Convinced my husband we need to go to Menards tonight for a new mailbox (I am getting rid of the leaking old one and moving it back a few feet so I can plant my clematis behind it). I will also be scoring a lot of seeds.

Please explain - under what circumstances do you need to screen your conifers? Or, are there some conifers that always need to be screened when first planted? And how long do you need to keep them screened? I realize these are rather open-ended questions, but I am wondering if some of my newly acquired trees need to have shade cloth protection. They are all small but seem to have a good root structure, all are appropriate to the zone, and all claim to need full sun....(though some may need afternoon shade because of the intense sunlight we have here in Colorado.) So, I am not asking for or expecting a cultivar by cultivar run down, but is there a general rule of thumb as to when screening should be done? Holly

Thank you! By the way, I did want to share 2 plants that we were utterly transfixed by. We bought them both on a fluke in October 2012 because some of the plants we planned were not available. They are Scaevola Amula 'PUrple Fan' and Dipladenia (the pink 'shrub like' one). Both available at Mariposa Nursery in Bradenton - right by Lakewood Ranch. They have both literally bloomed NON STOP since October. The Scaevola Amula 'Purple Fan' is a low growing ground cover (about 6") with purple flowers - its created a swath of non stop purple on a slight birm we have - it gets sun in the morning and late afternoon (bright dappled shade midday). Each plant has spread about 1 to 3 feet. They are not competing with the Salvia or Angelonia planted next to them and instead create a purple carpet. The Dipladenia pink we put right next to our pool cage - they have dark green shiny leaves and dozens and dozens of pink flowers (pink range in color from pale to deep rosy pink on same plant). They are about 2 1/2 to 3' tall and about 2-3' wide (the brances arch up and outward). Again -- they have flowered non stop since October. This area is in bright shade until around 11am and then dappled sun / direct sun in afternoon. I wanted to share these two as I spent months researching on Gardenweb before buying over a thousand plants and as noted, these 2 were just flukes ... they've turned out to be the best non stop color so far (Oct-April...we'll see how summer goes). The Blue Daze and Lantana Alba (low growing) have also flowered non stop but the Scaevola is more flashy then the subtle tiny flowers of Blue Daze and the Lantana goes through phases of kinda looking ratty. The Scaevola and Dipladenia are prettier and have required absolutely zero maintenance. Sorry for the long email -- its just exciting to be able to share something that worked ;->!!!

Good morning. Fun to see some action on this thread, I wasn't sure it would take off. I don't get the red accents in the picture that started this off, either. I do like how the cabinets/ss relate to the stone. Mostly, I was struck by that stone mimicking a landscape, cut like a mountain. It's a very good point that the BS will trump the counters when the same materials are used, given how our eye sees the vertical versus horizontal application. My comment was meant more in reference to how a calm, even solid, counter is often indicated to balance a busy, focal-point BS - as is shown in many of the subsequent examples. @coastal love - Can't wait to see! How exciting to be at that point. @ICF - Those tiles appear to be magical. They look so different close up than at a distance. I would have never assumed they had so much color variation had I just seen the close-up. Of course, that could all be the camera, I suppose. The texture is so interesting! How great to have your elements chosen. When do you expect to be started/done? @sas95 - I do love that tile. I think I just recently saw your kitchen for the first time. You and willtv are both reminding me that I should have been more specific in my introduction. Subways don't have to be a neutral field, any more than any other size/type of tile. Which reminds me... @Bellsmom, you make a great point that it's not just about color, it's about the lines. Lovely tile - and the solid-looking counter really contrasts with it and makes it stand out. @CluelessinColorado - If your link isn't the exact thing I was thinking of, it is very representative of what I was trying to get at. I actually really like that, though I don't think I could manage to make it work. There's just something so organic and simple, yet so very distinct at the same time, about it. I'm still very curious how my BS window will end up playing into this discussion - and what I am going to do with my non-window wall. I really, really need to get inspired and find some idea boards, inspiration pictures or a darn direction. At this point, I'd settle for 2-3 clear options. I don't want to hire a KD, really, but I'm beginning to wonder if I should. In the meantime, I keep lurking and surfing and playing.