I sometimes get the impression that Ken doesn't actually like trees at all - at least not trees that behave like trees :) I wouldn't have thought that dealing with a bit of fallen fruit and a few leaves from a single small tree was that difficult.... anyhow..... I have a tiny town garden (about 15ft x 30ft) and in it I have a weeping birch, Betula pendula 'Youngii', a medlar, a mountain ash (Sorbus vilmorinii), a Hibiscus syriacus and a 'tree' peony. I used also to have a Malus 'Golden Hornet'. Don't be put off your idea of a little tree. I am linking to a useful list. The eventual heights may be more than you want but they'll take a long time to gte there. Another idea is to prune a shrub, eg a lilac, to a single or multiple stem tree form as someone else has suggested. There are also many, many fruit trees you could grow, as long as they are on a dwarfing root stock such as Giselle 5 for cherries which will only grow to about 8ft. Do a bit of research and I am sure you can get something interesting. Here is a link that might be useful: Trees for small gardens

Bringing up an old topic: does anybody know if Steve and Carolyn Bertrand still are active with Perennial Farm near Ionia? In its glory years, that was quite a place for plant freaks. But we were there a couple of years ago, and at that time there were just a few interesting plants in the greenhouse, and Steve had been having some serious health problems and apparently was mainly just wholesaling seed from their garden. This spring I left a voicemail asking if they were still open and never heard back. Guess more than anything I'm worried about them (him). I have always had a soft spot for characters...

I had the same problem - need to cover a large area with limited $$. I was also looking for a specific groundcover and only found it in Decorah in large pots. I finally found it at Bluestone Perenials in Ohio and ordered it. Price was better than anything I found in this area. I believe there is a wholesaler in Charles City but don't know if they sell directly to the public. There is a large groundcover wholesaler near Chicago but they don't sell to the public and require a $500 minimum order. Check with a greenhouse or landscape company near you. They may be willing to order what you want at a discount. They will do that in Iowa City if the quantity is large enough and you put down a deposit. Hope someone closer to you has some good suggestions. Cricket

Here is the latest information on Brucemore's Gardening event... It looks like a great time.. The Eastern Iowa Garden and Landscape Show at Brucemore: The gardens at Brucemore were the setting for the first garden show in Cedar Rapids in 1928, and Mrs. Irene Douglas, the matriarch of the estate at the time, was a driving force behind the creation of the Cedar Rapids Garden Club. Through the years, the National Trust historic site has provided a park-like setting for a variety of outdoor events, and this fall, after 75 years of dormancy, Brucemore will bring the garden show home to its original roots. Experienced and would-be gardeners alike will discover stimulating presentations, unique products, compelling displays, pertinent information, and engaging personalities who are excited to share their expertise. Food will be available throughout the day. More than 60 merchants, vendors, exhibitors, artisans, organizations, and Master Gardeners will be on hand to showcase their products, specialty plants, and gardening insights. The show will also include a Farmers Market, guided walks through formal gardens, cutting gardens, herb gardens, and neighborhood gardens, special arrangements and floral displays in the rooms of the Brucemore mansion, and unique presentations on insect control, garden ponds, grasses, containers, weeds, orchids, bonsai, bees, and much more. Headline presentations will include Karen Strohbeen, host of the Iowa Public Television series, The Perennial Gardener, and nationally-known Lee and Lindsay Lee of Willowglen Nurseries. Lee and Lindsay Lee will be presenting at 10:00 AM and Karen Strohbeen at 11:00 AM. The Randy Escobedo & Family bluegrass band will provide entertainment over the lunch hour. In the formal garden the Symphony school will perform from 9:00 10:00 AM. More than 65 merchants, vendors, exhibitors, artisans, and organizations will be on hand to showcase and sell their products. Some of the merchandise available for purchase includes perennials, shrubs, trees, artwork, lawn and garden furniture and accessories, concrete items, Farmers Market produce, and so much more. With a wonderful variety of items for sale, donÂt forget your check book. Event organizers view this final event of the summer at Brucemore as an extension of the siteÂs mission. ÂSince the gardens and landscape design at Brucemore have been an important part of its physical beauty and historical legacy, the estate is an ideal setting for a show of this magnitude. We are proud to create a show that is dedicated to the intricacies of gardening and landscaping. There will be no machinery or building materials displays, although there will be arbors, ponds, retaining walls, and yard art. The focus of the show is on creating beautiful gardens and lawns, said Jeff Smith, event organizer and Brucemore Assistant Gardener for Flower Shop operations at the Brucemore Cutting Gardens. The 26 acre estate surrounding the Brucemore mansion is a showcase of manicured lawns, formal gardens, the duck pond, the restoration of the original prairie landscape design conceived by O. C. Simonds, and historic structures, including the 1915 Lord and Burnham greenhouse. Truly, the Brucemore estate provides the perfect backdrop for the garden show: steeped in history and alive with inspiration. Admission price is $5 per person at the gate. Parking is available on the grounds, with golf cart shuttle running continuously from parking to the festival. The following is a complete list of vendors/merchants/exhibitors who will participate: (Eastern Iowa garden clubs and other non-profit organizations have not been included) AJ Copper Garden American Beekeeping Federation Baumhoefener Nurseries ButterfliZ of Iowa Cedar River Garden Center Corner House Gallery (yard art) Country Landscapes CulverÂs Landscape Nursery D & D Ranch (composting) Earl May Nursery & Garden Center EnviroOne Lawns (compost) Fairfax Greenhouses Fairfax Ornamental Cement GB Yard Art Hardy Lawn Furniture Hy-Vee, Collins Road Ion Exchange (specialty plants) Iowa Public Television (garden videos) J & J Basketry Liberty Iron Works Studio & Gallery (yard art) Lincolnway Flower Farm Patrician Floral Scape PeckÂs Flower & Garden Shop Prairie Creek Nursery Raining Rose (organic personal products) Seed Savers The Peony Garden of Center Point The Perennial Flower Farm Treehouse Creations (unique trellises & ornaments) Walnut Hill Gardens Willowglen Nursery Woodland Gardens (botanical art) Zimmerman Lawn Ornaments Visit www.brucemore.org/scripts/events.asp?D=9/6/2003 for more information on the Eastern Iowa Garden and Landscape show or call Brucemore at 319-362-7375.