Five-year anniversary: best of INWIG 2014

According to Blogger I made my first blog post on March 5, 2010 which means today is my five-year anniversary!  One of the main reasons for creating this blog was so I'd document everything I did in the garden, and I have to admit I've done a pretty good job of that. Did I list every detail of every task I did? No, certainly not. I missed lots of stuff, including some important details such as what exact varieties of veggies I planted, spacings, fertilization schedules, etc. but I also shared a lot of things that I would normally have just observed and enjoyed for myself, and have hopefully given some entertainment and knowledge to you, my readers.

Today, as I've done every March 5 since I started, I'm going to take a look back over the past year and list my favorite posts in chronological order. If you haven't seen them before please take a look. If you have seen them already, then take another look -- it's still fun! I did this type of post on my previous anniversaries too, and I really like the way they turned out. Expect it every year.

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This is an "index" of my favorite posts from the last year (March 2014 - February 2015). This, like the previous "best of" posts, is a great page to start -- if you want to send somebody a link to show them what this site is all about, this is a great one to send.
Click the titles/dates to get to the full posts. 

Enjoy!

Bamboo browns    25 March 2014

The extreme cold of the winter turned all of my bamboos brown, which looked quite wonderful.

Busy!     17 April 2014

I watch a woodpecker carving a nest cavity. Who doesn't love woodpeckers?

Indestructible!     23 April 2014

Not only does this Tecoma capensis (Cape Honeysuckle) vine survive winters here, it somehow survived a couple of stretches of below-zero temps -- and not just the roots!

Feeding Herons      5 May 2014

A heron visits my pond and helps himself to a goldfish. Sad and fascinating at the same time.

One Mighty Bloom      16 May 2014

My biggest Amorphophallus konjac (voodoo lily) bloomed, and what a large bloom it was!

The Turtle Returns     23 May 2014

A box turtle is hanging around my garden, which makes me happy. All reptiles and amphibians are welcome here!

Dreamy        30 May 2014

Soft, fuzzy macro photographs make the garden look dream-like.

Space!      2 June 2014

The mourning dove nest in the climbing rose is not big enough for all three birds!

Not just another turtle sighting!      16 June 2014

The turtle (see above) lays eggs in my garden! One of my top discoveries of the year.

Tour!      25 June 2014

My garden was on the Sustainable Backyard tour this year, and close to 100 people visited -- so I gave a tour in this post.

Monarda for miles     30 June 2014

I discover that a nearby county park contains fields of native bee balm, acres and acres of blooms. Such a surprise!

Fox, then not    7 July 2014

I was excited to see a fox in my garden, dismayed at its apparently poor health, then saddened to find it dead.

Portland: Joy Creek Nursery     21 July 2014

A weekend in Portland for the Garden Bloggers Fling, this nursery is one of the most fabulous I've ever seen. Really stunning.

Portland: Westwind Farm Studio     23 July 2014

A garden that seamlessly blends into the surrounding fields and woods, this private garden had so much to offer!

Portland: Danger!       11 August 2014

Also in Portland I got to see in person a friend's garden that I have been following for years: Loree's Danger Garden. It was both smaller and larger than I expected, but so wonderful.

Portland: Rhone Street Gardens     20 July 2014

Another friend's garden in person. It's so much fun seeing the plants in person that you've "met" through so many blog posts! Thanks Scott!

A bit of a change...      22 August 2014

I turn a large log section into my new coffee table!

Look up -- I mean down!     10 September 2014

It's time for my camera-on-a-pole post. Although not as impressive as past efforts, it's always a fresh, birds-eye perspective.

A place to stand       22 September 2014

I didn't do as many projects in the garden as I wanted to last year, but this is one.

One-word Wednesday: Jewels     24 September 2014

Photos are a big part of this blog, and this is a wonderful example of a photo-only post that I really like.

The bugs of Bloom Day     17 October 2014

Some of the insects that make the fall garden a special place IMO.

Keeping up with the Joneses       20 October 2014

I received a wonderful gift of many large potted agaves and other succulents that were looking for a new home. A generous act that gave me an instant collection.

Mushroom          21 October 2014

I take a close look at a large mushroom. I love mushrooms in the garden!

Take 2: 1977 tillers       5 November 2014

I take a second look at a post I wrote in 2011, where I look at ads for tillers from a 1977 issue of Organic Gardening magazine. Fun!

New evidence: I started early!       18 November 2014

The old home movies of myself as a toddler reveal that my gardening tendencies have been with me for a long time.

Footsteps             28 November 2014

A different kind of post from me, a text-heavy narrative of my Thanksgiving evening encounter.

MBG World Exploration Open House Part 2   17 December 2014

I attended an open house at the Missouri Botanical Garden, and learned much about their world-class herbarium.

MBG World Exploration Open House Part 3   18 December 2014

Continuing that open house visit, I see the bulky herbarium samples, learn about electron microscopy and other ID methods, and some history of the collection and gardens themselves.

St. Louis to Chicago     6 January 2015

I've driven between St. Louis and Chicago so very many times, and finally documented the journey. Interested in knowing what central Illinois looks like?

Whooo is cold?     7 January 2015

A sleepy barred owl visited my yard, and I got some of my best owl photos ever.

Favorite photos of 2014     16 January 2015

Many of my favorite photos from throughout the year, all in one place.

Beach            13 February 2015

We took a rare winter trip to warmer places, and I took lots of interesting beach photos.

How you look at it...      25 February 2015

My first foray into garden cartooning.










So that's my selection of the "best" posts from the 5th year of It's Not Work, It's Gardening! I'm certain that I've missed some great posts -- it's sometimes difficult to pick just a few from each month.

Please browse the site and find more -- I know you'll enjoy yourself. Thanks for reading and commenting -- I really appreciate it!

By the way, if you've not commented before I'd love to hear from you!



Want more?   Best of 2013  -  Best of 2012  -  Best of 2011  -  Best of 2010

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