I used to always prune and trellis toms but it is a lot of work and I'm tired of it. For the last few years I have been letting them ramble unpruned in large cages. I get the 10'x5' concrete slab mesh (I guess that is what they are calling CRW) from the lumberyard. All one has to do is roll the two ends together and hook the wire and you have a large cage of six-inch mesh heavy wire 5'high. The diameter is big enough that I just set the cage on the ground and that's it. If it will be exposed to possible high wind with a big plant on it then I put a couple stakes at the bottom to prevent flipping over. They cost about $7 apiece around here (probably cheaper most places) and will last a long time. It also comes in 100' rolls, which may be cheaper and in my experience is a heavier gauge and is a bit difficult to deal with. You need heavy bolt-cutters to cut it and the snap-back can be dangerous. Unroll it a bit at a time on a large flat area and pin down one end with heavy weight and stand on the other end while cutting.

Have never 'sprayed' a pear tree - they usually don't require much, in the way of care, to produce mostly usable fruits - and most will be virtually perfect. Now, as to when to pick them and how best to 'ripen' them - it may take years for you to figure it out fully. If you let them 'ripen on the tree', you'll find that they'll often be over-ripe internally - rotting from the inside out, as many refer to it. The European pears - Moonglow, Bartlett - need to be picked while still firm - but beginning to 'yield' to pressure at the base of the stem, then refrigerated (as close to 30 degrees as you can get them) until a few days before you'd like to eat them, then remove them from the fridge and allow them to ripen at room temp until they reach the state you prefer. Now, me - I want a firm, juicy, crunchy (and, yes, gritty!) pear - so the Kieffer is more to my liking. Do an internet search - and it has been discussed here on numerous occasions, so search this site first - for 'ripening pears' - you'll probably find enough conflicting info to make your head spin. It may just take you a few years to figure out when is the best time to pick them - and each variety will be different.

Lilacs prefer full sun, so do butterfly bushes. Hydrangeas are the classic afternoon shade flowering shrub but there are others: Fothergilla, viburnums, rhodies and azaleas, witch hazel, Clethra, Itea. For something with unique foliage and the ability to be a major focal point, I'd consider oakleaf hydrangea, Hydrangea quercifolia. It has big, bold foliage that looks like giant oakleaves and that turns wonderful colors in fall. And it produces showy, large, white cone-shaped flowers and can become a large, spreading plant. Plus it has more interesting bark than any other type of hydrangea - kind of a cinnamon color and it peels off in strips (exfoliates). Here is a link that might be useful: oakleaf hydrangea

Pruning suggestions: Clematis fall into three basic 'pruning groups'. The 'prune groups' are a separate classification of clematis in the 'family' groups (such as 'the Montana group') which take into account the parentage of the specific cultivar or the 'type' groups (such as 'the Evergreens') which take into account some specific attribute of the plants. There is, however, a connection between 'family' or 'type' groups and pruning groups, as almost all members of a specific family group or type group would fall into the same prune group. For more information on Clematis types and groups, please see the FAQ titled 'Clematis types'. These pruning suggestions are for established vines that have been in the ground for at least three years. Young vines should all be pruned to 12 inches the second spring and to 18 inches the third spring. It helps to develop more shoots, a fuller vine, and a better root system. Group 1 - Certain species clematis and their cultivars which bloom early in the year. Some of the more commonly found representatives of this group include the Montanas, which are extremely vigourous in USDA zones 5 and warmer. Other clematis in Group 1, which are becoming more commonly available, are varieties of C. alpina and C. macropetala. These clematis will also develop into very large specimen plants over time. Another example in Group 1 is C. armandii and its cultivars. All of the Group 1 clematis bloom on growth made the previous year. They can be pruned to keep them within their alotted space, or to remove dead and unsightly foliage. Note however, if they are pruned late in the season, or before they flower in the year, you will be cutting off potential flower buds. They should be pruned right after flowering, if at all. Group 2 - These are the large flowered hybrids. They are often divided again into two subgroups - 2a and 2b. The main difference between the two subgroups is: those in 2a normally bloom in the spring and possibly again in the fall; those in 2b bloom mainly in the spring then intermittently all through the summer. Subgroup 2b types usually continue to grow as well as bloom as the season progresses so in the spring you might have a mass of blooms at waist height and by autumn they may be blooming overhead. The flowers of both subgroups tend to be smaller later in the season and might be more intensely or differently colored as well. All of the clematis in Group 2 bloom on 'old wood' (actually on short shoots from old wood) and should not be pruned except for deadwood pruning in early spring after the leaf buds open slightly. Note that those in subgroup 2b also bloom on new wood (see information below about alternate pruning for special puposes). The number of later flowers can be increased if the seed heads from the first flowering are removed right after the blooms drop their tepals. Group 3 - These are the summer blooming varieties such as the viticellas, Jackmanii types, texensis, the herbaceous species such as integrifolia and recta that bloom on new wood and the late bloomers such as Sweet Autumn Clematis (C. terniflora) and orientalis types. Clematis in Group 3 mainly flower on new wood produced in the current year and should be pruned back severely every year in late winter, when they are completely dormant, to about 12 - 14 inches. Leave at least two pairs of buds (4) on each stem of the plant. Most Group 3s are very fast growing and will reach their full height before blooming every summer. If you fail to prune these, they will develop long 'legs' that get woody and will be devoid of foliage and blooms. It should be noted that with Group 2s and Group 3s you can vary both flowering height and flowering time by adjusting your pruning strategy. Since the above guidelines are based on gereral principles, once the principles are understood, you can alter your pruning to suit your needs. Say, for example you have a Jackmanii type which you want to flower around a second story window. Pruning it down to 12-14 inches each year will mean that it can never reach the heights you intend. Instead, knowing that it will grow approximately 10-12 feet each year, you can prune it back to a point which will allow it to flower at the height you need. Also, if you are growing Group 3 types into a shrub or a tree, it is best to only prune them down to a branch that gives them an early start next spring. You would not want to prune them to 12 inches and put them into a very shady situation next spring. It will stunt them. See 'Decorative Pruning' FAQ for more information. You can also control flowering time by either pruning later so that flowers are produced later, or not pruning some of the vines so that you may get flowers earlier. By pruning those in Group 2b as if they were Group 3 type plants, you can get a bigger display of flowers later in the year. Clematis are quite resilient plants, and you are unlikely to kill your plant by pruning it wrong. The worst damage that is likely to happen by incorrect or untimely pruning would be the loss of flowers for one year. Clematis have not been told these pruning "rules" and have done very well without pruning shears for thousands of years. It is a good idea to make a note and keep track of the name of any clematis you have or may buy so you can find out which pruning group it belongs to. The tag will usually tell you to either 'prune hard' or 'prune lightly'. This refers to the pruning group without confusing folks by indicating a group number. You may also see clematis listed as Group or Type A, B, or C. These letters correspond to Group 1, 2, and 3, respectively, as given above. There are many hints and tips for keeping track of the pruning requirements of the clematis in your garden. One idea would be to mark each clematis with one of three different colored stakes or twine to indicate which prune group it is in.