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Although this could very well be a picture of me finding a new treasure at a favorite nursery, it's actually an illustration by David Catrow for a children's book called Plantzilla.

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Time for a Celebratory Giveaway





This is the100th Outlaw Gardener post and what fun I continue having doing this.    I started thinking about  blogging because I'd been reading, enjoying and commenting on several great garden blogs for a few years and thought that their writers seemed like they were having a lot of fun.  At some point, The Dangerous One and I began corresponding and a year or so later, as a surprise for my 50th birthday, a meeting and garden tour were arranged.  Both the person and garden are pretty spectacular as many of you know. Nine  months later Loree came to visit my garden and posted about it here.  I remember being relieved that it wasn't a W.W.T.T. (What Were They Thinking?) post.  Because it was a rainy day, we spent more time  chatting inside than out and she asked me if I had put any more thought into starting a blog (which I only recently learned was an abbreviation of web log.)  Anyway, I finally got around to figuring out how to use blogger and started TOG a few days after her visit.  I am grateful for her nudging.
 
Posting on TOG has been enjoyable in large part because of all of you who read and/or comment on my entries.  Another blogger called comments the blossoms of the blog garden.  Thanks for being so blooming nice, for finding me and making me feel welcome in the blogosphere.  It's been great fun to get to know  so many fabulous gardeners and to feel like part of an online community of like-minded souls.  Through reading your blogs and your comments on mine, I've learned a great deal.  Thank you for the time, energy, and heart that you all have been putting into your blogs for so long.
 
To celebrate the occasion of my 100th post, I'd like to give away a couple of books:  Design in the Plant Collector's Garden by Roger Turner and Shocking Beauty  by Thomas Hobbs.   I bought Design in hopes that it would in some way help me with my huge collection of oddities in pots.  After deciding to simply embrace my inner plant hoarder and give up the possibility of ever having a tidy, tasteful garden with nice architectural lines, even pavements, and water features that don't fall on visitors , I feel much better.  Lovely book though.

 
 
Thomas Hobbs's books are full of gorgeous images and the cover of this one inspired many of us to search out and plant  the darkest Rheum palmatum 'Atrosanguineum' we could find.   I was given a second copy of this lovely book and am delighted to pass it on.
 
So, if you'd like to win the books, simply leave a comment on this post.  After a week, I'll throw all the names in a receptacle of some sort, have someone else draw a name, announce the winner, and send the books to you.
 
Thanks again! 

43 comments:

  1. Me, me, me!

    Oh, I really mean congratulations on 100 great blog posts. Your tours of the yours and other gardens, garden centers and just plain cool spots around your area are fun and enjoyable.

    Figuring out who you are is part of the fun of growing up. Accepting it is the best part of being 50.

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    1. Yea! You're the first. Fifty was last year - I'm already working on 60!

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  2. Eligible for entry or not, Happy 100th post!! Great to know too how it all began. That garden is definitely 'dangerous'!! No returning now :)

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    1. Thanks Mark and Gaz! Can't wait to see water and fish go into your new koi pond!

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  3. What a great giveaway! Books are a great idea for this time of year, when the gardening is slowing down (Not that I am actually slowing down, but...) Count me in, I love reading about and looking at gorgeous opulent gardens.

    And congrats on your 100th post! It took me a lot longer to get to that point, but I don't post anywhere near as often as you do.

    Living so close to each other, we really should get together at some point, maybe in the spring, when our gardens are looking a little better than they do now? If you don't mind an overweight, shy, somewhat befuddled older lady wandering around?

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    1. Thanks, It's been fun!

      I agree about getting together. Although garden visits might be better in spring, we could certainly meet sooner at a nursery, look for cool winter interest plants, and have lunch (Maybe Windmill or a multi-nursery adventure - Watsons, Vassey, McClendon, Windmil & late lunch in Sumner) Or we could do a Vashon Island nursery, shopping, and lunch extravapalooza.

      Re: garden visits - I don't mind if you don't mind an overweight, shy, somewhat befuddled not-so-young himself fellow wandering around.

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    2. A get-together at Windmill might be fun. Have you eaten at the cafe there? It's pretty good. Or at Mama Stortini's, which is just over the bridge in Puyallup? Umm...notice I am focusing on the food rather than the nursery. Or maybe Watson's and then Windmill, and lunch?

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    3. I've eaten at and like both places. Perhaps we should continue making plans via email.

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  4. Since I already own one of the books and read the other not to long ago (thanks to the library) I respectfully decline the opportunity to win them. However I had to say "happy 100!"...I am very impressed (and thankful!) that you've been able to keep up your posting schedule even after the school-year started. I look forward to your post every morning!

