Saturday Gardening Thread: Linky Dinky [Y-not]

Greetings gardeners! Today's abbreviated edition of the gardening thread is brought to you by chain link fences. A few fun facts:

* According to the US Department of Commerce, half of all fences sold in this country are chain link fences.

*The reason for their ubiquity is, first of all, because chain link fencing has been around for a long time, probably longer than you would have guessed.

*The first company to manufacture chain link fences in the US is Anchor Fence in 1891. They were called Anchor Post Fence Co. then. They say that the first chain link fence they ever installed is (or was, as of 2005) still standing, somewhere in New Jersey.

*Some sources say that chain link fencing was actually first made in Norwich, England, in 1844.

*Norwich had for centuries been a weaving town, producing finely woven fabrics. But with the Industrial Revolution, people were making more fabrics for less money. So one company (unnamed) in Norwich altered their machinery to accommodate metal rather than thread.

I was tied up most of the week traveling, so today's thread will feature some links, that may or may not be gardening related.

To get the discussion rolling, here are some neat ways to beautify a chain link fence. I like this one:

Perhaps more in keeping with the Gardening Thread, here's some advice about how to quickly cover a chain link fence with beautiful vines.

And, courtesy of HGTV, here's a list of fast-growing vines to help you cover that unsightly fence quickly.

Speaking of fences, do you know the origin of "Good fences make good neighbors?" It appears here, but the sentiment appears earlier.

But I digress! Back to links and gardening, there's this:

Art Linkletter (some of you old timers might remember) published this book in 1965. Here's a review from that era:

It is held to be a fact that true humor is a slightly unfocussed view of the ordinary. This is the completely unfocussed view of early childhood. As such, it is of inestimable value to gag writers because children really are funnier than they intend to be or than the adults who try to be. Did yez know that a ""scarlet"" is, by juvenile definition, ""a little scar""? Well, did yez? Or that giraffes ""are a rich source of necks?"" Or that, ""Australia is located in the Pacific. It is presently still floating."" The goldmine Linkletter works (Kids Say the Darndest Things, Kids Sure Rite Funny) is that the unintentional humor of earnest children continues to amuse jaded adults. Aim; the funny bone. Sales: steady. Use: browsing.

I wonder if that kid who said she'd "keep [her] mouth shut" if she was elected president is available?

Finally, courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens, here's a Fall checklist. Have any of you started tackling your Fall chores yet?

To wrap things up, here's an appropriate song:

What's happening in your gardens this week?

posted by Open Blogger at 04:30 PM

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