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Elizabeth
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| Posted: May 12 2007 at 9:48am | IP Logged
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I read the directions in Susan Lovejoy's book and I'm ready to plant sunflowers and morning glories to make a real, live sunflower house this year. Before I do, anybody have words of wisdom?
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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Mary G
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I've always thought this sounded SOOOO COOL, but what about bees and other creepy crawlies that are attracted to dark, cool, plant areas.......
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MaryG
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Chari
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| Posted: May 12 2007 at 11:14am | IP Logged
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Oh, Mary! You are NOT pessimist, are you???? 
Not with such a happy face as yours! 
Elizabeth.........we have got everything we needed to make sunflower houses for years.........and never done it...........I will be waiting to hear YOUR words of wisdom.........because THIS year is NOT our year........someone has to be home to water the flowers!!! 
Enjoy! 
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SaraP
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| Posted: May 12 2007 at 11:23am | IP Logged
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No advice, but we're doing the same thing here!
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chicken lady
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We do them.....they are great fun, and the flowers are easy ones to grow!!!
As for creepy crawlies....the busy kids keep them out....well usually
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PDyer
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| Posted: May 12 2007 at 1:14pm | IP Logged
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SaraP wrote:
| No advice, but we're doing the same thing here! |
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Ditto here! My husband pulled a stump out from the main floor area last night, and we're going to finish up prepping the area today. How fun! 
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Chari
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| Posted: May 12 2007 at 3:41pm | IP Logged
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There ARE always the chickens to eat the creepy crawlies, eh, CHICKEN LADY????
THAT'S what you need, Elizabeth!
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Chari...Take Up & Read
Dh Marty 27yrs...3 lovely maidens: Anne 24, Sarah 20 & Maddelyn 17 and 3 chivalrous sons: Matthew 22, Garrett 16 & Malachy 11
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mavmama
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One thing we did was to cover the floor in straw. No weeds grew through, and it kept the ground drier there--soggy b*ttoms are not fun. Enjoy yours!
ETA:  I meant enjoy your sunflower house.....
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Liz
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Mary G
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| Posted: May 12 2007 at 5:56pm | IP Logged
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Well ladies, looks like we're going to need a Loveliness of Sunflower Houses fair! 
Honestly, please do post your pictures as the houses grow -- I'd really love to do this one year with the kids....
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MaryG
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Natalia
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| Posted: May 12 2007 at 6:57pm | IP Logged
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I would love to see the results too. Every year I get Lovejoy's book from the library and think about how cool it would be. Then I think about bees and other bugs and well...
Natalia
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Lisbet
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Oh Liz you just made me totally laugh out loud! Too cute!
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chicken lady
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Chari wrote:
There ARE always the chickens to eat the creepy crawlies, eh, CHICKEN LADY????
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Thats right!! The chickens or the ducks keep all sorts of unwanted critters away
The fair sounds great MAry, then again I say that about every fair and have yet to join any 
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MichelleW
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| Posted: May 13 2007 at 10:22pm | IP Logged
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One thing you should know is that morning glories can become pernicious weeds. They reseed freely and choke other plants. This might not matter to you, but I thought you should know. The first year I had morning glories I felt very romantic about them. Now they are the bane of my existence. 
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Rachel May
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| Posted: May 14 2007 at 9:13am | IP Logged
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Have you seen this?
Growing a Sunflower House for Your Kids
I like the suggestions she has for other plants to plant to drive away bugs or to give off soothing scents.
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orchdork
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| Posted: May 14 2007 at 10:51am | IP Logged
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We did this last year. We didn’t plant morning glories, we used sweet peas instead. We also planted a row of shorter sunflowers. The kids enjoyed it and so did the birds!!
I had the kids draw and photograph the stages of growth of the plants for their nature notebooks.
We also tried the bean tent from the same book. (Garden of giants chapter) My kids were bigger than the tent but, the cat enjoyed it and it looked cool in the garden! Now if I would have followed the directions for size etc. My children would have fit.
ENJOY!!
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JuliaT
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I just found Lovejoy's book in the library last week. This book is a keeper! I think we are going to try the moon garden. We are doing astronomy this year so I thought this would fit in very nicely. If this works, the sunflower house will be next years project. I, too, would love to see pictures of this years houses.
Blessings,
Julia
mom to 3(7,6,4)
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Juliainsk
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Dawn
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I have enjoyed Sharon Lovejoy's books for years! Have you seen her website? Beautiful!
In addition to Sunflower Houses, I also like her books, Hollyhock Days and Roots, Shoots, Buckets and Boots. So many wonderful ideas!
I also have to mention two other Lovejoy books we own:
The Little Green Island with a Little Red House: A Book of Colors and Critters which is just charming, and perfect for children of all ages ...
and
A Blessing of Toads: A Gardener's Guide to Living with Nature which I've just started reading (literally yesterday!) and already love. 
Isn't it nice to be planning gardens again? 
ETA ~ I meant to also say that I am planning a Late Spring Field Day (probably for June 1st, details TBA). I hope to collect lots of gardening posts!
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ladybugs
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We're putting ours in - and we're almost done - except we have bad wind here today which means, I'm indoors due to allergies!
I can't wait to see it grow!
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Maria P
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Karen T
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We tried one 2 summers ago but our backyard doesn't get full sun long enough in one spot and the sunflowers didn't get tall enough for the morning glories to climb. our front yard would be great, but dh has resisted that idea, and this summer our house is on the market so I didn't bother to try again. I'm hoping our next house will have a better spot.
Years ago, though, we lived in a house with a great sunny front porch. I planted morning glories at its base and tied strings from the railings up to the roof edges. When the flowers grew up the strings the whole porch was enclosed like a beautiful arbor.
Karen T
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ladybugs
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So, how's are everyone's turning out?
Here's a pic of our's...
I've learned for next year what to do better if we're still living here....
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Love and God Bless,
Maria P
My etsy store - all proceeds go to help my fencing daughters!
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4Real Forums : Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science
Topic: Sunflower Houses
