Thanks, it sounds like it's a reoccuring theme for people to come in asking for big design questions. I guess I've already laid out the rough shape of the beds in my mind based on the limitations of the space and am now looking to fill in the key positions that will frame the space. In layman's terms, which conifers [that I like] will physically give me that size in the 10-30 year range. I installed the sprinkler system myself, so it's no big deal to make adjustments, I was just stating that water was available if necessary during establishment, drought, heat etc... I would state my goal is probably "how do I cram as many of my favorite plants into my space as possible?" This is under the assumption that every plant needs it's own space and you design for the long term, particularly the smaller conifers (as my assumption is that I won't be able to find these conifers locally, so they'll be small mail order plants). And those small mail order conifers will need to not be over shadowed by other shrubs or perennials. I'm fairly good at latin name familiarization, as I've grown orchids, perennials, grasses, but conifers are a bit more difficult, particularly because there seems to be an unlimited number of the same species, but different cultivars which differ in shape and size. i.e. an abies koreana could be 1 foot or 10' or 50' tall! A Phaldelphus is only going to get 10' tall ever! So I took a break from conifer memorization to regain my momentum on the over all planning. So I picked out some "want to have" shrubs, just kind of an easy, fun to pick out plants. I'm balancing the number of conifers with the evergreen shrubs vs. decidious shrubs. i.e. a Camelia being evergreen would make a nice back drop for a short picea pugens, but I could get away with something deciduous also. But a Philadelphus being deciduous is going to need a conifer near by to offset the winter bare... But it's all under the assumption that in 30 years it will be mostly Conifers, a few favorite shrubs, and a few perennials. Now to get back to conifer planning... need to develop a "must have" list of conifers, but this is much different wrapping my head around names than past plants. Shrubs "Want list" Philadelphus ‘Manteau d'Hermine’ 4-5' Camelia TBD - tall background Smoke Bush tall background Abelia x Grandiflora - medium Viburnum carlesii 'Compactum' - medium Clethra alnifolia 'Ruby Spice' - short Clethra alnifolia Hummingbird' - short Daphne odora Variegata - short Daphne burkwodii? Carol Mackie' - short Calycanthus floridus - sort of short Weigela florida 'Variegata nana' - short

The stakes I have are definitely not hollow. To get them in the ground for the tomato containers, I had to go most of the way up a 6' step ladder with a 3 lb hammer. It took some elbow grease to get them about 2' in the ground, with what I think is 6 or 7' showing. They're really solid. No, they aren't sugar maples, and they don't belong to me. I think one is a Norway Maple, not sure on the others. I may get the bounty of the "helicopters" in the spring, and the leaves in fall, but they grow on the properties of neighbors behind me. I suppose I could have someone come in and trim what's over my yard, but it really wouldn't help much. Once the growing season gets in gear around here, I can take some photos and show you. When the crown of the tree is over another yard, and in between your stuff and the sun, it's a losing battle. Greater suburbia life. Nah, I tried Knockout Roses before I knew anything about landscape roses. Haven't read the article, but it's not a type that appeals to me. I gave the two I had to a neighbor with a bigger yard. I'm looking at Pope John Paul II. The main requirement for me, for roses, is fragrance and disease resistance, not necessarily in that order. I only have room for a couple, so they have to be special. I like hybrid teas and old garden roses with a ton of petals. :) Wish I had room for compost piles. Zinnias are pretty. Are there photos somewhere of them that I can look at?

Fell way behind keeping this updated...sorry, so here we go It was an off year weather wise, we still grew some trees and had success and some only did ok. Staghorn sumac (only have early pic forgot to take one before they were planted in the woods) Oak (bur, red, white) Apple Locust Jack pine (with self seeding maple) Scotch pine, Douglas fir and 1 lone hemlock (with self seeding maples) Norway maple Spruce (blue, black, white) Tree farm (might have trees ready for the woods late next season) So for our next experiment we want to try doing 2-0 / 3-0 spruce seedlings. I ordered 28 more 45 cell forestry trays for a total of 40 trays 1800 cells so we can plant 450 spruce per season to get the cycle going and overwinter them in the trays so hopefully in 2-3 years we will have bigger stronger seedlings that will be able to fight and survive in the woods. Dont know if we can pull this off and will be trying 2 trays this season to see what happens and learn, either way it should be fun, success or not So if this works we want to grow - Blue (majestic, AZ Kaibab, CO Dolores, CO San Juan), Black, Red, Red/Black hybrid, White, Engelmann (mountain spruce), Siberian, Serbian, Meyers, Norway, Douglas fir, Fraser fir, Balsam fir, White fir, Hemlock, Scotch pine Well that about gets you up to speed.

No, Elmer, the only oysters I will eat are fried on a poboy with the other half fried shrimp. No fish sorbets no matter who is buying. I like them fried. Ate plenty of them when we lived in New Orleans. I could not choke down a raw oyster unless there was a knife at my throat. I feel the same way about milk. I can't touch it or smell it. it makes me gag. But, do love cheeses and cultured foods. Other than uncultured dairy and raw oysters, there is very little that I reject outright. I have my dislikes just as anyone else does. I enjoy all manner of foods from all over the world and love, love, love fusion cooking. I am not one of those people who doesn't like this and doesn't like that. You know those people, the ones who don't eat beans, or don't eat onions, or won't touch bread, or don't eat any vegetable unless it is raw. or balk at any thing that is seasoned with any other than salt or pepper. I am not that person. That is not me. Not too fond of anything rendered into foam. If food is beautiful that is a good place to start with enjoying it. But some of these things are revolting looking or just ridiculous. We used to have a butcher in a small town where we lived and for some reason he had beef heart. We really grew to appreciate chili made with beef heart. I do know a thing or two about foods, many different ones. I do draw a line at eating fish eyeballs. My DIL who is from another part of the world loves to eat the whole fish with the eyeballs. Lamb cheeks, stewed ears, tongues, yes. Eyeballs? NO. I'll pass. Please don't serve it on a plate dressed with kitty spittle or something that looks like the grass that the dog barfed up. I don't care how good it might actually taste. Why do that to it?