I do plan on cancelling the chokecherry. Its too bad, because it is a good looking tree. I like the idea that it starts out green and turns purple. Any other trees that you would recommend that have the same color? I'll have to double check the Constellation Dogwood... perhaps it was mislabeled. Would this tree make a good shade tree for the west side of a patio? They're currently out of stock of the "Ivory Silk", so I'm sticking with the plain Lilac tree. I do like the Serviceberry. I'm a bit concerned that the "tree form" of it will sucker. Is this a valid concern? I've heard that the Chokecherry suckers bad because it's naturally a clump form. Is this the case with the Serviceberry? I'm more interested in the tree from. I'm really interested in a Catalpa, but I've heard the seed pods are messy and poisonous. I would really love the Kentucky Coffee tree... but I have the same concerns regarding the seed pods. The Worplesdon Sweetgum looked nice, except for the spiney balls it bears. I looked at the Mt.St. Helens Plum, but it was all eaten up by beetles. They have a great Autumn Gold Ginkgo, but I don't know if I have the patience for it. Another tree they have in stock (which I know nothing about) is the Katsura Tree. Thanks for the advice!

Actually, I'm pretty sure the wisteria is of the native variety. We never planted it at my grandmother's house, as we've owned the lot for decades and it was just an empty wooded lot 10 or so years ago. The wisteria has been there for years, and the vines and flowers are small and not very prolific. I'm not sure if my great grandfather tossed something into the area years ago, or if someone neighbor secretly planted them there or what, but they haven't been a problem yet. I'm quite sure I won't have any issue with the Albizia's. Can't remember if I mentioned it before, but I talked to a person on my street who has a large Albizia in their yard, and they said they didn't have problems with it. If mine survive the winter inside, I plan to plant them in the yard or on the outskirts of the field, both of which are mowed multiple times a year. We have acres of thick forest surrounding all the fields as well, and if I've read correctly, Albizias need full sun and will die if placed under a larger tree. They should be well contained if any seeds happen to escape, and any seedlings spreading by the tree's roots will be promptly mowed down. I know about how much invasive species suck, so I am being careful with anything potentially invasive. We have Asiatic bittersweet growing rampant around here. I try to hack some down from around the yard, but with half of our 50 acres being forest surrounding field, there's a lot of the bittersweet around the edges of the woods. I'll have to look into Kentucky coffeetrees and yellowwood. I was thinking about the coffeetrees the other day, but I've never seen them growing around here. Will they grow out of their range when planted as ornamentals? I'm planning on starting the eastern redbud seeds and maybe a few of the acacia today.

Dipsandtets, Nancy, and Christine: This salvia has been growing here for about 8 years. I struggle a bit to contain the B&B salvia. It dies back above ground in winter, but the roots apparently are never killed here. And if I forgt, I will be pulling salvia from daylilies and clematis because it spreads underground...it is quite easy to pull up, however. There are several salvias in my yard: B&B, Hot Lips, Navaho, and Wild Thing which is a hot pink here. I have planted the maraschino but am going to have to plant it again. I do have hummingbirds, but because there are only one type here, the Rubythroats, there aren't ever more than 3 around at a time. They do not tolerate another hummingbird in their territory...a little female has owned my yard for two years. There are many battles where she chases off "intruders", but they still come because there is so much food here. Jean, it is off topic since it isn't about daylilies. But thank you for your kind words. My bench is invisible in the picture with the butterfly bush, but it sits just past the bush and just in front of the hydrangea. too bad you don't live close enough to visit, we could sit on the bench and watch the butterflies and birds. Avedon, those poppies are lovely. They are lighter but larger than mine. I am so delighted to have poppies since it is the first time I have grown any. kay

I'm too far north to imagine what the banana might look like, but I bet it would be nice. And the fan palm would be lovely. Chaste tree, Vitex angus-castus, is a pretty southern substitute for lilac, with grey-green leaves and beautiful blue flowers. Desert willow seems like it would be nice, too -- not sure how tall they get. Fothergilla is beautiful in bloom; you could prune it to a single stem I think. Sterile Rose of Sharon, trimmed to tree-form would be an unusual, tropical looking plant. (I did this with regular ROS and while I loved the look, the seedlings were killer!) Hope you find something that works for you -- looks like a lovely space!