Creating raised beds under existing trees can sometimes be harmful to the trees. You can get away with raising slightly, but too much additional top soil and you risk having your trees decline, or even die. Mature oak and many pine are normally the first two suggested as being suitable for underplanting with rhododendrons and azaleas. I have an ancient pine on my own property, and dont find much in the way of surface rooting, but a few major roots that I work around. Have you done some digging there to know what you have? Best is to find planting pockets, and add compost...the more organic material you can get into the soil the happier your azaleas will be. Then mulch well after planting, and renew the mulch as needed. Mulching with something organic will help to keep weeds down, slowly feed the soil, and retain moisture - I mulch all plants under my own pine with compost twice a year. The bloom times given for azaleas are approximate depending on your particular climate, I wouldn't be the one to try to tell you specific plants to buy not knowing your location or color preferences. Most nursery identify bloom time of their azaleas as early, mid, late so you should find that information when you start shopping. Here is a link that might be useful: parital list bloom times

"If it doesn't really mean that, is there any real reason to stay with strictly "native" plants rather than ones "adapted to the environmental conditions"." There have been some wonderful threads on this question. I've put in a link to one of them here, and there is also some good stuff in the FAQs. I think you'll find a wide variety of personal takes on the native vs. non-native issue. One thing just about everybody agrees on is to avoid planting, spreading or encouraging non-native invasive plants, including those that spread when birds eat the seeds and fly away to plant them in the wild. Two big debates are: (1) what is a native? and (2) what about non-invasive non-natives? The 'what is a native' debate involves issues such as: (1) how far back do you go? do we assume that pre-European conditions are pristine or do we acknowledge that indigenous peoples manipulated the flora by burning, clearing, etc.? Do you say that plants that were native before the ice ages but never made it back up north in the centuries since are still native? (2) is native to the U.S. enough, or to my state?; my county?; (3) if something is native to a wetlands in your state, and you don't have a wetlands on your property (or your property was not a wetlands in the pre-European past), then is that plant native to your property? (same for sunny, wooded, alkaline, acid, etc.); (3) are any or all cultivars and hybrids natives? The 'what about non-invasive non-natives' debate is largely scientific, I think (I may get lots of disagreement here). Those of us who want to see the ecological diversity of pre-Colombian America restored (even a tiny bit) prefer to spend all our time and energy on natives. If the goal is restoring, recreating or honoring native plant communities (not just individual species), then there is no real place for non-natives, or at least no reason to expend time and energy on them. I see each native in my yard as a piece of a complex puzzle that includes the climate, the soil conditions, the wildlife, even the bacteria -- this puzzle gives me just a hint of what the tiny piece of land I am stewarding was like during the time of the pyramids, the Roman empire, the middle ages and early Renaissance, before the European immigrants artificially speeded up the natural processes of species distribution to a dangerous level. Adding a non-native is like trying to fit a piece of a different puzzle into the picture. One puzzle at a time is all I can handle. But if you are making a garden with native plants in it (as opposed to a native plant community), many people are perfectly comfortable with mixing natives and non-natives (as long as they are not invasives). For some people, native plants are a much-overlooked treasure trove of beautiful, interesting plants that serve a myriad of purposes. Anything that increases the cultivation of natives will, in the long run, help maintain and restore the vanishing diversity of our plant communities. I do think the point about 'adapted to local conditions' is a good one. Many native plant enthusiasts will remark that natives require less water, less soil amendment, less fertilizer, pest control, etc., than non-natives. But this is not true for all cases. A plant from Asia that grew in conditions identical to those in your yard may not need water, soil amendment or fertilizer (although pest control may be worse), while a so-called native plant that thrives in very wet conditions in your area will need lots of care if you try to plant it in a spot that's too dry. To me, that means the plant is not really native to the spot where you planted it, but this may seem like nitpicking. Sorry for the long-winded sermon -- this stuff really matters to me, -- wd Here is a link that might be useful: Helpful thread

