Mayflowers I would love to hear about what you tried, what succeeded and what failed since you posted this a few years ago. I have two large, 50+ year old established Zelkova trees and I just learned they produce juglone like black walnuts, although to a lesser degree. I didn’t realize that! Did you know that? Your garden is beautiful by the way. :-) The plants under the Zelkovas when we first moved in were mature and well established, but also juglone resistant, such as juniper, holly, etc.... awful choices in my opinion so I removed them. I didn’t think about their juglone resistance at the time. Since then I have mulched and planted, but things under the Zelkova haven’t flourished as much as other areas of the property. Now it makes sense! It’s not just shade and root competition, it’s juglone! I’m moving some azaleas I have mounded under the canopy now and trying to find out what may work there instead. I think I’m going to leave the carpet roses, nepeta and creeping boobiala under my other Zelkova, but I may change my mind. They’re doing OK, but not as great as others planted elsewhere. My Zelkovas are in a large front yard with ample space all around (no fence near them), so much more sun gets through than it looks like in your yard. It really isn’t that shady under them at all except for midday. It always seemed strange to me how different plants struggled there, even when mounded, mulched, watered appropriately. Now it makes much more sense. I need juglone resistant plants there! Or nothing at all. Did anything recommended here flourish under your Zelkova? Thank you!

bump for Dougald. Thank you for introducing me to this book, Dougald. There is no email address on your GWeb profile page, so I hope you see this add-on to the thread. I'm in process of reading the book. It is not one you read quickly, so I read a chapter and think about it. The addition of rocks and mountains is something I'll have to think about for a long time. It is the way they also incorporate water into the garden. Since things are always symbolic of other things, I trust it will be in line with the Chinese style to find a suitable work-around in my garden. It won't be classical, but it will be as close a substitute as my location (and budget and capabilities) allow. I'm at that chapter about Chinese landscape art--paintings or scrolls, not actually in the garden--and that is where I'm lingering for a while. It must look natural even though contrived. What for me to do! I get the ideas of "borrowing views" and creating long views, multiple changing vantage points with openings in the shrubs and trees, always framing a lovely prospect. Some architecture....provided by my Teahouse wall, the new latticed screen going in to break up the western sunlight and block the glare of two noxious street lights uninvited to the scene. Of course there are no large expanses of land here. Mine would be no imperial site since it forms a personal and private garden on a city lot. By Friday afternoon, the tall latticed 40 foot wide screen will be installed, and I can proceed to prettying up the last section of my walled garden. I am adding no gates....that is mentioned in this book too...but instead I am locating objects or features which will be framed in the two gateways and serve to invite one into the garden. Of the two views through the openings in the latticed screen, one is of a crape myrtle (now in bloom) beside a pole with a bluebird nestbox on it. I will be able to see the comings and goings of the bluebirds building their nests and feeding their young, from the low deck off our bedroom. The other opening serves to reveal the darker territory beneath a sasanqua (camellia) where I recently located a white (plastic) tiered fountain. This fountain will not have water but will have ferns and tall spraying liriope planted, with pots of small hosta nestled in their midst. A Limelight hydrangea will provide more greenish white flower balls in that vicinity as well. This ungated opening near the door to the Teahouse is also visible from the deck off the back of our house, be it from the spot off our bedroom, or the area behind my kitchen. The entire back of our house--when the remodel is done--will be a wall of glass. It gives me an uncompromised view of the garden through the latticed screen....and privacy from all outside eyes. Except maybe for the small aircraft which pass overhead. So thank you Dougald. I hope you see this. The book is delightful.

The choices are endless - ferns, hostas, geraniums, tiarella, hellebores, campanula, trillium etc. etc., etc.

Yes, there is Trillium. Also many doctors do not have samples of certain medications and unfortunately are not always able to get them for patients. The senior plan - post 65 with the $100 deductible and a co-pay covers only a portion of the cost of the drug - and the list of drugs covered is decreasing (just ask a pharmacist). My husband turned 65 in Dec. but is still working. However he first had to submit his prescriptions to the Ontario Drug Board - and pay the prorated portion of the $100 annual fee (the full fee is payable each August) and then submit the balance to his office plan. I called the Ontario Drug Board and asked because it seemed backwards to me, but then what can I say? He has 2 prescriptions - the "senior" plan covers 75% of the cost and he pays the balance. But his office plan only covers up to 90% of generics and has a limited dispensary fee - and he cannot claim the $100 deductible against his drug plan - yet the office drug plan is a taxable benefit to him and he has to pay a reasonably high premium for family coverage (NOT tax deductible by the way). So not everything is rosy. I am with jasdip on this - many things do not make sense. And of course I have serious issues with generics - good thing I have only one prescription and the name brand is now hard to get since it is no longer being made. I did try the generic form - the fillers were the issue. So while I can get it I am paying for it. A doctor's note would not help my case - if it comes in generic form - end of story. A young woman I know is covered by Trillium and cannot take the generic form of a particular medication. She had to obtain special approval from Trillium to have the cost of the name brand covered (her doctor etc. had to be involved). Now based on my experience she is concerned that the name brand of the drug might cease to be produced in favour of generics. She was right to be worried - she checked. It hasn't happened yet but it will be in the near future. In my case since I am paying anyway I could fill my yearly prescription and just pay myself - but the pills have an expiry date - as in the active part of the meds. The current batch expires May, 2014. My pharmacist is trying to source a later dated batch for me but the pills are on back-order - if they even show up - and it might take months. I expect this to be the last batch if I can get it. Plan B pill did not work - my doctor is about to have samples! I took only one and that was one too many.