I have to agree that, while they are very well done, the railings attached to the round posts look out of place. Then again, I can understand not wanting to remove them; it was probably a lot of work to put them up, not to mention expensive. I can also understand why you wanted them in the first place to stop traffic, though once everyone gets used to the door on the corner, alot of that cutting across will stop. If you can, I'd seriously consider removing them. If removing them is OOTQ, what about making them shorter, say, no taller than the bottom edge of the front windows? That way, they'd look less like the house was surrounded in baby gates. The porch is low enough you shouldn't have any trouble with building codes. In some areas, if you replace rather than repair the original railings, you have to make them taller, something like 36 or 38 inches. It's supposed to be a safety feature, I suppose to keep passing drunks and reckless children from toppling off the porch, but it usually makes it look like the house has been put in a cage. If you do keep the front porch railings, I'd definately add a top rail to the outside of the rails on the screen porch to cover the angled tops as someone else suggested; the way it is now, the screen porch has a modular, modern look that just doesn't feel right. Someone else also suggested adding rounded posts to the corners of the screen porch, to help visually tie the two together from the road, but then again, that might not be doable on a budget; I know those rounded posts are expensive. (that might be why the person who originally added them to the portico/porch used three instead of four...) Also, what about adding a trim to enclose the top (ceiling) edge of the screen porch to make it match the front porch, and cover the exposed beams? You'd loose some of the light inside, and possibly some breeze, but not too much, and I think it would help balance it out, and make a better match with the front of the house. I realize the screen porch is in the side yard, but from the street it's visible enough that you should think of it as being an extension of the front. Are you going to put in a window around the corner from the new front door? It seems like that's a big blank wall, and it's a shame to completly loose that side view of the garden once you step inside until you make it back outside to the screen porch. Maybe one of those decorative stained glass windows; not in color, but in different patterns/textures of transparent and translucent glass would be nice. I know, that's "house" stuff, not landscaping, but what caught my eye about your place was the way you'd moved the off center front door over to the corner. I have an off center front door myself; it's too close to a main interior wall to add sidelights to try to balance it with the windows, so I'm always interested in seeing how other people work around one. I'd still love to see how you worked out the new floorplan. :^)

Woody, I will have to look for that thyme. I don't always have an easy time growing it because of clay soil. I put a patch along the edge of a raised bed two years ago and it turned into a very pretty gold mound last year, so I want to try more. It's great to have a plant that reminds you of your Mom. My Mom loved Gardenias and I never fail to think of her every time I smell one. I've heard that about Ponds before. [g] My DH helps me a LOT in the garden and he is just not a gardener. He does not have the interest that I have. I always felt bad that he helped so much and didn't enjoy the garden as much as I did. He never made comments about plants and seemed indifferent to everything I tried to interest him in. Then one day a newly planted Honeysuckle bloomed and he came in and asked, 'What's that smell?' He loved it! So I finally had a way to bring him enjoyment with the garden. Now I look for every fragrant plant I can find...lol. He even brings home Hyacinths from the supermarket now and for the first time he suggested himself that he might want to bring houseplants to the office. He has three now. :-) Honeysuckle, Roses, Viburnum carlesii, Lilacs, Casa Blanca Lilies, I love them all. I can't get enough. Four O'Clocks, Alyssum and Heliotrope for annuals. Woody, I was so sick of the RLLBeetle, that two years ago, I gave up on my Casa Blancas and pulled them all out and tossed them. They looked horrid that year. To my surprise they came back last year. I guess there must have been offsets. They looked wonderful and I managed to stay on top of the Beetles last year. So now I'm going for it and buying more. I have a new approach. I used to struggle to pick them by hand, I don't spray anything. They would fall and they turn upside down and you can't see them. Now I carry a 5 gallon pail with water in the bottom with me, and just knock them into it. It is much easier for some reason. Then I eliminate them on the driveway. Last year was the first year my foliage looked decent in awhile. I am keeping my fingers crossed for this year. I love lilies and would have a garden full if it weren't for that darn bug!

Wildflower and Snoogie, bad news. The Dutchman's Pipe Vine seeds I had saved do not seem to be viable. I had thought the pods were a bit small when the first frost hit them but I left them a little longer to see if they would develope further. All the seeds I have started have failed to sprout and the remaining seeds grew some kind of fungus or mold. I will try my hand at cuttings this year to see if I can propagate them. GottaHosta, my Spider Lillies have yet to show their faces. Amaryllis are mixed with them and they have come up only in the past week or so and I have the uncanny ability to shear bulbs in half when digging them up unless I know right where they are. I will happily dig you a couple when they show themselves. I travel all around Metro Atlanta in my work so I can deliver to a wide range of areas. See me at the trade. For everyone else I have your trades ready to go........... I think!

I sure do feel for you, Susan. Flowers are such a source of joy and to see them killed by that noxious weed must be very painful. I'm lately battling morning glory that must have been started by a bird dropping seed, as there are none around me. (I wrote about this earlier, so sorry for the repeat.) So far, it's in one bed that used to contain a spa and deck that we removed, and that now has three blueberry bushes and some green beans; if need be, I don't mind taking out the blueberries to get this weed gone! (The beans will be finished soon.) I am using a vinegar/salt/Dawn mixture that I read about, but I've had to reapply several times and I see they're green again. :( If applied when the weather is hot, they dry and fry immediately.....but in a week they're back again. I know I'm poisoning the soil and intend to replace the soil, if necessary. My patch is manageable so far, but we shall see if continuous sprayings will eradicate. Do you think your kids might be able to help you rent goats? Or would the weed spring back as soon as they leave? I'm sorry you're having to deal with this!