Brent, No rain here. They also called off the effects of the cold front we were supposed to be getting, i.e., the temps are now going to be in the upper eighties instead of very low eighties (as had been forecast all week). I'm bummed. If a mattock is the same thing as a pick-axe, then it has become the most used tool in our arsenal as well. Our tiller can't do anything except scrape the surface. (BTW: How's Otto doing?) Frankie, Because I am a plant junkie, and because I am turning DH into one as well, we will certainly be adding more and more plants in coming months and years. The immediate problem with our ground conditions has come about due to zero rainfall for the past five weeks. Normally our soil is fairly easy to work with. laag, Thanks. I understand what you mean about too much of a flattening effect. I am doing what I can to re-work what's here to lessen the effect. As much as I would like to have larger specimens to start with, I can't seem to find any. So I will have to count on time, to some extent, to add more depth to the scene. Many of the shrubs we do have will (fairly rapidly) reach 4-6 feet in height and width, which should have a favorable effect on the "depth factor". During the course of this posting, I find myself staring more and more often across the street to my neighbors front yard. His is a two story brick colonial and is masterfully grounded by medium and large shrubby trees planted across the front and at the "wings" on either side. I would be sorely tempted to copy many of his plant choices if it weren't for the fact that his front yard has a northern exposure (shade) and mine is the total opposite. I can, however, try to mimic the size and forms of his plantings. If he has managed to properly "ground" a large two story colonial, then my challenge should be child's-play in comparison. Annie, The trellis is 10 ft. tall and 4 ft. wide and the bottom two feet are buried in the dirt. Although it is technically possible to move it, it is already at least 15 inches out from the siding (for air circulation) and I think it would look odd if it were any farther away from the wall. Still, the rose is less than a year old and will probably get much bushier as it matures and is regularly pruned. That should help to achieve the effect you describe. ......Jan

Dinnerpl8... wondering about the Ostrich Ferns ? and Peonies? Reviewing my trade list : Lots of garlic starts ( named variety but not sure from which variety LOL ! ) Korean Purple Garlic (gone ) Leningrad Garlic 2 pots African Daisy orange bloom 3 small pots medium purple Mums Yvonne's Salvia (supposed to grow to 5 feet tall????) Kiss me over the Garden Gate *( just starting to germinate and show their heads) All Star lilium ( small bulbs ,,,) Iris - intermediate deep purple Virginia bluebells Double yellow Daffodils 2 small pots of mini yellow daffodils 2 pots of White with peach color trumpets daffodils Husky Red Tomatoes(great flavor)and don't seem to succumb to regular tomato diseases Feverfew single bloom lemony green foliage not as prolific as the double . Chamomile Haskap starts (this is tentative..... waiting for germination in greenhouse if we ever see the sun this year ) Crocosmia ( same deal as Haskap) Hige Shakori flaked Morning Glory Goji Berry Pennyroyal Nettle Chocolate Mint Plumeria Purple Monarda Creeping Buttercup Grape Tomatoes ( small plants ) Red Pixie Lily August Crocus Daylily Ruby Stella Saskatoon Berry bushes New: Hope Grey Squash ( rare to find) Lemon Balm Regular double Feverfew Dame's Rocket yellow zucchini ( 2) Blue Pumpkin (2) not sure if it will come true as I got seeds in a trade here on gardenweb but if true should be quite interesting Northern Catalpa tree starts ( seedlings) (2) Echinacea daylily Bonanza more new : Mauve Lilac 3 ft tall with blooms True Tiger lilies - maybe orange or yellow Daylily - Night Beacon - Bitsy - Pink Damask Ladybells (can be invasive if not deadheaded when seed pods present) Lily of the Valley Hosta - Golden Tiara - Lancefolia - Aurea varigata Primula - bright pink with yellow/orange centers Thanks Signet

Please give japanese styrax a place in your garden!!I also love Euonymus americanus"hearts-a-burstig".It can't be beat this time of the year along with toad lillies,red buckeye seeds bursting from their pods.Now is the time of year also for Illicium Parviflorum to be loaded with seed pods!!Awesome!!Also give Giant Dogwood a place(Cornus Controversa).Water in dry times. If you can obtain Pseudocydonia chinensis(Chinese Quince) give it a try.This is NOT Chaenomeles speciosa(Flowering Quince).Also give the little guys like Asarum and Hexastylis a chance in your shade area,with a little extra water.Don't be scared to plant Sugar maples either!!They do well if planted in a good hole and watered for the first couple of years. If you have a source for Baptisia perfoliata,plant it!It is a sandhills endemic where I live and it is bulletproof!!Interesting perfoliate leaves clasping the stem and yellow flowers in the leaf axils.Foliage looks like eucalyptus and some people call it that.Drives me nuts!!Learn to ID your plants and you'll be much better off.I'll go for now and give someone else some"airtime".P.S. Red Buckeye seeds and Euonymus americanus seeds available now!!!!

Barb...both happy and sad....Happy he is moving forward with his life. Knowing he will go far as long as he stays focused on his studies, and learns to quit being so wasteful. Sad because he is moving on and we will be seeing very little of him in the next 4 years or so. We havent made any new life adventures yet. House needs some TLC. I suppose first we will get used to having a home with just us and the critters and go from there. Chell I used to be a dog and cat groomer. I loved it too. But my employer was a deedeedee. Never had the money to pay me each week and always "owed" me. And she never gave me my tips either.Then at the end of the year she reported more earnings for me than what I had really made.Fortunitly I kept records and proved my case and won, so make sure you don't let the same happen to you. I have kept my clippers, blades and accessories and still will do a neighbors dog or two once in awhile to keep my skills up.....but don't miss the hair stuck in places I did'nt know existed....lol. Love all the pictures the everyone post. Always enjoy seeing ya'lls babies. Regina