I happened on this site and enjoyed reading the comments about the direction of the food network. I too used to be a real fan of the network, but do not watch it on a regular basis. I chalked it up to m y life getting busier and TiVO, but that knew those weren't the only reasons b/c when I catch Julia or Jaques or Lidia on TV, I find myself sitting there and watching. Can't say that about the shows on the FN. I do like Giada, Ina (think b/c onf the calming nature of their shows, Giada's style and the fact that I actually do learn something and have tried and like their recipes). I also like Nigella b/c of the naughtly, yet subltle "not obvious" sensual way she has with preparing food. These 3 are my fav's b/c I actually learn something and have tried their recipes. I even like ole' martha b/c of the same reason. I am a black woman who grew up in a fairyly "boustrius" family in the bronx during the 60's and 70's. I and my family used to LOVE watching Julia Child (I commonly referred to her as "the cooking lady") on the "ups" channel 13 in NY, on a black and white t.v., grainy picture and all. How is it that "the cooking lady" could command the attention of my family and I is beyond me, but I think it had to do with her voice, precesne and the fact that we actually LEARNED something. Juslia also had a dry sense of humor and thought nothing of bringing out a blow torch, goggles and all, in a couple of the earlier episodes. I thankfully have most of her videos and watch them as my life permits. I am glad FN is reconizing the need for diversity, but the Neely's, sorry to say, are not the answer. I confess tat I only watch the episodes that feature one or more Neely men. Gina's over the top, swinging of the fake hair, need for attention attitude/behavior and screechy/baby voice drives me nuts. I don't need a FN "personality" telling me how/what to do w/my man in the kitchen...I have that covered just fine, thank you. PLEASE FOOD NETWORK, if you are reading this, LET THE NEELY MEN HAVE THEIR OWN SHOW WITH OUT GINA NEELY!!! P.S. Thanks to the "Eric08" that forwarded the link to the Tony Bourdain commentary. It cracked my up. Tony is another of my favorite chefs. Unapologetically real.

Grainlady, I really like the dried eggs idea. I'm copying your recipe for future use. I've successfully used "Just Whites," a dried egg white product. But I think the dried whole eggs would work even better. I'll have to pick some up when I go out shopping later today. Here's the EggBeaters Mayo recipe. This recipe uses lemon juice instead of vinegar. This recipe has my no-salt notes included. Just ignore them. No-Cholesterol Mayonnaise 1/3 cup Egg Beaters (at room temperature) 3/4 teaspoon salt (optional) 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard 1/4 teaspoon paprika 1/8 teaspoon cayenne (I added: dash Worcestershire sauce; couple sprinkles garlic powder; ½ tsp. white pepper; 1 sugar cube) 2 tablespoons lemon juice (I used 1 tbsp. lemon juice & 1 tbsp. lime juice) 1 cup vegetable oil Combine egg substitute, spices, salt, lemon juice and 1/2 cup oil in a food processor. Whirl a few seconds to mix. (I used the blender & let it blend for about 20-30 seconds) With processor running, slowly add the remaining 1/2 cup oil in a fine stream. (I poured the oil very slowly directly over the blades; I also had to stop & blend in the oil with a rubber spatula a couple of times) Refrigerate. Flavor Variations: Fresh Herb Mayonnaise: Stir in 1/4 cup mixed chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, parsley and tarragon. Roasted Garlic Mayonnaise: wrap 6 large cloves garlic in foil and roast at 375ºF for 30 minutes until soft. Let cool, peel and mash with a fork. Stir in garlic and 2 tablespoons snipped chives into mayonnaise. Tomato Mayonnaise: Stir in 1 minced marinated sun-dried tomatoes and 1 tablespoon tomato paste. Chipotle-Cilantro Mayonnaise: Stir in 1 minced chipotle chili in adobo sauce, 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, 1 small minced garlic clove and 1 teaspoon grated lime peel