I also believe in building the soil. I do what I can to keep doing that. If I were to add compost to all my beds every year, I would not be able to make that much on my property. I did buy it two years ago and added it everywhere. It is very expensive. Who can actually make enough to add it to all their beds and their lawn? I use green manures in the veggie garden and find it builds the soil, but seed cost money too. I don't feel everything in the garden needs fertilizer, but I agree with mxk3, some things really respond well. I've gone many years trying to get by without fertilizing containers of annuals and was never satisfied with their performance. I tried growing the roses for two years with just compost and was not happy with their performance, including their resistance to pests and disease. We have small lots in my neighborhood and I have 8 trees within 5 feet of my fence to the north of my yard, four mature Silver Maples between 5 and 10 ft from the West side of my yard and a huge 50 year old Silver Maple in the Southwest corner on the other side of the fence, almost close enough to touch. So, I have been trying to grow shrubs and perennials along the lot lines and it has been challenging. We do compost leaves and use that a lot, but some particular plants do seem to find it more challenging than others. Since trying the alfalfa on the roses and seeing an amazing difference between this year and last, I am now interested in trying it with a few other plants in the yard, that could use a little extra help. Adding alfalfa does build up the soil. It isn't that expensive either.

And Hi to you, prariemoon Talk about inspiration! Your use of the pots and saucers is ingenious; I would never have thought of it. With your permission, I'm going to borrow your idea; I have some similar pots (no matching saucers but I'll rig up something). Birdbaths I've used in the past (which the birds actually used for bathing!) seemed too deep for the little ones. So I cleaned up some rocks and placed them strategically in the birdbath; gave them something to land on without fear of falling in deep water. i keep the traditional hanging feeders filled with black oil sunflower seed and safflower seed, assuming only the cardinals would be attracted. As a special treat, I'll sometimes add some peanut hearts and shelled sunflowers. The feeders designed for woodpeckers are filled with a mix specifically designed for them. (This is the one premixed product I do buy and the woodpeckers love it.) I usually add some crushed peanuts to it. Of course, the titmice, chickadees, mockingbird and blue jays get their turns at it too. For the sparrows, I put white millet in the platform feeders. Finally, I have a thistle seed sock hanging out for the goldfinches. Unfortunately, it seems no one has informed the various birds what they 'like' and 'should' be eating. My cardinals often gorge on the millet while the sparrows and goldfinches can be found more often than not at the platform feeders! As imposing as the grackles appear, they're usually well mannered, allowing the smaller birds equal time at the platform feeders. And occasionally, a cute little wren will venture to a feeder, take a few pecks, realize that the millet is not insects and quickly leave. And then, there are the doves. Ah yes... They will eat anything. As big as they are, a few have impossibly turned into acrobats, hanging nearly upside down to get at one of the hanging feeders. And they're the only bird that has shown any aggression, always at other doves.. The hummers are the true acrobats; have seen three at the same time and assuming that's all there are... hope I'll attract more next year. Apologies for being long winded ...can't seem to learn any other way. gary

If you go to the monthly "show us your gardens" thread, you'll find photos of what various folks are growing. I don't generally grow grasses, but I do grow ribbon grass in a container. I started doing this since it spreads badly in a regular bed, but I like the way it looks in a container. I then put containers nearby with other plants for contrasting foliage and flowers. None of the plants in the vignettes from my garden below are particularly uncommon, but the foliage contrasts give them a long season of interest. Though they are growing in the ground, these would work in larger containers. I like the contrast between the deep green of the hosta and the flowing gold of the golden Hakonechloa grass. The dying columbine foliage just adds a bit of color that could as easily come from a Heuchera. From June 2010 The old-fashioned Geranium sanguineum has woven itself around this yellow-flowered daylily which begins blooming around the time the Geranium flowers end. The Geranium's flower color is echoed a darker shade by the Euphorbia, but I mostly love the way the daylily foliage sort of explodes out of the Geranium. From June 2010 This is a terrible photo, but I like this combination of the large blue-green hosta, the delicate-looking cranberry which would trail over the side of a pot, and the white-edged Daphne x transatlantica 'Summer Ice' which blooms for me all season with tiny scented white or pale lavender flowers. From June 2010 If you use the search function near the bottom of the main New England forum page and look for Bill _RI_z6b he has posted some photos of his gardens and you can get an idea of some of his plants. For what you plant in containers, the general rule of thumb for selecting perennials is to chose ones hardy to 2 zones colder than your zone since they will freeze deeply without the ground around them to insulate them. My containers that stay out year round are wooden whiskey half-barrels and clay chimney liners AKA chimney tile. The chimney tile is buried a 6-8 inches deep to keep it upright, and it is bottomless. Craigslist or Freecycle might be a good source of damaged chimney tile. I haven't found that metal or plastic pots stand up well to the weather since they sometimes have split on me, though perhaps heavier metal or plastic would do OK. I have heard that the foam fake terracotta pots do well, but I haven't tried them. Before buying plants mail order, check with the G*arden W*tchdog (replacing the * with a) for honest reviews. You'll find that White Flower Farm varies in quality, and you can often get better quality for less $ elsewhere in my experience. I will second ctreynards's recommendation for Brent and Becky's bulbs, however. I also have done well with mail order from Avant Gardens. http://www.avantgardensne.com/

Maybe just a note to add - our rocky mt soils are **generally** pretty complete in nutrients, usually lacking iron due to high pH, and nitrogen, which leaches out or gets absorbed by the plants. Perennials can 'over-react' to excessive fertilization and get huge - as an example, I put down a 4-5" layer of home made compost this spring on my front flowerbeds, and I now have asters and salvia that are twice the size as usual, falling over, more green than flower. So once they're established, take it easy. I fertilized my leeks yesterday. They're behind for this time of season.