When the leaf is crushed, it smells pleasant, not very spicy. Yes, this is a woody, not a perennial. I wiped off the dust and opened my Dirr's. Do you think it's a Lindera benzoin? I'm in 7A, in a protected area near Philadelphia.

Sorry all...it's been a very busy last couple of days and this is the first chance I've had to get back on this issue. lilium -- Thanks for the info on the dogwood...yes, I suppose it could've been overly wet, but didn't seem to be so as I was digging the hole for it. Could've been a little too much clay though and might've held whatever water was there, for too long. It was very frustrating though, because small (almost wild-looking) dogwoods used to grow in that area perfectly well, but had to be cut down due to construction issues. esh -- Thanks! I will definitely take some pix sometime this week...probably Thursday or Saturday (nice weather those days). The area I want to plant in now IS at the bottom of a hill, so it does get excess runoff, But, the soil is pretty easy to work...even with some clay, it's never very difficult to dig down there...except for working around roots of the existing trees. The dogwood WAS a B&B, now that I think about it...and it is the only B&B tree I've ever planted. I did cut away the twine and pulled the burlap down several inches, but didn't completely remove it. I'll keep the B&B-vs-container thing in mind for the future. I am more comfortable with container plants, obviously. The area is partial shade-to-full shade, depending on how close to the lawn you get (partial shade near the lawn, full shade next to the existing woods). I am looking for a little of everything I think. I don't want to plant TOO many varieties, but I think it could look more natural if I don't plant just one thing, right? Maybe one flowering (I like white and yellow...hence the dogwood), something for fall color (I already have maples in the yard, so more maples wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing...but open to other ideas), and sure...something evergreen would be nice. I already have quite a few varieties in the landscape...blue pacific juniper, Parson's juniper, Saybrook Gold juniper, blue point juniper (yeah...OK, I like junipers...), and a REALLY big no-idea-what-the-name-of-it-is cedar that actually came OUT of the edge of those woods many years ago. I also have Clarissa hollies in the existing landscape, needlepoint hollies, variegated pittosporums, and kaleidoscope abelia. So, obviously, I like evergreens too! :) I'm really open to anything...my main concern is that it looks natural.

The nuts from my red buckeye tree fell and are sending down little tap roots. Should I pot them up or leave them in situ over the fall and winter? I eventually wish to spread the new seedling trees around in our woodland copse area. Red Buckeye blossoms are pollenated exclusively by hummingbirds.

My list: 1. Asperula Blue 2. Balsam white 3. Brachyscome 'Little Missy' 4. Browallia 5. Campanula longistyla Isabella Blue 6. Cerinthe - any blue 7. Ceratotheca triloba alba 8. Dicentra exima (white) 9. Elschscholzia california 'Wrinkled Rose' Globularia any low blue Linaria triornithophora âÂÂRoseaâ Lobelia any cascading blue annual or perennial blue like L x gerardia (spelling?) Nasturtiums - any by color (no mixes) prefer trailing/climbing, pale/white Nierembergia blue Pelargonium (Scented Geranium) - any Pennisetum glaucum 'Purple majesty' (Ornamental millet) Penstemon speciosus Plectranthus - any, especially aromatic (already have argentatus & barbatus) Plectranthus amboinicus (Cuban Oregan) Plumbago white Salvia canescens var. daghestanica Salvia chamaedryoides - would love silver leaved form Salvia coccinea white Salvia cyanescens - white, as well as blue Salvia patens 'Patio White'; as well as 'Patio Blue' Salvia rubescens - has silvery leaves/ red-orange flowers Stachys albotomentosa Stachys citrina Thyme - any Torenia Deep Blue This post was edited by primrose1x3 on Sat, Nov 30, 13 at 18:16