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Sep 27, 2015 3:06 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Ruud
The Netherlands
Apples Herbs Frogs and Toads Foliage Fan Region: Europe Ponds
Critters Allowed Houseplants Solar Power Aroids Birds Bromeliad
First of all: my homeland and thus my garden and in-house possibilities and chalenges are quite different than from most of you. So what am I doing here?

Well, I am an all-over plant enthousiast. This also means I (try) to grow plants (and quite often killing them) which are a challenge to my location. In other words: it is often wise to listen to people who are more experienced with them in there 'natural' habitat so I can adapt the circumstances as best as possible. Additionally, I am addicted to photographing plants.

In house I keep (mainly) orchids, bromelia's and succulents (depending on the side of the house). So my Dracula, Masdevallia and such cold and wet loving orchids will be at the north, succulents (cactaceae, crassula, Euphorbia and all similar to that) at the south, the rest: probably in between of where-ever there is room.

My garden is on a "Terp". That is an artificial 'hill' close to a river, just high enough (2m or so) to keep your feet dry at high water (that was off course before climate change - no guarantee these days - fortunately a new dijk (dike?) was build).

The garden benefit of a 'terp': well drained! But very dry also during dry spells. This last September with rain almost daily it is at the other hand just as wet as anything else.
Relatively mild weather year round (-15 up to +30°, in Celcius, no idea what that would be in Fahrenheid). In winter we loose f.e. mountain plants not to low temperatures but to rot. The continuously going just above freezing and below again gives rise to this rot (and of course moulds). That is where my superb drainage helps! We can grow a lot as long it does not need real heat/sun/dry spells (f.e. forget Proteas, even in a good summer not enough sun).

In my garden I have a lot of trees (mainly Oaks and Ulmus (sorry, do not know the USA name) in ~1/3 of the garden. The remainder of this 'forest' (just a 700 m2) are all kinds of wood-plants (shrubs, bulbs etc.). Another 1/3 is occupied by fruit trees (mainly historical cultivars of apple and pear) undergrown with as wild a pasture (including native orchids) as I can achieve.
The last part is the 'formal' garden with my plant collections such as gingers (mainly from the genus Roscoea), Impatiens (the few hardy ones), Arisaema (hardy or in pots) and lots and lots of other plants that for no specific reason I just want to grow such as bulbs, ornamental grasses, roses and everything I just bought for probably no good reason at all. Forget about design, I've never bothered.

So why I am here? What triggered me was the plant database. I do not only love to grow plants but, as stated, I also love photografing them. Living in a different part of the world the database supplied me with names and pics I could not find elsewhere but I also noticed I had many pics of plants mentioned in this database but not yet displayed. Obviously these are often hybrids or plants popular or easy to grow in Europe but not necessarily available in USA. So as a kind of returned favour I decided to add some pics. In the mean time I hope to enjoy my stay at this forum and share with you our mutual plant-love and know-how!

Ruud

ps. If you have plenty of time you can see a lot of my pics at FlickR, just Google "Ruud de Block and FlickR"

pps. English is not my first language, so sorry for stupid phrases and spelling mistakes!
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Sep 27, 2015 9:06 PM CST
Name: greene
Savannah, GA (Sunset 28) (Zone 8b)
I have no use for internet bullies!
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Ruud, Welcome!
Welcome to All Things Plants/ATP.
If English is not your first language you are doing a fantastic job communicating!! Sounds like your garden is perfect; a little bit of everything. It will be good to see you adding photos to the ATP database where they are needed.

Also, we are a photo-hungry group. We enjoy seeing pictures of plants, entire gardens, garden projects, and all kinds of things.

If you look on the left side of the screen for the word 'Goodies' it will take you to a list. Click on 'Members Map' and you will see that we have maybe 5 or 6 members who live in the Netherlands.

The Ulmus is an Elm tree. Don't know how accurate this list is but check this link:
http://oregonstate.edu/trees/n...

Happy gardening! Thumbs up
Sunset Zone 28, AHS Heat Zone 9, USDA zone 8b~"Leaf of Faith"
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Sep 28, 2015 9:28 AM CST
Name: woofie
NE WA (Zone 5a)
Charter ATP Member Garden Procrastinator Greenhouse Dragonflies Plays in the sandbox I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database!
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Hi, Ruud and Welcome!

Greene pretty much covered it all, except to mention that you can also scroll down to the bottom of the screen and click on "Memberlist" (in tiny white print just above the facebook icon). If you click on that link it will take you to a page where you can enter your location and it will bring up a list of the member names in your area and areas nearby.
Confidence is that feeling you have right before you do something really stupid.
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Sep 28, 2015 9:37 AM CST
Name: tarev
San Joaquin County, CA (Zone 9b)
Give PEACE a chance!
Adeniums Cat Lover Garden Photography Region: California Houseplants Plays in the sandbox
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Welcome! Ruud! Always fun to see a new member and looking forward to all your photos and your growing environment.
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Sep 28, 2015 7:22 PM CST
Name: Karen
Valencia, Pa (Zone 6a)
I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Cut Flowers Winter Sowing Charter ATP Member Seed Starter Echinacea
Plant and/or Seed Trader Region: Ohio Region: United States of America Butterflies Hummingbirder Celebrating Gardening: 2015
Welcome, Ruud. We're happy to have to join us. It's always interesting to learn how gardening differs in other cultures and climates.

And, your English is great!

Karen
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