I agree that it is flowers that immediately draw people to a garden. Here, the front garden is the sunny space most suitable for flowers so it is the showy, flowery 'public' face of the garden and is planted for both our enjoyment and the enjoyment of neighbours and passers-by. It definitely draws people to the property - many neighbours comment on it and/or stop by to take a closer look. A flowery garden projects a friendly feel I think - in part, no doubt, because you're frequently out there working in it so it's easy for people passing by to engage you in conversation! The design aspects I try to impose on the flowery garden are through things like color selection, layout, and choice, design and placement of 'ornaments' (e.g. sundial) and structures (e.g. bench, arbour and obelisks/tuteurs). The shady backyard is private and more deliberately/obviously designed. Flowers are still important there but they take more of a secondary role. What has always irritated me is the implicit - and sometimes explicit - assumption that an interest in/desire for a flowery garden implies a lack of interest in/concern for or knowledge of good design.

Right, tony. I do feel as though 'shaving' a bit off each lateral surface of that long sloping 'back-cut' exposes more cambium for potential contact & callusing. Did a number of oaks & mulberries with that simple bark graft yesterday. Apples/pears - you can almost just throw the scions at the rootstock, or get them in the same room together, and you're virtually assured of success. I use a modification of that technique for most of the nut trees I graft(mostly pecans/hickories), especially when grafting relatively small-caliper scions onto rootstocks 2-4X their diameter - but instead of completely beheading the rootstock, I just cut about 3/4 of the way through, and break the top over, leaving it attached as a 'sap-drawer', then place my simple bark graft. Once the scion is pushing growth, I'll come back and snip off the 'hanging top' of the rootstock.

You should add your rating to Garden Watchdog. If you are not familiar with them, they are the largest nursery / plant seller rating service. I will post a link below. Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Watchdog

I am glad to find Rountree well liked when I saw this old thread. I have been checking out like every greenhouse in charlotte and they have really impressed me. Aside from Rountree, I also love Campbell's Greenhouse on South blvd. It is in South End just below East; next to the Mr K's soda shoppe & the Chipotle, so it is very very convenient if you live or work in uptown. It looks like a tiny place on the outside but there is a nice long greenhouse stuffed full of beautifully cared for orchids and houseplants and vines, and then an outdoor area behind with lots of good stuff. A much smaller operation than Rountree, I have only ever seen 4 or 5 people there, but they have chatted with me a lot and answered all my questions until I was always comfortable. Every house plant I have purchased there is still lush and healthy. So I frequent them too.