Thank you, Brent. I did have to post something with flowers in it to keep this OT. Breezyb, I understand where you're coming from. That's one of the reasons why Khan went on a walk, and Pan came with me. He is the one who is into marking, although generally he only marks shrubbery, and I can in fact tell him 'Not There'. Besides, he is most definitely not a people dog, so I don't foist a lot of people on him, although he has been in crowds and done just fine. Except for the Ooh-ing and Aah-ing, having Pan with me is almost like not having a dog there. She is practically attached to me by the waist, leash or no-leash, and while she enjoys the attention she gets from people, is very focused on me. This is one dog who can be taken anywhere with me with full confidence that all she's going to do is amble around behind me. If I thought that my dogs would be a nuisance, they won't go out with me. I rarely receive anything but complements about their behavior, lots of them of the 'I wish I could get mine to act like that' ilk. As for enjoying myself, she was tethered to me by a short leash, and basically stands there when I'm looking at stuff. Since I needed DH for the plants anyway, I just pick them out, and after making the rounds, the dogs get put away while we go back and buy/load the plants, and I went back to get some funnel cake for everyone. I will admit to being a bit disappointed by what was there. The two trees that I wanted, no one had. This time around, if I come, my parents who are visiting from India will most likely come, and I'll drag DH in as well. If it is a nice day, the dogs will most likely come as well, although I'm guessing that DH and Khan will prefer to stay well away from the crowds, and will do their usual anti-social 'We're going for a walk'. Pan may come to the sale/swap area with me if no one has any objections, but if people would rather not deal with a big old dog (and some people are afraid, have allergies, etc.), I'll leave her behind. She has SA, mostly associated with me, so she won't be happy, but she'll live. Suja

I am here to tell 'ya, that Round-Up is not going to kill all the poison ivy. It's amazing stuff. Lasagna gardening only forces the roots to seek light by going around the edges of the bed. Do start with Round-up. Kill what you can see. After it's dead, garb yourself in a space suit. Bread bags up your arms and over your gloves and hip waders are also a good idea. Latex gloves are not because they breathe. Gently pull the ivy up, being careful to let the vines underground come up and out of the soil. Don't break them if you don't have to, because they make more. Like tentacles. If you're pulling them down make certain it and parts of the ivy don't fall on you. The hair-like roots will get into your clothes and hair and be devestating. Note that I get poison ivy from the dirt the roots have been in, so if you get showered with the dirt, use liquid dish washing soap that has a degreaser in it (Dawn works well) or Lava soap all over your entire body as soon as possible. Remember that the dirt can get down your collar, into the perspiration on your torso, which spreads this evil oil. Repeat this procedure in 2 weeks, where you'll be shocked to find even more ivy. Repeate for at least 2 years. Oh - before you wash with degreasing soap, don't forget to burn your clothes, or at least washing them immediately with degreasing laundry soap. Don't forget your shoes!!! Anything you touch, eye glasses, sun glasses, yard tools, etc., can get the oil on it. A thimbleful will "infect" the entire United States. It was a component in mustard gas during WWI, if that tells you how nasty it is. Just my take on poison ivy, with which I'm an extreme vetern. Christine

Hi Meadow Lark, Welcome to Maryland, Leonardtown area is a strong 7b especially south of there in the Breton Bay area where my girlfriend lives. I would say with confidence it is probaly one of the warmest areas in the state during the winter months, I live on the eastern shore and commute there frequently. It is a beautiful area and if you like the water you will be very content with St. Mary's County.

Dave in NoVa. Your idea about staking directly close to and behind the frangipani is a good one, and was actually the first thing we tried - our soil is simply too loose and sandy, the stakes worked their way loose and kept falling over rather than taking any load. As for the palm tree, I tested the frond before attaching it. That close to the trunk the frond is very rigid and hardly moves at all - even when I bounce the frond quite vigorously, that particular part of the frond goes up and down by a maximum of 1" (sideways is negligible). The thing I have to keep an eye on is when that frond is due to self-clean (there are two fronds that will fall off before its turn and now that summer is over, that shouldn't happen until at least November).