Alabammatreehugger, I do agree with you if the suggested oak and beech were planted in the wrong micro-climate, they could suffer from molds and or leaf bleaching. But in relation to nrwv's reported situation: the North Carolina tree evaluation list indicates that there are some good English oak cultivar specimans growing in the state. The cultivar specifically mentioned is the 'Crimson Spire' (15' wide spreader English Oak cultivar.) The NC tree evaluation report did mention that some of these english oaks suffer damage from Japanese beetles, but isn't the Bayer brand systemic treatment for trees and shrubs an affective treatment to prevent such damage. I have used that systemic treatment on many of my trees and shrubs, and it has protected them from such infestions. The Bayer brand Systemic treatment is easy to apply; and after the intial treatment, the trees only need to be retreated with it once in the early fall of each following year, thereafter. Further more, if the Oaks are planted on the east side of those red tips which are growing on the west side of the driveway, then the oaks would get the benefit of morning and midday sun to help dry the morning dew: they would also get the benefit of afternoon shade cast onto them by those tall red tips, resulting in the trees being protected from the hot sun in the hottest part of the summer day. Also, the Purple leaf beeches surely would benefit from the afternoon shade which those tall red tips growing only 5 feet west of them would be providing. Then, at various times in the summer the beeches could even get some morning sun shade provided by the oaks, especially if those oaks were planted just east of the beeches and staggered a little just to the north or south of each purple leaf beech; as I first suggested planting them. In light of the micro climate situation as the trees planted the way I suggested would encounter, I have a little trouble imagining how the beech leaves will be over exposed to fading light or how the oaks will not be benefited by the morning sun helping to dry their leaves. The drying dynamic I am thinking of to benefit the english oak cultivars is similar to the mold and black spot preventive benefits roses obtain when they are growing in a micro-climate, which receives morning sun and afternoon shade. Also, just like when people avoid watering such mold suceptable plants in the late afternoon or early evening, when there is not enough time for the sun to dry the rose's foliage.

Wow Paul, what a generous offer! We are planning to remain Florida residents, because so far we like the way the state is being run, and we are "homestaeded", so it controls our property taxes. We also enjoy the climate and ecology here (well, maybe I don't like the month of August so much). The area we plan to purchase land will be in zone 8 rather than zone 9 where I currently reside. We actually live on an imaginary line between the two zones right now. Yes, Terry, we plan on building again. Not a fun process at all, but we are going to build a Florida "cracker" style house. The initial settlers here figured out how to keep their houses cool in the summer without the central air conditioning that didn't exist at that time. I will still have central air, but it won't have to work so hard. I also love the full wrap around porches they had. The difference will be that we will build out of block rather than wood for termite protection. It's nice that you have some acreage to give you some space. I think you're correct in saying "there goes the entertainment"! My neighbor across the street likes to pull her chair up and watch me when I go outdoors. She says her dog likes to watch me. She is a nice lady, but I am rather a private person, and like to work in the yard for the peace it brings. One time she told me her dog couldn't stand watching me work so hard any more, so she had to go inside and close her blinds. I was planting roses and having a good time at it. The man that lives dirctly behind me goes out with his weedeater whenever I go outside to work in the back. He's actually taken the thing up on his roof twice and was running it along one wall to his house. I'm presuming he was using it to get dirt or leaves off his house and roof, but maybe he is just nuts. One day while potting plants he was out all day re-edging the same beds over and over. I can't imagine why, as I certainly am not the least bit attractive when potting plants. I started to get very annoyed with the racket and called in to my husband that maybe we should put the poor man out of his misery. He must have heard me, because he's not out with his weedeater as much. Of coarse his wife knows exactly how many times I go swimming, and that is with bushes and thick "privacy" screen. It put a damper on how often I use the pool. With today's building costs, we probably won't have another pool. Too bad I can't load the house and garden, and pool on a truck! Isn't all of this a hoot?! It's actually hilarious if you aren't the one involved on the receiving end of this. Oh, and one neighbor across the street paints his brown grass green in the winter. Anyway, we're hoping to find a piece of land that we can afford to grab up, and then we'll start building once we sell. So far we've had several "tire kickers" look, which is encouraging, but I expect the selling process will take a while. That's O.K. It'll give me time to propagate some roses and camellias in the meantime. Sorry Kate. I kind of took over your thread. At least you know you have others out there with less than desirable neighbors. Sandy

yeah yeah i know... but couldn't resist. (Yellow) 1)Aureum for graceful leaf shape and color (runner up Jordan/Katsura/Summer Gold) (dissectum) 2) Seiryu for its soft light green elegant leaves and vase growth habit (Laceleaf) 3) koto no ito for beautiful weeping habit (followed closely by villa taranto and Aekans Le's with its great purple bark) (variegated) 4) Peve Multicolor variegation on this one is inconsistent. BUT the bark is spectacular at least mine is - a light blueish silvery color. Underrated. (ukigomo) (pink) 5) Geisha - Terrific pink color. (also GGW. Taylor I like but killed 2 already - too fickle) (bark) 6) Acer Griseum ( runner up snakebark phoenix/joe witt/Murasaki Shikibu PINK STRIPED BARK!!!) HONORABLE MENTION - Amagi Shigure/Olsens Frosted. Must stop....

Thanks. I was wondering if it was a coral bark of some sort. However on all the photos I've seen of those the bark is a much more intense red. Whereas mine is more of a reddish brown. (although I'm sure there are tons of varieties) On top of that, the pics I'm seeing of Sango Kaku's leaves don't seem to match mine. They appear to be solid green and of a slightly different shape. Another variety perhaps? And I will definitely prune some of the low branches. Thanks for the confirmation on that. I had a feeling it wouldn't last in the container long, but it needed to be moved from where it was at. At the moment we don't really have another place for it. Our 'garden' is still a total mess. We've been in the house for about a year and we're still cutting back overgrowth, removing ivy, repairing fences, etc. But eventually we can find it a new home. JM in general seem to do ok in shade, right? Our backyard is almost completely shaded all day due to several mature Douglas Firs and 1 very large apple tree. In the meantime, are there ways to prune this to limit it's height and maybe increase it's width a bit? Can you "pinch"/prune the top to encourage side growth like you can on some perennials? Or would that just mess it up? Thanks, and sorry for all the noob questions. :)