The red cinder rock is suppose to be better for that Linda. I think the chicken grit is to smooth, I have it around mine. I haven't seen anymore slug damage since I started using the slug bait (the one that you can use around pets and children). In fact I should probably go out and put more down, it's been awhile.

Sorry Cynthia. No, not sorry, 'Birds of a feather flock together', as my mother used to say. Welcome to the flock.

And my Orostachys seem to be doing very well as of today. Except for spinosa, the slugs ate the adult rosette but the offsets seem fine.

wow I can add a little note to slug control. I have tried every remedy out there. what works for me is crushed oyster shells. I make little paths around some of my smaller plants early in the yr and the slugs can't crawl over it. I used to be a mini hosta collector and it works great for my mini be. I started using it around my rock gardens, as rocks attract slugs.

it is not an addative to the soil it acts as a barrier. i use chicken grit in the soil as it deters voles.

I remember seeing somewhere that oyster shell works. And look at how pretty it is. Cynthia your garden is beautiful. And I love the little painted rock plant markers.
The photos make me sigh with contentment, i almost feel like I am sitting in them and enjoying them.
Thank you so much for posting them.
The oyster shell is also decorative. It looks like a mini path, or highway for garden fairies. : )

I am a sucker for compliments, thank you, (blushing)

I just knew it was a fairy path. Look.

Where is Charleen, she will just love this last photo.

Beautiful Cynthia! What do you mean you "used to be" a mini hosta collector? You can't give up now - I still see ground showing.

Yes, I agree with Chris. Need to finish filling up that ground. Can't plant semps there, not enough sun. May as well fill it all up with mini hostas. Anything else we can help you with Cynthia?

Cynthia....all I can say is ...WOW...what a beautiful garden you have! I love the rock garden pic you posted on another thread too. You're great at designing.

let me explain about the mini hostas, i am actually a nursery owner during the day. For the last nine yrs. the thing that i really was sad about is that it was no longer a hobby. The mini garden is actually part of the nursery display beds. and yes i still love it but it's not a hobby. It sort of took on a life of it's own
Semps on the other hand are the first plant i have actually enjoyed collecting and building areas for. I live on the property the semps are my own private collection. I don't sell them and don't want to. any time you have to start keeping track of inventory it loses something for me. My rock gardens are under my kitchen window.
I joined this group to learn and bring me gardening pleasure because it was something i really missed. Gardening and talking about plants is something I love and it's just not the same when you have to worry about selling something. If i had my way i would give all the plants at the nursery to people but i do have to make a living.

Cynthia, that is the way I feel about my semps. I love collecting them, sharing/trading, and have no desire to start a business. I do hope to have a yard sale this year featuring planted containers of semps & sedum. A way to make just enough money to support my habit.
I have had enough years of responsibility to a job, now I am enjoying my second childhood growing semps & sedum.

In your nursery do you only grow hostas?

I can fully understand that Cynthia. I never want my hobbies to become a job for me. When I need a break from them I want to be able to take a break - not be obligated to do it every day. I do woodworking for a hobby, and a few years ago I took almost an entire year off just because I didn't feel like doing any. When I got back at it again it was with a new enthusiasm. I know your new addiction/hobby will bring you lots of joy!

I, too, can totally understand Cynthia. There was a time I loved doing ceramics, so much so that I went into the ceramic business. I entered all the shows, worn awards, but it didn't take long before the business was so overwhelming that I didn't want anything to do with it. It has been 20 years since I touched any ceramics. I no longer paint or glaze anything. However, I have considered making planters. I still have my kiln. They would only be for me or as a gift if I was to do that. And, it's because of the semps and sedum that I have thought about making planters.

It's wonderful having you here with us and I'm sure you have lots of knowledge to share with us. You are excellent at designing gardens. I have really enjoyed the pics you've shared. I hope to make an area into a rock garden this year...so I may be needing advice.

you all are too kind, and i'm glad you understand. I grow lots and lots of stuff besides hosta. conifers, arisaema, daylilies, shrubs. i have 5acres with 1enormous greenhouse and 5 polyhouses. I was a customer here for 25 yrs and it came along when i was ready to leave my job and my children were out of the house and on their own path. My parents were both gardeners, there are still people in a garden club i go to who remember my dad. which is a hoot.
I can't drink gin or stand the smell for some of the same reasons, but that's a different story.

Wow, you must stay very busy Cynthia, that is a lot to take care of. How long have you had it?
Do you have any of the little miniature type conifers?

yes i do have all those little mini conifers. I bought the nursery about nine yrs ago. I have been so busy that I lost my favorite hobby gardening. last yr my husband joined me full time so a lot of the really hard physical labor i don't have to do anymore. I have some time to do fun things again.
Lynn, if you would like to trade sometime a conifer for some semps i would be happy to do that. I have actually made some containers with both and i put both in the rock gardens. the two plants actually have some of the same requirements. Both need a little more water than people think but both must have really good drainage. some of the mini conifers only grow about 1/4 inch a yr. so work really well in containers.

I love using miniature conifers with my semps. I think I have 5 or 6 mixed containers of them. I'd love to do a trade too if you'd be interested.

I would to trade also Cynthia.

Seeing Chris's containers this last year has made me want to do some with the miniature conifers.
You can look through our database of semps and see which ones Chris & I have. You will see our screen names under the photos of the one that we have.
Just let me know how many you would want for a tree. I usually send 2 offsets per variety.

Cynthia, do you have a website? Or do you even do mail order?

I just want to buy a pretty miniature conifer....

Did you see the teeny tiny ones in Cynthia's garden photos in the above post? They are wonderful.

Chris has some of her hypertufa photos that show miniature conifers in with the hardy succulents. They are wonderful.


I have the perfect bowl I got from Janet (Imapigeon) for doing a miniature conifer garden.