Glad to help =) First, I don't want to imply you must keep the soil very wet all summer. Rather, just as the soil is getting crumbly and dry an inch or two down, soak it for a good while until you have saturated the surrounding soil. You do not want to water it every day. And the supplemental watering you provide is only if you don't get natural rains. Now for your first question. If you can get it to grow some good long extensive roots by deep watering the first year, it will be MORE self sufficient next year. This is not a fast growing tree and takes some time to get used to its surroundings. You will nearly always want to supplement this tree in bad droughts in full sun in your zone even as it gets older. But don't worry, you will get a handle on its water needs as the two of you get to know each other. It will not be an every week watering affair after the first or second year. You could always plant another in the back if the front tree croaks. The back sounds like a much better location in your zone for this tree to me. As far as small flowering trees that do well in your area that is a little beyond my experience. Hopefully some Texans can chime in. The ones I am familiar with are Prunus mexicana, Cercis canadensis var. texana, Lagerstroemia spp, Cornus drummondii, and Crataegus marshallii. Below is a great resource for selecting trees that would do well where you live. And remember, during the first 1-2 years, you will have to water anything you plant until you get it established. Good luck! John Here is a link that might be useful: Tx AandM

Androidmom, your beds under the pines look ideal for them - great choice! Expect they'll thrive there, adding height & grace & color for many years to come. You can plant them out any time in such a location, without waiting for the weather to cool down. Keep them watered well & use your supply of fallen pine needles as mulch & they should settle in well. Juryrig a little temporary shade if they wilt during sun hours at first to help them take the change from pot to ground in stride. Whatever the true identity of your hydrangeas (regardless of the labels), they'll bloom next year with the same flower form. The flowers' color may change to blue tones as the roots expand into garden soil, but consider the blue equally as beautiful as the rose. If they are mislabelled, their mature height & spread may differ from expectatons over time, but as long as you aren't planting them in a line like a hedge, that shouldn't much matter in that location. Lowe's is infamous for mislabelled plants. Don't frequent HD but certainly believe others' reports the same is true there. Since both have generous return policies, often go ahead & buy to research at home if the plants are in short supply rather than checking before purchase when many are available, since appealing well-priced plants can be cleared out quickly. The hydrangeas tend to be among the most typically mistagged, but that can work in your favor if you're up on different varieties & can spot the oddballs. Sometimes rarer plants are marked as more common ones & priced considerably less than they would be if properly identified. Those of us who check the stock frequently often score in the thrill of the hunt. And many highly reputable nurseries send out mismarked plants, too. Please keep us updated on the growth of your lovely hydrangeas!

Thanks again to all who replied. Everyone's thoughts (plus my own) were passed in unedited form to owner and I got some feedback. A lot of ideas that was expressed by you was accepted and we both, Jennifer and myself realy appreciate your help and welcome all comments and criticism for our future plans. Project most likely will be done in a two stages: -stage #1, fall'06. -stage #2, spring-summer-fall'07. stage #1. One large free form bed will be created on a right side at the curve of the driveway, which is coincidently at about middle of it, 90' from the road and 100' from the garage. Tentative lenght of this bed is 45' and at widest point it will be about 30' while majority of the planting area will be in 15-22' width range with 3' clearance (meaning no shrubs) from the edge of the driveway for the snowplowing provision. It will be slightly (6-8") raised bed with some medium to large size rocks incorporated mostly in the back side of it to serve practical purpose of sort of retaining wall and to match another 'rock composition' they already have there. Jen and her husband will start work on a bed preparation ASAP as time and weather permit and they hope to make it ready this fall. Then they'll plant some spring bulbs, namely daffs and tulips and call it a year. They (we?) will have a whole winter to plan and think of what they'll plant there next year during the stage #2. Also, they both (and me too) like the Martie's idea of planting one medium sized tree at the bottom of the driveway on a left side. I suggested something red/burgundy leaved and idea was accepted. What would you think would be better, Bloodgood maple or Prunus cerasifera (Purple-Leaved Plum, Cherry Plum) or something else? Tricia's idea about clump of the white birch to the right of the garage was met with a round of applause and despite birch borer potential problem it probably will be implemented this fall if they'll found decent speciman (I suggested Young's as a first place to look for it.) For the privacy in a backyard I suggested to plant 2-3 viburnums (V. tomentosum 'Shasta' or 'Mariesii') to the left of garage line to the woods leaving at least 8' space from the side of the house for the future gate or arbor to backyard. As those large viburnums will grow they'll provide protection from the westerly sun and in a future could be underplanted with hydrangeas from the backyard side. Any objections to this idea? stage #2. Despite runktrun's warning about avoiding temptation to use bold colors, I brought to them idea (and even named easy to find and care for plants for this sceme) of yellow-burgundy/purple bed and for now idea stands, but I could easily divert them from this direction. They still have the whole winter to think about. Meadow....I didn't mentioned that before, but on a left side of the driveway starting from the edge of the woods and going parallel to the driveway there is a huge NATURAL meadow though it's partially ruined by construction activity and need a restoration. Jen visited yesterday Whie Flowers Farm to see their C. Lloyd-inspired meadow border and came back with all inclinations to do 'the same thing or better'. LOL, she's a brave girl! One more time thanks to everyone and I'm looking forward for comments and criticism. TIA, George

Thanks so much for all the helpful opinions and for pointing out some things we hadn't thought about. It would be nice if I could actually get a picture without the dumpster in front! It's also hard to see the trimwork since nothing has been painted yet. We are planning on painting all the trim, brackets and shutters white and the hardi a cream color. I think you've all convinced us to wait until we have finished up the painting and the landscaping to make a decision. We can always add the railings later. I should post this same question next summer. Mightyanvil - They are all done installing brackets, shutters, etc. One of these days I'll figure out how to get an adobe file posted out here. Thanks for all the help!!!