Well shoot, I had a reply typed up and it didn't save! mazerolm, great pics!! I love your collection of conifers and I definitely need more in my gardens. That new growth on Taylor's Sunburst is so eye-catching. I didn't know cotinus is hardy in your zone - which one do you have? I have been eyeing the 'Winecraft black' which is supposed to stay a manageable size. I looked up Isaac amelanchier and sounds like a good find! I've been trying to plant more no-spray fruit bearing plants, even if it just goes to the critters. So far I've planted pawpaws, a persimmon and have an Asian pear coming this fall. I plan to get an amelanchier and kousa dogwood down the line (more focused on the ornamental aspect but with edible fruit as a bonus).

This isn't about h-birds, and it's more about buzzers than hummers, but it seems like a reasonable follow up anyway. There's a narrow path along one of my borders, between a mixed bed and a small pool - about 25' long and only 3' wide (the path; the mixed bed is about 10' deep) and for over a month now the racket from the mixed bed has been astounding. This border is backed by old spruce trees and has a long row of evergreen euonymous (not one of the invasives, this is 'Manhattan' or a similar large-leaved variety) between the trees and a row of tree peonies, mountain laurel and azaleas, underplanted with gingers, geraniums, and various other perennials. Closer inspection revealed that the racket was coming from the euonymous, which has been blooming for weeks. After an even closer look, I realized that the buzzers were not bees at all, but flies. I can't detect any odor from these flowers, but there must be one, and it must not be anything that would appeal to people. Are there other plants that attract flies by the millions? These bugs (or are they insects?) don't seem to congregate anywhere else in the yard, and don't seem to be doing any harm. And, they don't scare anyone the way the bees that are swarming the clethra do.

Helen, the secret is don't buy the expensive 'named' varieties. These were all started from a gift seed packet that just called them shasta daisies. I started them in flats first and then transplanted. I have a couple more in front of the house near your 4-o'clocks. BTW, my Beckies lasted maybe two years. They get no special treatment. Lilies: maybe voles are what happened to my Red Hot lilies; they disappeared completely. Poppies: Mine bloomed in various places and at various times. I will post some pics as soon as I can. They are fading fast. For some darned reason I can't get them started out by the road. That is flowering tobacco. I planted it once years ago and now have it in several places. I try to leave it if it won't be a nuisance when it self seeds. Kiss Me Over the Garden Gate does the same thing. Christie, I would never be clever enough to lay stepping stones.....I just step into the beds to work. I see it is needing my attention again too. Thank you Donna. This kind of gardening doesn't take much planning! That works for me. Please do visit more often. I don't as much as I should but am trying to do better.

I LOVE living beside the highway. I love the feeling of being alive in a city. I am moving to another house two miles right up the 4 lane highway. I have lived on a corner, on a cow farm, on 4 lane suburban road and here along the 4 lane highway. I much prefer living with the white noise of the highway to the CREEPY, LONELY, QUIET that makes you feel like if you died - no one would notice. The truth is, you forget there's a highway most of the time, except for the occasional disruptions of the JAKE-BRAKE trucks and motorcycles breaking speed limit laws, and the infrequent car without muffler. These are not unique to the highway, they occur everywhere. The idea that living along a highway somehow makes a home less desirable is bunk. You can talk about less value and fewer buyers all you want. You can site prices and statistics, this was not a factor for us. The point is there are buyers who do not want white noise and are not aware that you tune-out the sounds. That's no reflection on any particular home. I would not/will not price a home any different, just waiting for the buyer that is impressed with your house. The birds are more annoying than any traffic. Rush hour and the traffic is at a crawl not making any noise. I get upset at the birds at 5:30 AM and the chipmunks chirping at 6:30 am