My name is Erin and I’m new to gardening and also new to Florida. I’m originally from Michigan, until I joined the United States Navy. I was stationed in Jacksonville, North Carolina at Camp Lejeune and that’s where I met my husband. My husband and I are both Hospital Corpsman (he’s active duty and I’m reserves) and the military stationed us in Panama City, Florida just after Thanksgiving of 2010. We just moved in to our first house, having previously only lived in an apartment and base housing provided by the military so there wasn’t much gardening going on, much to my dissatisfaction. My husband and I have two beautiful, young girls, 2 beagles and two cats. I am pretty much a stay at home mom besides my monthly military drill and the occasional humanitarian mission to far off lands. I attend school full time at a local college and I’m hoping to go in to Dental Hygiene. I also foster beagles and volunteer for Tampa Bay Beagle Rescue when I’m needed.

This past Spring I jumped head first in to gardening! At the moment I’m pretty much interested in anything that grows. Much like someone with ADD, anything pretty or unique that catches my eye is what I like and once I have it in my possession I spend hours researching it to figure out it’s needs. I guess you could say I’m testing the waters. I’ve progressed a little though! At first I would buy just about anything. Mainly I purchased things my mom grows up in Michigan, I suppose because it made me feel more at home and I knew it looked pretty. I quickly learned what grows nice and pretty in Michigan doesn’t necessarily grow so good in Florida! Then I became interested in tropical plants or at least plants that look tropical. I still am interested in tropical plants to an extent. It wasn’t until just recently that I found a group of plants that I really have a passion for and I’m currently going crazy purchasing and begging others to get my hands on them! Succulents and Cacti!!!! Yes! I said it! Succulents and Cacti! But mostly Succulents. They fit my lifestyle so perfectly at the moment. Like I said prior, I’m in school full time so gardening is only able to be done when I have free time, which isn’t very often currently. I’m able to garden mainly on weekends and when I get super stressed. Another reason I love gardening! It’s a stress reliever! There are only three problems I’m currently having with succulents and even gardening in general: 1. There is a lack of money to purchase plants. Living on one enlisted serviceman’s paycheck with two kids is no easy task! 2. There is a lack of nurseries in my area that carry a variety of succulents (at least succulents I don’t already have in my collection) and 3. I’m actually running out of pots and hanging baskets because I’m propagating like crazy and a few people from other sites I’m on are generous enough to send me seeds, clippings and seedlings free of charge, out of the goodness of their heart, to get me started!

In closing I would like to say thank you for reading this far! I probably bored you half to death. If you have something you think I might like please feel free to mail me.

Thanks again for looking!