On my computer that clematis looks blue with blue-purplish edging. One I might like to add to my garden. I will look for it when it's in bloom this August. Sometimes plants in public gardens have markers that are hidden behind foliage but often they are missing or were never marked. It's been a few years since I have gone to the Japanese garden in Como Park. Is that the only clematis growing there? If not and you can describe the location you might be able to call or e-mail Como Park and ask for an identification. This is a good time to visit the Como Conservatory and see their spring flower display. Think we will go this Friday or Monday. I will look for a marker and/or ask. Also, try posting on the MN forum. Maybe someone there has seen it and can identify it for you.

Thyme is a traditional plant for this,.. but if you water a little and make the ground more acidic, you may kill out a lot of grass and probably get some native mosses--and this can look pretty, but be slippery, too (sometimes, not always--depends on the variety.) I have one of those flame throwers--because NOTHING else kills bermuda grass. (Any hints anyone?) And it does a great job. Otherwise, I got a special tool from Lee Valley that is like a heavy knife, and it cuts the roots out quickly and easily--you just drag it along the seam of the brick. Good luck!

From what my BF has said, and from what I have observed, A__'s mom usually wants what's best for him... But sometimes what's best for him has to be pointed out to her. His basic needs are always met and he's well cared for, but I've noticed that she sometimes confuses "What's best for him" with "What she wants"... An example: A few weeks ago, she had some plans several evenings in a row (I think one was work and two were social) and devised a bizarre and elaborate A__ care schedule where he was at three places each day (Mom's, Dad's, Papa's, Grandma's)... The reasons for the elaborate swapping scheme included things like that she wanted J__ to change her car battery in the parking lot during A__'s soccer game (so he should pick A__ up from school and take him to soccer), but J__ was on call that night, so couldn't keep A__ for the overnight (so he should sleep at Papa's) Grandma (BM's mom) pointed out that this was a lot of traveling for A__ and perhaps it would be better to change to just one change each day, so whoever picks him up from school is where he stays that night. Once someone pointed out that this was going to make for a tired and cranky A__ with little consistency to his week, she said ok and went with the revised plan... So she DOES want what's best for him, she just seems to think that "what's best for A__" = "what's easiest for her"... So J__ might have to point out that it's good that A__ and are getting pretty tight, but I think she'll be more-or-less OK with it if he does (he had to point out that it was important for A__ to spend time with Papa, and then she came around to the idea, so I'm banking on that. As BM problems go, I have it pretty easy! No drug addictions, no taking J__ to court all the time, no not feeding A__ because she had no dishes... Just some immaturity and occasional crabbiness - nothing I can't live with.

I do spray that guck on new shoots and canes (basal breaks) which I am excited about, and buds also if I notice them. We always cage newly planted roses, until they get big enough so that some grazing will not kill them. We are lucky - we live 4 blocks from downtown, and as my DH says, by the time the deer get to our garden, they are just on dessert. Only 1/3rd of an acre, and by a busy street in the middle of lots of houses. The deer walk down the sidewalks and cross at the corners - really! We have 150+ roses, and I do not mind some nibbling, especially since they are either full or lazy, and only munch at deer height - hardly anything below or above. That's why I have always planted lots of climbers! This year about 6 weeks ago, a doe gave birth to twins in our garden (parts of it are sort of wild and overgrown). One morning I woke up to see the below out of my bedroom window. I grabbed my camera - the below pics were taken through our 110 year old wiggly Victorian window glass, so pls forgive the bad quality. She spotted me in the window (see the second pic) took umbrage at me staring at her kids, and took them away, and I haven't seen that trio since. There has been some nibbling at night, but no sightings. I must admit that, although I would never feed them deliberately, they are welcome to some food and shelter and water in my garden now when we are in the 5th year of a horrible drought. Jackie