of us!!
On my birthday, I decided to go to Home Depot and buy some books--gardening 'self-help' books! Here's one by Pamela Crawford, Easy Container Gardens:
So far, this book has given me some great ideas, and I've already purchased some new containers to add to my collection. I am going to place large containers (with a mix of perennials and annuals) throughout my gardens and backyard this year. I'm looking forward to getting started!
I picked out this book from Home Depot, Gardening 1-2-3, simply because it looks like a good reference book for advice and ideas:
Perhaps the 'best' one will be the Month-By-Month Gardening in the Mid-Atlantic (revised edition), by Andre and Mark Viette. It covers 'what to do each month to have a beautiful garden all year', in Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C.:
Lastly, Annuals (A 'SmartGuide) by The Creative Homeowner, will give me planting tips and other information on annuals:
So, not only have I been getting ideas and helpful advice--I've been getting my 'fix' of blooms and color by pouring through all of these pages!!I'll have another post out tomorrow for March's Garden Blogger's Bloom Day, sponsored by Carol, at May Dreams Gardens. Don't forget to post what's blooming in your garden this month! I'd love to come by and see!
PS: Thanks to everyone who stopped by when I was M.I.A.!! I went 12 days without a post! A record for me!
--Today I am thankful for birthdays and books!
Happy Belated Birthday! I usually get e-mails about Blotanical members' birthdays, but if that was when Blotanical was having problems, no wonder I didn't know.
ReplyDeleteLooks like you bought yourself some great birthday gifts. I've just spent an hour cutting back perennials--beautiful weather here, it's great to be able to work in the garden.
Hope you had a great day!
Happy belated birthday! I love gardening books that have oodles of photos - looks like you'll have lots to read - it's just a matter of finding time now that there's so much to do in the garden.
ReplyDeleteWell, a Happy Birthday to you! And remember to celebrate all month. That's what we women like to do!
ReplyDeleteBrenda
Happy Birthday Jan, and what fun to be able to go out and choose these "bouquets" for your own enjoyment!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to you Jan. Lovely books. I HOPE Blotanical has technical issues when my birthday comes around, as that is not for public info from my viewpoint. I asked Stuart about it and he is working to make it optional-hopefully soon.
ReplyDeleteJan, Can't remember if I wished you a Happy Birthday or not(probably not). So Hapy Belated Birthday!!
ReplyDeleteThose books look like such fun. I really like the Easy Container Gardens. I think I will look for that one. I've thought about putting containers around in the gardens too. Add some bright spots where nothing is blooming at the time.
A great birthday present to yourself! And thanks for sharing them with us.
Great books to get some ideas! Welcome back to the keyboard. ;-)
ReplyDeleteHappy Belated Birthday Jan! Horticulture-related birthday presents are the best. ;)
ReplyDeleteGood to see you posting again. I believe I've already left a b.d. greeting on Blotanical, but here's another,
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful birthday!
Happy belated birthday! Looking forward to your photos when the garden is up and running.
ReplyDeleteA belated happy birthday to you, Jan! Looks like you celebrated in grand fashion. I look forward to hearing about the ideas you garner from all those fabulous books. Glad you're back in the swing of things!
ReplyDeleteJan girl ! Happy Happy Happy post Birthday girl ! .. I have to get to the bookstore and have a good browse myself : )
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday a little late!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday! March is a great month for birthdays, my husband's was yesterday.
ReplyDeleteGardening books are a great present! You'll have lots of fun looking through them and before you know it, it'll be time to take your inspiration into the garden and plant!!
Happy (belated) Birthday! Hope you had just a fabulous birthday. Love your selection of books!
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Cameron
What a fun trip, love those books. They remind me of a bunch of books I've been checking out from the library lately.
ReplyDeleteHappy belated birthday by the way.
Happy Belated Birthday! Oh that is
ReplyDeleteterrible about Blotanicals was down
on your birthday.
Happy Belated Birthday! Some new garden books sound like just the way to start a new year. May you have your best garden ever!
ReplyDeleteHappy Belated Birthday! :) Looks like you got some inspiring reading ahead of you. I am completely addicted to container gardening and have been for years now. Look forward to what you plant in the coming months!
