Gee, daily diving? That would make it less special....JK. Methinks our dump is afraid of idiots getting hurt or in the way of machinery and then suing. I"ve lived here 8 years and never heard of them letting folks shop. So, perhaps we are turning a corner. :-) One day I was out walking and found a 3 foot tall plaster jaguar. But it slipped out of my hands and cracked. Wah! Twas too heavy for me to lug home anyhow, but my daughter would have loved it in her room.

There are definitely widely different types of dianthus. For example, Firewitch is very popular. Bluish foliage - blooms all summer. But Sweet William is also a dianthus. While it does help to cut it back, I usually let some go to seed and it is really ugly at that point! Ellenrr, how tall are your dianthus? Could you put some late daylilies in front of them? Maybe chrysanthemums? I take an electric hedge clipper to my mums a couple times early in the summer to keep them pinched back. I have also been known to take it to the dianthus to clean it up a bit. Would that perhaps work for you? The mums don't bloom till a bit later (depending how late you cut them back), but they make an attractive mass of foliage in the meantime.

greenjewels...I look forward to seeing what you think of the quality from that site. I have 4 feet above my kitchen cabinets and will be doing a special project that will need some plants. I have looked at that site many times before and plan on ordering from there too. Best of luck to you. ================================================= Here is an article on cleaning plants. I know you can even hire companies to come into your home and clean your artificial plants...I may need to do that some day. :-) ================================================= Silk plants are an attractive accessory, but only if they are kept clean and dust-free. Silk plant maintenance is simple since they do not need the sun, water and fertilizers real plants require, but cleaning must be done regularly to keep the plants crisp and pretty. Basic dusting is the most important part of silk plant care. Use either a feather duster or a lambs wool duster to brush the loose dust and dirt off of your plantÂs stems and leaves on a regular basis. Periodically, use a soft brush attachment with your vacuum to collect heavier deposits of dirt or cobwebs. Once or twice a year, your plants may require heavier cleaning to maintain their beauty. Before you clean them, you should still remove the dust first so the application of water or cleaner will not turn the layer of dust to mud. Remember that each silk plant is unique since different types of silk and dyes may be used, and you should test your cleaning solutions on each plant in a hidden area. Always check the care label on your plants since some silks should not ever get wet. Several manufacturers sell silk plant cleaning sprays, and these generally do a good job when carefully applied to your plant. However, several less expensive cleaning methods work just as well. The first thing to try is plain tap water. Isolate one leaf or petal and run tap water over it gently. Shake it out. If the surface looks glossy and clean, you should be able to use water to clean the whole plant. Place the plant in a sink, outdoors or on any water-friendly surface. Gently spray water from a faucet or pour water from a large cup, washing each part of the plant without saturating it. Make sure whatever the plant is resting in is water resistant as well. Spanish moss will dry if it is washed along with the plant, but crumpled paper should be removed before you clean the plant. Once you are done washing the plant, shake it gently to remove any excess water and fluff and arrange the leaves. Set it in a sunny spot to dry more quickly. When it is completely dry, it should be as good as new. If you do not have a place you can pour water over the plant, spray water gently on the leaves and wipe them dry with a soft towel or cloth. For extremely dirty plants or plants with stains, add either a small amount of dishwashing liquid or white vinegar to your water solution. Spray the plant with this solution, then gently wipe with a soft cloth. Follow up with a spray of clean rinse water. Soap residue will attract dust and dirt quickly, so make sure the plant is well-rinsed. For a stain or problem area, apply the dishwashing or vinegar solution with a soft toothbrush, gently agitating the spot. Stronger cleaners are likely to damage the silk, so simply spend more time with the gentle cleansers on stubborn stains.

Thank you everyone for your responses!!! working my way backward, shivece! they do the same thing here, the city rolls down the streets and lobs the tops off.. they actually passed by a few days ago and they decided to just cut around the wire, yikes. mle0782! No awning route is tempting but they are clutch in the winter for getting in and out of the front entrance! Had this house been located somewhere with milder seasons, I would probably get rid of it all together. Dig Doug's Designs! STELLAR DESIGNS! thank you so much! That would definitely be an option in the future, for the time being, I dont have the budget for something like that (curiosity, how much would a project like that run me?) decoenthusiaste! I do have a budget for the front and I think doing it myself, I could afford groveraxel's concept at the moment! :) laceyvail! mutilation or not, If I don't do it, the city will lob it off regardless.. one way or another the top will come off.. difference is, I will definitely go to a nursery and find out what the best approach for this is! :) Yardvaark! thank you again for the info! I'm not crazy about the location, I think the best option is to start from scratch. Yes, I am in Canada! thank you for the information on shrubs! I will definitely be headed to a few nurseries and ask how I can tend to the front tree as well. thank you! groveraxle! Awesome stuff! I think something like this is what will need to happen! (any idea on a rough price point for something like this?) Downspouts! never even thought about them! will definitely pick up a quart of paint and attack them once the bushes are out! Thank you! Jen B! I think for the time being I'll have to stick with the brown trim, everything on the property is in a brown/white/brick theme and it would be a major paint in the butt to re-do the house, addition, and garage. I do agree that it's time to make it more inviting and fix up the front gardens! :) open to more designs and thoughts from everyone! thank you so much everyone for all the ideas and feedback so far! Greatly appreciated!!!! :) :) :) Photos to come for sure!