Just wanted to post a followup after last Saturday's fall plant trade. First, I want to thank Lucy from the bottom of my heart for opening her home to us and setting aside her day, even though she wasn't feeling as well as she might have liked. It was great of her to take on the trade at the last minute and do it so well. For those who couldn't come, you missed a really nice trade. Although there were only four of us there, we had a great time and all managed to take home new plants that we wanted (and as usual, some that we don't really need, but couldn't say "no" to). We also enjoyed a delicious lunch together sitting on Lucy's enclosed upstairs porch surrounded by trees on a beautiful fall day. I continue to believe, and the Gardenweb plant trades always prove the point, that gardeners are some of the nicest people on earth. Whether four gardeners show up, or forty, our get-togethers are always a treat. Our spring and fall trades are a unique opportunity to reconnect with old Gardenweb friends - and meet new ones. Thanks again, Lucy!

I drove to Johnson's yesterday and picked up a 3yr Montmorency Cherry (7gal) for $48. Same place I got the previous two (1yr, bare root) that didn't make it through last season - I think they were shipped too close to breaking dormancy, and didn't have enough time to build any significant root system prior to bud break. My AU Rosa plums (2) did just fine, which went in the ground around 1st week of February. I also setup shipment for a Stella (1yr, bare root) which is supposed to arrive any day now, and will then be shipped to my door. So, hopefully I got everything I need. Just gotta get all my fig cuttings propogated (I'm going to have a lot of extras) and I'll be on my way. Yard is pretty much full at this point.

Hi Harley: We have had vegetable challenges thanks to the darned squirrels!! I was trying cabbage collards this year but the squirrels loved them. I guess that's a sign!!! We have some veggies in pretty colors for fall planting. A new one is Magenta Chard, we have some ragged jack kale (bluish green leaves, pinky-purple stems), lettuces....pretty plants that you can mix with the edible flower violas we have and speckled or red lettuces to make pretty salads!

We can actually go to Scottdale in a few weeks, so that's a great suggestion. Thanks. I have a friend who has a cryptomeria and I LOVE it. It completely screens out a narrow area in his yard and it is very healthy and thick. I don't want anything that grows very wide, and I want something that grows fast. Have Leylands and I don't like them. I have a magnolia 'Little Gem' as a counterpoint in the corner of the lot as it shows the gorgeous bronze underside of it's leaf. I'm not a big hollylover although I did keep one or two as "fill" but I really don't like the evergreen hollies as a matter of personal taste. I admit to not being a huge tree/large shrub knowledgable person, but I still want something that offers some sort of visual interest as a backdrop. I don't think there is any way to totally screen out the back yard neighbours, but an obscuring of the view would be nice. There are an awful lot of windows on that back wall!! GGG