The weather is so odd this year that I haven't done nearly as many arrangements as I usually do. I always leave my large decorative concrete containers of perennials out all year. Some contain prostrate junipers, others have sedum. As winter approaches, I push into the dirt itself a variety of offcuts of evergreen branches, attractive branches and some artificial boughs. If it's a bit wobbly, I pack snow tightly around the base of the arrangement and water VERY lightly - just enough to freeze everything in place overnight. I also have a pretty fair-sized collection of good quality artificial garlands and wreaths for outside use. However, I always supplement heavily with real branches of any conifer (except cedar which browns out way too fast), juniper and cranberry berries, pine cones and fungi and moss from the nearby woodlands. It's the most friendly and organic way to shelter the birds who use all the feeders and heated bird baths that I have scattered around. It's great to see any life in the garden in these long winter months. Once the holidays are done, I just remove the lights and leave the natural arrangement until warmer weather. I have even taken (with the merchants' blessings) unsold outdoor Christmas trees on Boxing day and plunked them into the biggest snowdrifts in my back garden. Not solely for the birds - the evergreens give me a little more privacy and depth in my young suburban landscape when the deciduous trees are bare. Not this year though. Still no snow on the ground. Almost traumatic that... However, for tall, stand-alone arrangements in unsheltered locations exposed to strong winter winds, I think that the only way you can really ensure that it all stays upright is to have a container deep enough to hold at least 1/3 of the total height. A weighty mix of dirt, styrofoam peanuts or floral foam for volume, snow and just enough water to freeze it all together should help to anchor the structure.

Roflol, All the planning in the world isn't going to solve the problem. With WS you have so many seedlings that you have to just stuff them in somewhere and run away from them to get more. I think the best piece of advice I got about what to do with all my seedlings was from a 3 year old who was helping plant seedlings 2 years ago. He heard me moaning that I was running out of room in the garden beds to put all the seedlings. He looked at me with that puzzled look a 3 year old gets and said "no more room?" He kept looking at me and got up and walked all around the front yard, came back to me and said "dirt, dirt everywhere, dig a hole and drop them in." He then grabbed a container and my little shovel and started digging holes in the lawn, and all over, then he dropped seedlings in the holes. I was laughing and laughing, then realized how right he was. I had dirt all over the front yard, so where was the problem? I just started stuffing the garden beds with my seedlings. I dug up some of the lawn, who needs lawns right? Just stuff them in where ever there is dirt. Don't forget, there's always containers to put plants in too. Walmart has wonderful cheap pots that start at $.88 for an 8 inch container with a saucer. When you get desperate, as my hubby did last summer, when he had to help get the seedlings in for me, while I recouped from surgery, I found, even an engineer can be creative with his pot plantings. He just followed my lead and stuffed seedlings into pots. When I realized what he did, well it was too late to make changes. Some hubby creative planting pics different types of zinnias in one pot. he read zinnia only. balsam impatiens in the top of the strawberry jar, he put alyssum in the sides of one and my strawberry plants in the sides of another and portulacca in the third. the remaining 4 seedlings of 4'oclocks. he just stuffed them all in a 12 inch pot. They bloomed beautifully too. duck taped the leaking birdbath, filled it with miracle grow potting mix and put the drumonndi phlox and petunias in it. the last malva seedling, in a left over pot. 3 foot tall cactus zinnia in a 10 inch pot. He thought it would stay short cause it was so small. It grew quite well, with twisted and bent stems, but the flowers where full and normal and always facing up towards the sky. See, there's always a way to find more room, just dig a hole and put it in or fill a pot and put it in. Fran

Well I'm jealous too. First of all that ya'll both have plenty of money and time to go shopping for plants and have lunch. LOL It is so awesome to spend time with another plant person. They understand us and our desire to have more plants. I just love spending time in the gardens with others. I rarely can find time to do anything besides pull weeds, dig holes, move rocks, take cuttings, mow, rake, hoe, harvest seeds, food and so forth and let's not even talk about how dirty my hands get. I was thinking the other day about doing my nails and got tickled at even thinking about it for a split second. That polish would last about 1 minute before I had my hand in something without a glove on it. (grin) I'm going to start a post and list the brugs that I have growing right now. For those of you who have shared with me I'll share with you. Just let me know which ones you want and I'll keep a list. When they are big enough, I'll take cuttings. I lost alot of cuttings that people either gave me or I bought of ebay or somewhere else. (frown) Eloise I'm glad you got to spend some time with Gloria. I know Ya'll hit it off just great. Probably like two peas in a pod. Hey, Doesn't Josh live close to ya'll? If so, he probably would have liked to show up shop, and visit with you two also. Happy Gardening, Marian

Hey guys! Thank you SO much for all your concern and support! I'm not getting notifications (again) for some reason, and have been working my tail off. It's extremely, frighteningly slow this month, so I'm taking all the shifts I can. Like everything, this will pick up, but in the meanwhile, I'm one pooped, too-old-for-this woman. (Feels weird to call myself a "woman"!) Anyway, to answer a few questions: Bankruptcy isn't in the picture because I'd lose the condominium & its' $500 a month. $500 a month helps me take care of the bills I do pay. My insurances & some of my primary mortgage. Because I don't pay the ones I cannot even pretend to cover (the ones he'd agreed to pay), I am getting by and this money makes ends meet. One debt at a time; they're not going anywhere. Community (i.e. 50/50) property. Sure. MD, too. But it doesn't divide the debt. I'd end up out on my bummy with my pets, still in debt with no place to live. He walked away leaving me without a choice in the matter. The blood I've out into this place has me possessive. He doesn't want it, instead simply wants to be absolved of 18 years of financial responsibility. berardmr, I didn't know you were close! Very cool. I'm thinking someday when I can actually paint, I'll get all my paint colors together and invite everyone for the weekend. Bring sleeping bags, campers, kids and pets. I have a grill and paint supplies, and yes, potties! Yeah! Adding fuel to the legal fire. I just emailed my lawyer (whom I really like) to tell him that I qualified for a gov't program for the condominium to lower my interest rate from 6.75 to about 3.99. Quicken Loans and my mortgage holder contacted me, then said I can't do it because of the judgment against me for one of the bills STBX is supposed to handle. So the consequences of his behavior are far reaching. I can't even have a checking account because it's frozen. Welcome to the life of prepaid Visas and money orders. I'm feeling a little encouraged, though. Lawyer is constantly amazed at the history and behavior. I just sent him a few links (he's probably reading this now!) rather than trying to relive it all. He feels a "judge will be disgusted with him." Keeping in mind STBX can read all this too, [waving hello with middle finger thoughts] I try to be fair and give him opportunities to consider the right things to do. [was that a pig that flew by my window?] I'm also putting the doors on my MBR Tansu I've been working on for going on 7 years. If I can get pictures, you know I'll post them! Thanks again, all. You're unbelievably wonderful friends to have and I am grateful to have you. C.