Here are some horrifyingly bad photos that I took. I spent hours trying to re-size them but as you can see, those hours were wasted as I didn't succeed. The photographer is apparently a bit of a jackass based on the quality of the photos but I couldn't get anyone other than myself to take them so I'll just have to learn to live with it. If you learn nothing else from this post allow me to advise you that trying to take photos in bright sunlight in like trying to teach a pig to dance - it annoys the pig and it just wastes your time.. It's difficult to tell but left to right - Variegated red twig dogwood in back 3 "Shining Sensation" weigela in front of dogwood Large container with sambucus nigra "Eva" behind it "Sea Green" Juniper next to container Ilex "Sky Pencil" on far right "Royal Raindrops" crab apple on right in front Variety of heucherax and carex around the base. Another terrible view of an even worse photograph (photographer is an idiot! - I would never use him again) Juniper/crab apple/ilex sky pencil In theory, this one is supposed to show everyone that the crab apple has been planted 5 feet from the front of the house (it will eventually have a width of 15 feet and so by literally doing the math I have concluded that the tree will eventually push its' way into my living room). Also, you can see that the juniper has been planted about 18 inches from the front of the house. Right away you can probably see (in theory based on the poor photography) that both the crab apple and the juniper will either have to be moved (crab apple) or removed (juniper). The ilex "Sky Pencil" seems pretty happy being where it's at but I can move it to make room for whatever will replace the juniper. This is the left side of the house - There's a rhodendron PJM in the north corner of the porch that is desperately trying to move itself into the sunlight by growing AWAY from the porch. It was supposed to cover the gas meter and a concrete seam in the porch but apparently the rhodie didn't get the memo because it continues to stretch itself away from the porch in an effort to receive more sunlight. Next to the rhodie (in front and to the right is a fothergilla gardenii which I can live or live without as it doesn't look nearly as great as I thought it would but I should probably give it more than 5 weeks to wow me, eh? I would probably like to rip out the rhododendron and replace it with a "Red Gnome" dogood, rip out the fothergilla and replace it with a "Rose Glow" barberry, rip out the variegated "Ivory Halo" dogwood (on the right of the porch) and replace it with a second "Red Gnome" dogwood (for balance and quite frankly I hate the mint green and greenish cream of the "Ivory Halo" which looks like hell next to the great green/burgundy coloring of the "Shining Sensation" weigelas), rip out the sambucus nigra "Eva" because I'm not entirely sure as to what I'm supposed to do with it and it just seems a wee bit goofy and/or just plain creepy, rip out the juniper because it's going to be humongous and replace it with a set of 2 or 3 boxwoods, and move the crab apple three feet further out - this should give me room to either add the three boxwoods or perhaps add three more weigelas that would complement the "Shining Sensations". Please don't ask or allow me to post any more photographs. Some people just should not be allowed anywhere near a camera and I'm one of them. These photographs appear to be taken by someone who had one too many beers on a really hot day but I swear I didn't have anything other than a gallon and a half of watery over-sugared ice tea. Perhaps next time I'll try getting all beered up and then try taking the photos. Please accept my apologies for the ridiculous photos and please accept my thanks if you have anything to offer (other than verbal abuse and miscellaneous insults that is...)

That Sambucus is very nice. Purple/bronze foliage is a major theme in my tropical/mixed bed. The three standout backbone plants are barberry cultivars (including "Helmond Pillar" and a tall variety with horizontal interwoven stems), Cotinus "Royal Purple" and best of all, Physocarpus "Diablo". "Diablo" is putting on its one-week flowering show right now, but its major role is as a superb foliage backdrop for other flowering plants. It is basically bulletproof, needing only occasional pruning to control size (it wants to be massive). Purple/bronze foliage annuals this year include Cannas "Australia" and "Firebird", Celosia "New Look", Begonia "Big" (bronze-leaf form), Alternanthera "Little Ruby" and Canna "Tropical Red" (bronze-leaf variety). And yes, red/scarlet flowers are important too.

We had non stop rain for 2wks and now a week with out rain so i am actually watering right now. it is supposed to be hot and humid tomorrow. as for fertilizing, only once this year with miracle grow. Thanks for the nice comments. I guess I am being to hard on myself (sounds like something my hubby says to me - lol). I have done a few garden tours in my local area and just haven't seen much for roses so they seem like they just stick out. Here are a couple more views. I am in the process of ruthless yanking and moving stuff around, so it looks a little rough. the weigela is coming out, it hasn't done well the past couple of years and I think its finally showing its age. to the right is the morden blush. as I look at these pictures I think its the placement of the spirea I am not happy with and the potentilla is also coming out. Its very sickly looking. You have given me ideas. So, thanks for that. Hopefully later I can show you what I have done. I don't think I want to move the David Thompson, so is it ok to move the smaller roses now or should I wait till fall or early next spring? Jodi

shazam, thanks! I did consider a smaller lilac too, but then don't they need full sun to bloom well? In terms of lilacs, how do you like the Bloomerang lilacs that rebloom? Mine in the backyard is finally doing OK, after 3-4 years but the blooms tend to be smaller and not as dramatic as the Korean lilacs... I am wondering if this is a common experience? In terms of evergreens, I do have a few there, like Calgary Carpet Junipers, a golden juniper, as well as a Weeping Larch, and now a Dwarf Weeping Norway Spruce. I also wondered about putting some evergreens there too, but what would do well and look good there with part sun? Prairie_northrose, I went to Lowe's today and got a couple of those 2 gallon Fire Light Hydrangeas today! The thing was, even though they were very healthy looking, they were quite small plants. On the other hand, the Phantom Hydrangeas that I found from Costco were pretty big already, even though they were in 2 gallon pots too. I think that Phantom Hydrangeas probably are just much more vigorous..... hmm.... maybe I should just return those Fire Lights???