Here is a website that you may find useful.http://www.extension.umn.edu/Garden/ There is a wealth of info there. It really isn't necessary to test your soil every year, I think the recommendation is about every five years. Compost is one of the best things you can do for your soil. You need to be careful adding sand to clay, you can end up with bricks. You can build raised beds, or berms if drainage is a problem.Leaf mold, compost, peat moss....any organic material will be helpful. I am mainly organic but do not rule out synthetic chemicals in some cases. You may want to research IPM (integrated pest management). An excellent book is "The Truth About Organic Gardening" by Jeff Gilman. He talks about and compares synthetic and natural chemicals and their eco impact. If you haven't had a soil test done, it would be a good idea. Also, instead of trying to change your conditions to meet plant needs you may want to choose plants suited to your conditions. Best of luck to you and have fun playing in the dirt.

Irish Rose Grower: Since you wish to know all about the world of Peonies, my first suggestion is to obtain a copy of "Peonies" by Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall. Obviously, you can find copies at your public library or through their inter-library loan system or you can purchase the book through various new or used book dealers. Two excellent sources of used/new books are http://www.abe.com or http://www.alibris.com These two sources, which are links to a very wide array of used and new booksellers, which often offer books in new, near new, fine, very good, etc. conditions. With regard to the book itself, "Peonies" provides an excellent history, overview, and an good discussion of an extremely wide variety of different types of peonies with various lists - including those suitable for cut flowers, fragrance, etc. Information from Amazon.com about this book: "Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall's Peonies is a ravishing book--the sort of book that you covet from the moment you see it--but it isn't just lovely to look at, it is also a wonderful read. It tells the long and fascinating history of this most beautiful of flowers, tracing its origins in the wild to its cultivation in the Imperial gardens of China and Japan and its journey to the West. The characters encountered along the way include an empress who arranged for the planting of many thousands of tree peonies, yet murdered her baby daughter and in her 70s took two brothers half her age as lovers, and a French missionary who spent most of his life in China collecting over 1,500 species of peony, most of which were sent back to France. As befits its subject, the book is lavishly illustrated with paintings and photographs that are both informative and appealing. But this is not just a wonderful story well told. It is also a serious work of reference giving comprehensive information on peony varieties, how to grow them, where to find them, and where to see them. It's written with the international reader in mind, so references include information relevant to the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand as well as Great Britain and Europe. --Stephanie Donaldson" An Amazon.com customer gives the following review of this book: "If you are a peony lover, you will treasure this book. Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall not only knows her peonies and traces their fascinating history through the imperial courts of China and Japan, but she interweaves this with a history of how peonies have been used in paintings and porcelain. The beautiful pictures included not only show the various peony cultivars, but show the peony as it is used in Asian porcelains, paintings and European paintings. This book and its photographs are so lovely, that I expected to pay much more for it. It's a bargain, if you are a peony lover. Al Rogers "Peonies" is a bit more explicit about growing and cultivation, but this book compliments his, because of the romance it brings to the peony. It is also practical, listing the cultivars, showing many pictures, and recommending the more successful cultivars. If you love peonies and want to know more about their place in history, I heartily recommend Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall's "Peonies." " Once in a while you may also find this book at either at overstock or http:www.bookcloseouts.com or http://www.daedalusbooks.com With regard to the selection of additional peonies, you might try the following source, which is the direct link to the Paeonia lactiflora 'Duchesse de Nemours' http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Plant.asp?code=Q260 If you scroll down a bit, you'll find their listing of sources and then click on it for further information. The next listing will link you to further sources, most of which will be web sites which will lead you to additional sources and price comparisons. Obviously, if you book mark the link below, you'll be able to search all sources of plant material at the extraordinary Missouri Botanical Gardens in St. Louis, MO. http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Alpha.asp Additionally, if you click on "Search", you'll be taken to their unique search engine - the best that I've seen to date. FYI - when I was living in central Illinois, I visited this absolutely delightful and extraordinary garden quite frequently. Now that I am living in northwestern Michigan, there is nothing that I have seen in this neck of the woods to compare, but then, I haven't yet explore all of the garden areas in this state. The Meijer gardens in Grand Rapids is young and doesn't compare to the extent and maturity of the Missouri Botanical Garden, but they are headed in a good direction. As for excellent, but not necessarily cheap, sources of Peonies, I placed my first order with A & D Nursery: http://www.adpeonies.com/ and was greatly impressed with the quality of their rootstock. One of the peonies that I ordered was "Chestine Gowdy", whose roots were nearly 8 inches long. By linking to the web site listed above and scrolling down a bit, you'll find some information on this peony as well as a link to "her" unique photograph. I was so impressed by "her" unique coloration, fragrance, etc. that I made her the center piece between two red peonies: "PHILIPPE RIVOIRE" that I obtained from them as well. Both of "his" roots were extensive as well. The fourth peony that I purchased from them was "FLORENCE NICHOLLS", which was going to be the "center piece" in my original garden design. Now that I've changed the planting plan of "Florence", I will have to place an order for a second one to give some "balance" to my patio garden area. For an added addition to my garden, I've decided to plant two Phlox paniculata 'Mount Fuji', which is planted slightly in back of and just between "Chestine Gowdy" and each of the "PHILIPPE RIVOIRE"'s. Here's the link to some information at the Missouri Botanical Garden with regard to this Phlox. http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Plant.asp?code=E600 Another peony that I may eventually add to my garden is the known as the "Memorial Day" Peony. It's official name is Paeonia officinalis 'Rubra Plena' My mother had this peony in her garden for decades and it usually bloomed close or around Memorial Day (central Illinois). She treasured it and often used it as a cut flower. Now my daughter, Heather, has this plant in her garden and thus a tradition lives on. You will find more information on the "Memorial Day" Peony at this link: http://www.hirts.com/cgi-local/catalog.cgi?cat=1,41,&item=3079 So now you have additional sources of information with regard to peonies and other plants. In addition to the sources mentioned above, I would also recommend the reading of two - still - excellent books: "Green Thoughts: A Writer in the Garden" by Eleanor Perenyi and "The Fragrant Year" by Helen van Pelt Wilson and Leonie Bell. Both are out of print - I believe - but should be available at or through your public library and/or through the two sources of used books listed above. They are books to be treasured!!!! I do hope that you and others will find this discussion and sources of information more than useful in your gardening endeavors. Bill

