Hello from BC Canada - home of the 2010 Olympics!

I am so happy to have found this forum!! It has been a long time since I had ordinary (or extraordinary) houseplants in our home. I was a cacti addict (had over 50 pots and containers) but had to give them up, after 8 yrs, when I kept getting spiked (stung, pinched!) by the bigger cacti I had.

In 2006, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and my right hand has a mind of its own - thanks to the MS symptoms! It unexpectedly bursts off to the right or up towards the ceiling. This has caused many spills (mostly coffee) and it is how I would get hurt by my cacti! Couldn't water them easily as there were so many pots all over the main display area!

It has also been a few yrs since I had outside gardens around our home with anything other than cacti and succulents. Being wheelchair bound until Nov/09, I couldn't garden outside very easily. Now I have parked the thing and I am really looking forward to planting flowers this Spring and Summer! And, being able to take care of them. It will probably be mostly container gardening and that is just fine by me!

Since Nov/09 I have been purchasing different houseplants and having fun organizing them and taking care of them. The learning part is the best! I will post pics in the "My Garden" area. Once I get gardening outside, I will post pics of those plants, too.

The reason I went searching for a Plant ID forum is becuz I received a cyclamen for Valentine's Day from my hubby. I used the pic of it for my avatar. It has 3 other plants with it and I need help IDing one of them.

Looking forward to meeting people in this forum!

 

Greetings from East Tennessee. Glad you found the Garden Stew, we have a wonderful garden community here. Glad to hear you will be able to garden outside this spring, as you know it is great therapy for whatever ails you. Can't wait until it cures my spring fever.

 

Whata nice introduction and welcome from Maryland. I have to say, seeing and learning about BC on the Olympics has made me want to visit. What a beautiful place you live in. So happy for you that you will be able to garden more this year. I hope you enjoy this forum with all its friendly folks.

 

Hi there and welcome from east Texas. Glad you joined us. Make yourself at home. We love pictures of plants, pets, hobbies, etc.

 

Hi Barbara
Welcome to Gardenstew from southern Ontario!

 

Hi Barbara - welcome to garden stew from Idaho. I am so happy to hear you can garden outside. Enjoy this place. It's wonderful.

 

Hi and welcome from Wisconsin...go USA!!! Looks like you live in a beautiful area based on the Olympic coverage. We're all thinking spring here tonight as the snow is falling...

 

Barbara, Welcome to Garden Stew from Nebraska. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

 

Welcome Barbara! I'm to the south of you in Washington state. Can't wait to see your photos. You'll find this a great place to visit. Happy gardening

 

Hello from New Jersey. Your cyclamen avatar is pretty.

 

Welcome, Barbara, from a Norwegian colour-deprived stewbie. I'm looking forward to stewing with you and loved your introduction. Hop in and make yourself at home.

 

Thankyou all for the very warm welcome!!! What a wonderful sounding group! :-D Vancouver, where the Olympics are being held, is on the opposite side of our province. Where I live, we are 1hr nthwest of the Idaho border and 1hr ntheast of the Montana border.

I am glad to hear that you like to see pics of other things so I will post pics of the beautiful mountains that I see everyday here in the East Kootenays. If you share pics of your pets, too, I will add some of my 2 very cute fur-babies. They are 4lb Yorkies and I am very proud of them!

I will post a pic of the plant (in my avatar pic) that I am not sure about. I will post it in the plant ID forum.

There will be a few postings in the forums here about my new houseplants as I have some questions about alot of them.

Stealing time from my other priorities to get pics ready to post.