    So here's an idea...why don't you and Allison come down this way for our Portland Garden Bloggers spring plant exchange? I'll make sure you get the details once we start planning.

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    1. Thanks for the happy 100th and the kind words. If you look forward to my post half as much as I look forward to yours, I'm very happy!

      Love the spring plant exchange idea!

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    2. Does this mean that Alison and I could be honorary Portland bloggers for a day?

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    3. Our favorite characters from Portlandia?

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    4. I am definitely up for this! I'm a little leery of wearing a costume, though....Can I come as an overweight, shy, slightly befuddled older lady? Is there a character like that on Portlandia (I've never watched it).

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  5. I have Shocking Beauty but not the other book. It sounds great. Enter me!

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  6. After checking out Loree's feature on your garden (somehow I missed that the first time around), I now know why you don't need the Plant Collector's Design book...because you already have it figured out!

    Congrats on the 100 posts and keep them coming! I started my blog about a month before but compared to you I'm a posting slacker.

    Oh, and naturally you've heard that 50 is the new 30. Don't let anyone tell you different.

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    1. Fifty didn't bother me at all, especially because I got to spend it in a beautiful garden. Can't believe it's been over a year since then. I was going to worry about 60 but that's the new 40 so it's all good.

      Thanks for the congrats. Loree has a very kind camera that only caught the better parts of my garden.

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  7. Fun!!! I'm soo happy the Loree convinced you to blog because TOG has become apart of my daily life. As you know, I'm a bit more sporadic with my blogging but I look forward each and every day to logging on and seeing what treasures and fun things you have to share. So thank you! here's to 100 more!

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    1. PS: Thanks for the wonderful kindness with your offer of a giveaway, but I think shipping up to the great white north could cost ya some pennies. So don't worry about me. I'll go visit Tom at Southlands for some shocking beauty!

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    2. Thanks Louis, It's nice to know that people actually enjoy this stuff! I also look forward to your blog entries!

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  8. Happy 100th post Peter, you're only as old as you feel. I'll be 52 next week, age is just a state of mind. Welcome to the 50s club. Keep up the great posts. Best Wishes Karen.

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    1. Thanks Karen! So far, the 50's are my favorite decade. I feel pretty young most of the time! Enjoyed 1-10 too.

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  9. Garden book giveaway, that's a lovely idea, got my garden covered, I think it might cost you a pretty penny To send those very interesting books this way. So you can leave me out, and some other lucky person can have a chance.

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  10. Fifty bothered me a lot, but that was before I took up gardening and started getting younger every year. But 100! Now that's a number to celebrate *clink*.

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    1. 100 is the new 80 right? Thanks, hope you're drinking something wonderful after that clink! It's five o'clock somewhere!

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  11. Congratulations on your 100th post!!! hope to have many, many more!
    Lucy

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  12. Happy 100th. I loved my 50's. Look forward to your blog. I've learned to enjoy life and outside is where I want to be. Thanks for the chance to win the books.

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  13. Congrats on your 100th post and for doing a very nice thing for your readers. I enjoy your posts and photography as well. Here's to many more!

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    1. Thanks. It's humbling and fun that so many people look at my blog. I just thought it would be family and a few friends who would look in every now and then. Blog giveaways are fun!

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  14. I am so glad you blog. Your posts are always fun to read. :o) I love your free spirit.

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    1. Thanks for your kind words! Your blog posts are also lots of fun.

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  15. Wow, 100 posts! that's fabulous. I love your blog and thank you for your lovely comments on mine. I lol over your embracing your plant hoarder self. Me too! I have way too many plants and refuse to apologize for it anymore. Also love the idea of your book give away! cool!

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    1. Howdy Deanne,
      Thanks for the kind words. Blogging is more fun than I thought it would be due largely to the friendly comment banter with cool garden bloggers like yourself! Thanks for the good time. (Oops, that didn't sound quite right, did it?)

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  16. Congrats on your "centenary"! You continue to inspire. Awesome photos. Many thanks.

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  17. 100 posts? Bravo! Yes, thanks to Loree for getting you going--I so enjoy your blog!

    Fun giveaway! I have Hobbs' The Jewel Box Garden which is so inspirational. Would LOVE to check out Shocking Beauty.

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    1. Thanks! Happy to throw your name in the proverbial hat.

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  18. Grats on 100th. I'm glad I stumbled on your blog in time to enter the drawing.

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Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! I love to hear your thoughts.