That really is a great idea. I have a small book with lined paper that I keep with me where I take notes and jot down measurements, ideas, phone numbers etc. I wish I'd kept track of more info in there. I also have a really cool tote that hold hanging file folders. I keep regular file folders in the hanging files that are labled, "flooring", "appliances", "plumbing", "lighting", etc. I keep selections, samples, invoices, notes and other details in those folders. The tote also has a tape measure, flashlight, zipper pouch with pens, pencils, sharpies, and scissors. There's a pocket where I put business cards I'm given by subs and vendors. It's really been a great help to just pick that up in the morning and know I have what I need. Oh, I also have a set of plans in the tote, too. Thanks for the great idea arlosmom - even though we are three weeks away, I'm going to start to get more detailed in my journal!

I don't think it's a sexism thing either. You husband was there and therefore the project was discussed. Could have just as easily been the other way around. For the rest of the build I would stress the meeting time (sounds like this one started early, which is VERY odd..LOL), the importance of promptness and ALL participants. In our last build, along about the drywall stage I figured I had spent the better part of 8 hours waiting for people to show up at previously agreed upon times. 15 minutes one day, 5 minutes the next, 20 minutes the day after that, it all added up. It didn't bother me so much if I was working there other than I was brought up to believe promptness is a sign of respect but it REALLY bothered me when I came to the site for just the meeting and I'm cooling my heels for 20 minutes after a pre-agreed upon meeting time counting studs in the wall. So I started making a big deal about being prompt. Concluding a call with "OK. we're meeting at 10AM. Let's pretend you're catching a plane. Doors close and the plane pulls away from the gate at 10:01. Make sure you're on it" Well two things immediately happened. First, the on time arrival rate went from abysmal to nearly 100%. After my speech I couldn't be late of course so I'd typically arrive a few minutes early and nearly always the guy would be already there. And second, after hearing my speech everyone got real defensive with "That's great! I don't like to wait around either. 10AM it is!!!" That, and of course if I had to wait a half hour for the plumber it's a wash but if he has to spend the same amount of time on an "extra" it's on his invoice! So equal value is placed on time. So stress time AND participants when setting up a meeting. But the best of luck with your build. Exciting times coming up!