"I'd pick spots where you are thinking about moving them to if possible." I've been stressing out about what can handle being planted on the the north side of the house, which gets some morning and afternoon sun. I could have just put some of my 50 or so pots over there! I can't believe I didn't think of that. Do you think its too late in the season to try that? My plants from Bluestone have done great. I haven't lost anything yet. Most are in 2 gallon pots, with the shrubs in maybe 4 gallon pots. A few got a little fried when it was crazy hot a few weeks ago, but they have new growth. The astilbe (and everything else) were repotted when I got them, maybe May 15? They've all taken off. The astilbe and hosta pots on the ground are actually anchored to the ground by roots. But most of the 50 pots are elevated on a piece of plywood resting on saw horses. Yes, I'm in Maine, pretty much right over the border from Portsmouth. Our native soil is really horrid. Sticky clay with little bits of smashed up ledge. Zero drainage. I tested the soil a few years ago and it came out slightly acid. The plants are in pots right now, so they are getting whatever the potting soil companies put in there. We do have blueberry bushes growing wild, so I assume the native soil is acid. Everything is in pots because my final grade and loam (and lawn and flower beds) have not been done and I had an actual physical need to buy plants. The landscaping was supposed to be done first thing this spring. I put all the plants I got into bigger pots and diligently took care of them. They are SUPPOSED to go in the ground before fall. But we are no closer to that than we were this time last year. At this rate I am facing somehow over-wintering 50+ pots. Let's say I am NOT pleased about this. DH and I have had major arguments about the landscaping in general (we are in a nice neighborhood, and the yard is a blight with piles of fill scattered about and tons of weeds.). He basically wants me to hand him $15k and say "have fun spending it on a lawn". I want a plan (what machines need to be rented and when, how many days, how many yards loam, how many yards fill, how deep will the loam be for the lawn, how will be flower beds be constructed, etc.) with prices. Him? Not so much. So he stalls (after all, stalling means no work for him!). And I fume. I can't just let him run with it. I learned when we built the house not to let him make financial commitments without reviewing it with me. He prefers to just start without a budget, plan or estimate of cost. He won't even ask someone what they are going to charge before they do the work. I got quite a few surprise bills when we built the house, all a result of this behavior (learned from his mother, who thinks asking the price is anything is embarrassing). Yes, I could try to arrange getting it done myself. But I don't have the time (I have a 4 hour round trip commute everyday) and I shouldn't have to, since DH is a licensed contractor. (Yup, that's right). So, that is the saga of why I have a "pot ghetto". The weekend is here. Time to talk to DH AGAIN about the landscaping.

Well, I don't live in your area, but Rosette Delizy and General Gallieni are not huge roses here. I've heard rumors that Rosette Delizy can get very large in your area if left to her own devices. Mons. Tillier and Clementina are sprawly things here. I keep the height and width of Clementina and Mons Tillier pruned back somewhat and they don't seem to mind. My Rosette Delizy has never gotten large enough to need much pruning. RD is very healthy here, just not very large. I have all of these Teas and love them. Hoovb is growing Clementina and I think Luanne may have all of these in her garden in California. Carol

How about some sensory plants like Superstition Mallow (Abutilon palmeri)? It has velvet soft leaves and attractive orange sherbert colored flowers. You could also start an "ABC" garden. Pick flowers or herbs that match a letter of the alphabet and have a large painted letter nearby to help your child identify it. For example: A = aster, B = butterfly weed. Experience textures by planting Lamb's Ear, a wooly herb. Use highly scented herbs like Mints for M for a different experience. Later you can consider a "Dinosaur Garden", an area that would attract those creatures if they lived today. Small palms, asparagus ferns, junipers, pine and other greenery that predate flowering plants are perfect. Imagine a world without flowers! For the dinosaurs there was just an endless world of various shades of green. Flowering plants were just coming into the world during the dinosaurs last days. Adding large models of dinosaurs nearby can give your child a feel for dinosaur time and what their world looked like then.

First, you are so luck to have such a wonderful getaway vacation home! It is on a beautiful lot. I agree with missymoo as well, and also what Olychick said. Something about that table smack dab in the middle of the room seems to block entry into the screened porch. I love the idea of a sofa against the wall, something like what robo posted with some comfy cushions and arms, and a chair for reading with a footstool that could also double as an extra seat. Add a small cocktail table you can also use for a tray of snack food. The bar cart is also a great idea. Encourages people to gravitate to where the food and drinks are. You could also string up some lighting along the perimeter and it would look very inviting. Do you get a lot of sun on the deck? It looks shady so I would think a new round table with chairs for seating would be fine and then move your grill & the pub table out there. You can get some pretty nice chairs that swivel and rock. I have also seen some benches that double as storage for the cushions so that might be an option if there is room. That would keep cushion maintenance down for you when you aren't there.