ReplyDeleteHi Jan- Glad you are back. I love the new blog header, a very pretty combination of colors. And, last but not least.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY! (late, sorry) Hope your birthday week was a great one:D
ReplyDelete-Heather
I also loved your book selection.
It sounds like you had a good birthday. I like the books you treated yourself to. With blogging, I haven't been reading as much as I'd like.
ReplyDeleteHappy belated birthday,
Sue
Happy Belated Birthday Jan! Looks like you found some wonderful new gardening books. See ya tomorrow for GBBD!
ReplyDeleteWhat great choice of books, Jan. Happy Birthday! Pisces.... That reminds me that it's arch 15 and I should be getting my Monthly B'day post ready...
ReplyDeleteI'll be looking forward to your GBBD.
happy sunday jan and belated birthday well wishes.
ReplyDeletethe garden books look interesting... the easy container plants might be one i need to purchase :)
and, i suppose one of these days i need to purchase one for our region. maybe then i'd have more success with what i put out? i've a ton of containers that i want to put together this spring but...haven't a plan yet of what i want to put in them. all i know is i love the color once they are completed :)
have a great day.
That first book seemed like a good one: For anyone who has ever killed a plant...Well that's me!
ReplyDelete(at the moment trying to kill a clivia)
Hilde :)
Oh, belated but heartfelt birthday wishes, Jan! Blotanicals woes were so exasperating, and I'm sorry we missed your birthday. But it was definitely a fruitful one in terms of books!
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday to all the garden bloggers that celebrate in March.
ReplyDeleteBooks are a wonderful gift .. you will have lots of reading and planning to do in the weeks ahead.
Hi Jan
ReplyDeleteGardening books are real retail therapy.
Belatedly, Happy Birthday.
Rob
Well, Happy Belated! I hope you enjoyed your time off- we all need it from time to time! I love the books you purchased! The month-by-month will come in handy!
ReplyDeleteHappy belated birthday Jan! Belated wishes that you had a great day filled with friends, family and flowers.
ReplyDeleteThe Easy container Gardens book looks like one I definitely need. Maybe its the subtitle"For Anyone Who Has Ever Killed A Plant" :)
Happy Birthday!
Wishing you belated birthday greetings Jan ! I hope that your special day was filled with fun and flowers xxx
ReplyDeletehappy belated birthday to you!
ReplyDeleteRose! Barbara! Brenda! DP! Tina! Beckie! Janet! SweetBay! Alice! Bonnie! Donna! Joy! Anne! Catherine! Cameron! Cinj! Cathy! Connie! Cynthia! Heather! Sue! Raquel! Chandramouli! Erin! Hilde! Jodi! Linda! Rob! Tessa! Lona! WOW! Thank you all for your wonderful birthday wishes! It made my day to read them;-) In fact, today we actually 'celebrated ' my birthday at home! Up until now, it wasn't really officially celebrated'...because hubby was out of town. But today we had cake while our daughter was home from college for spring break...and with all of your wishes, I now feel 'officially' 52. All of your wishes are special to me!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun way to spend your birthday gift money! Exactly something that I would do. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteHappy happy happy day, Jan, even if I'm way late! The books look wonderful, especially the container gardening one. I do lots of large containers on the patio, and am planning them now. Just remember though that they take a LOT of water! Every year I forget this little fact, and by August I am swearing and sweating as I water them twice a day! But I just can't resist those wonderful coleus.
ReplyDeleteHappy (belated) birthday Jan! Sounds like you had a very nice fmily celebration, and how nice that your daughter was able to be there.
ReplyDeleteJan~~ I'm so sorry I missed your birthday. Not such good timing on Blotanical's part. You're such a friendly, joyful person and it saddens me that you didn't get to hear from all your "fans" aka friends on your day.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like with your birthday acquisitions you've got a lot of inspiration at your fingertips. Although the Internet has a lot of great information, nothing beats a tangible hardcopy, in my opinion.
Happy Belated Birthday, Jan.
Happy belated birthday, Jan! It's good to see Blotanical working smoothly again.
ReplyDeleteYou certainly spent your birthday money well. Happy reading and gardening!
Happy Birthday! I wanted to add your blog to my list of favourites blogs (on my blog, on blotanical I have it already) and I don't know what it happened. Anyway, I will add it now! And next year I will know when your birthday is!
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday, be healthy and smiling!