Hi! I'm new to the NGA and looking around and getting involved and having a great amount of fun! I just found your forum and thought I would take this opportunity to introduce you to my one piece of garden art. His name is Herman:



He is my concrete guard turtle! I've had him for probably 30 years. I brought him with me to Virginia from Colorado. Herman's only fault is that he hates having his picture taken! Every time I bring my camera into the garden he hides behind an Iris fan.



He recently told me what his problem was. He confided that he was scared to death that I would post his picture in an online forum of some kind or on Facebook. When I asked him why that would bother him he simply pulled his head into his shell and refused to answer me. Finally, after several failed attempts at coaxing his story out of him he blurted it out. He said he was scared of becoming famous and turning into a mutant ninja turtle. I told him there was not chance of that happening because he wasn't a teenager any more. But that didn't help. He just accused me of calling him old!

But then one day it happened! This spring, while my Irises were still in bloom, my neighbor came over with his camera and Herman wasn't fast enough to hide. My neighbor took Herman's picture and posted it on Facebook!



Herman's worst fears came upon him! Herman became an instant celebrity among my 'friends' and that's when it all hit the fan! Herman became a Mutant Ninja Turtle! He was ready to save the world...but he said he wasn't leaving my garden to live in no steenking sewer!

I said he could stay in my garden as long as he wanted to...but he still had to help save the world... and my garden from rabbits and squirrels and voles and moles. He agreed. But he is still indignant, and doesn't like the fact that I took away his Iris fans. Now he has nowhere to hide! He tells me every morning when I go into my garden, that even Clark Kent and Superman had their telephone booths! I keep trying to reassure him that they will grow back soon enough. I'm not sure he believes me.

It's fun to have a bit of humor in the garden, I enjoyed it!

We're glad you're here

John, I loved reading your story about Herman and he is so cute! I think Herman needs company. Maybe that will help him be a little more sociable and less grumpy

Curious about those empty? pots sitting in your iris bed. What are they for?

Vickie,

The empty pots are actually placeholders. I am going to plant three Queen Elizabeth roses in that flower bed next year. And I wanted to make sure I gave them plenty of room. I wanted to make sure I had enough space between the rose bushes and the sections of Irises. I know they have different fertilizer and water needs.

Now that makes sense! Good idea

Welcome to the forums, John. In high school I lived in Hampton, so I know your neck of the woods quite well. Herman is adorable. I had a live Herman visit me recently:
. But since he disappeared within an hour, I like yours better, as he seems to stick around to enjoy day after day.

Peggy, I like your guest too. He definitely has some patina on his shell. More so than my Herman.

I think I found Herman's girlfriend earlier. She was cute, but I have enough garden art.

She's very cute

GardensJohn said:Peggy, I like your guest too. He definitely has some patina on his shell. More so than my Herman.

I think that's called common mud, John. Probably had just crawled out of a muddy ditch.

Hamwild, I'm glad you had enough garden art. If she were in your garden I'm afraid Herman would never come back from his next "adventure"! My neighbor has already hinted around that Herman may have already done some philandering. He even posted a picture of Herman's offspring: