Do you have any links to the look you're going for? I don't like when some of the blooms and foliage are over and some are yet to come, I prefer when it's all open at the same time... I guess what I'm saying is it's hard to put together a pot that puts on a big nice show and sometimes the pictures you see in catalogs and packaging are staged or photoshopped. I usually pack in all one kind and keep it simple. I've seen pots with annual rye seeded on top or clover and the lush foliage sets off the blooms too and always looks good.

veilchen, Your garden sounds lovely and your treatment for the foundation was creative. I certainly am envious of it's location close to a source of water/electricity for ease in adding a water feature. Yikes...on a garden tour...part of me always wanted to be a fly on a wall as people walked through my garden there is always so much to gain from frank and honest insite, but I don't think my skin is thick enough. tricia, The picture you painted of your moss garden sounds very moving. I would love to see some photo's, perhaps this summer or fall if my moss ever settles in and becomes happy those of us interested in moss could do a thread. The Dull/Shiny Effect As much as I hate to admit it dtd's photo which was of course beautiful, evoked for me one of those Ah Hah moments. I have bordered a dog path with a small shiny leaved sedum that produces a thick carpet, scattered in this carpet I have been adding hens and chicks as much as I liked the contrast of shapes I knew something was off I just couldn't determine what it was until the photo of contrasting shiny and dull leaves made it very apparent. It's interesting how when one plant is on top of another the impact is much stronger, I doubt if I would have been bothered as much by companioning of two shiny plants if they had been placed side by side. Drum Roll Please...I would like to announce the winner of New England Forum's most compelled plant collector...EGO is the winner for this year but I have a sneaking suspicion that there are a few others not far behind, so George you better run out and buy some more Hosta.

These raised beds are in full sun, but maybe the slugs were using the brassicas as shade. I've seen a lot of insect damage in that bed, but I was blaming it on grasshoppers. Garden update: Tomato flower buds, no tomatoes. Lots of testosterone-laden zucchini flowers, no zucchinis. Two big cauliflower plants and one big broccoli plant, no heads. Melon plants are growing. It would take a miracle to get melons this year. Or a heck of a lot of sudden global warming, which I DON'T want to see. Now for the good news. I still have a refrigerator stuffed to the gills with peaches, which I'm determined to process THIS WEEKEND. I've harvested 11 windfall apples. Apparently they don't ever turn anything but green. Might be enough for a cobbler. I have a lot of lettuce growing, and some carrots, and about five spinach plants. The potatoes are all doing well. Even the Carola is sprouting, which is strange. It sprouted with the rest of the potatoes last spring, but barely got up above the soil before it died. Nothing happened for three months, and now it's growing. I have actually harvested two tiny snow pea pods from my plants. Next year I might trellis them on one side of a raised bed to shade the brassica from the afternoon sun. The large Brussels sprout plant is growing sprouts. They're almost pea size now. The fall brassica seedlings are still hanging in there except for one Packman broccoli, which is pretty thoroughly bug-eaten. And there you have it. I have a ton of stuff to plant, a couple Buddleias still from the swap, a blueberry bush, and bunches of garlic. At least it's warm today. Monday the cold hits. My poor plants!

Try GW again! This company has a 52% NEGATIVE rating there and my own personal experience bears this out Small and poor quality bulbs, dried or rotted perennial roots, instead of plants. If they do manage to survive, with your extraordinary effort, they will likely be the wrong color or cultivar. Even their replacements, after a long hassle with customer(non)service, were no better than the original shipments. I am embarrassed to reveal how much I am out of pocket with this outfit. Needless to say, I will never order from them again or recommend them to anyone. They also operate under various other names, including VanDyke, so be cautious! Rb