Wow another WS'er here in St. Louis. Granted you don't live here yet I think it is cool you where here for awhile anyway. So you didn't make it to the top of the Arch. Wow I had no idea that place could be so crowded on Memorial Day weekend. Everyone in my neighborhood tends to leave town so things were quiet here. Going to the top is worthwhile. It is a standard field trip for any school age kid living around here. Though I can't imagine it is anything compared to your John Hancock Center or Sear's Tower. I haven't been to the top of the Arch in years. One of my favorite visits was going up in the evening though it tends to be less crowded during the morning hours (before 10). So I've been to Chicago a few times and once to your gardens, which by the way I think are lovely. It just so happened when I was there they were doing a bulb sale. I brought home with me some gorgeous tulips. My home is about a 20 minute walk away from MBG. The climatron is so wonderful to escape to in the middle of winter. So the gift shop has seeds? I think I knew that yet I tend not to visit the gift shop of places that happen to be in my own backyard. This pass fall I took a stroll through there and gathered a tiny amount of seeds from plants they have an abundance of. Happy to say my joe pye weed and white snakeroot both germinated. -StLGirl

If you're talking about my post, it's breaking my heart to think of removing my maple tree. It has been a comfort to me in the 40+ years I've lived here despite 3 huge limbs falling and debris to clean up every year, most of which I have done myself. One huge limb fell and took out the power to the whole block for hours and the utility company was working into the night (they will clean it up what falls on city property). But I've had to clean up many times myself or with help when my father was alive, have a little chain saw. Twice limbs falling have taken out the power to my house, I've had to find an electrician to hook up the wire. The last darn people I had to go show them where the hot part was. They don't want to come out for small jobs like that any more, and my deductible is too high on my ins to cover it. But it is old and hollow. I may get an arborist once more for an opinion whether to trim it ($500) or remove it ($5500). Every time it storms, I'm scared of what might fall where with the huge limbs that are left. There is an insurance problem. Normally the homeowner is expected to use their insurance for a neighbor's tree that does damage to their property. But my ins (State Farm) informs me that it is my responsibility to keep the tree trimmed. So there is worry about possible legal action if one of those huge limbs takes out the new Noah's ark $20,000+ garage. Building the garage damaged the tree as they dug deep and cut multiple feeder roots plus they ruined my driveway to my garage which I use for storage but sometimes parked in it, didn't notice it until too late and damaged the bottom of my car. Losing that tree will be heartbreaking to me. But I have to be realistic or I could end up losing a lot more than the tree. It's only a matter of time before another huge limb breaks off. In spite of it all, I love my tree and can't explain how much it means to me. Plus it has given us the joy of owls and babies and much more over the years. When I got an opinion from an arborist about three years ago because I was worried about the possible legal liability, he explained that taking off the limb most threatening to my neighbor's property would compromise the tree just too much. Now the opinion that I paid for ($40) is on file with my insurance agent and could be used to get them out of paying off on a claim. Maybe I shouldn't have given it to them, but it backed me up to a point that the tips were healthy, and the tree should have another 10 years. I'm old and won't live long enough for a replacement tree to grow anywhere near what that tree does for my yard. My previous neighbors for years who are now dead used to hope the tree would fall on their old garage so their ins would pay to demolish what was left of it. Once a limb did fall on it and did no damage, quite large, a guy came through and I paid him to clean it all up for both our properties. Go figure.

I've added a few things and I won't be bringing Lamb's Ear (I managed to kill it). Here's what's new: Coreopsis Rosea Russian Sage Calla Lily bulbs (yellow and white) Campanula Carpatica seedlings - Jingle Bells Lavender Lady - for Stan, if he wants it! Plus, a few other odds and ends. I'm sure I'll have more as I continue around the yard! Now I need more soil! -Pam

I waited until summer to see what would emerge in the spring. Bulbs are the most likely to pop up where you might not expect. Since you saw the yard before frost you probably saw the extent of the perennial plantings and most of them should be up by midJune. After that I would go ahead and make changes/additions. Read about lasagna beds for a method of adding new beds. Have fun. Also removed rock mulch from beds when I moved here many years ago.