1 Not sure - might be Ilex glabra, Inkberry - a type of Holly. It would have little black berries in the fall and inconspicuous flowers - it's grown for the leaves. 2 Some kind of Azalea or Rhododendron 3 Another Holly (Ilex spp) 4 Some kind of Pine 5 Spiraea??? Just a guess 6 The common garden Azalea you see everywhere. 7 The common garden Hydrangea you see everywhere. 8 Pieris japonica, Andromeda. It will be in blom soon. 9 Another Azalea 10 Yew. 11 Some Spruce cultivar. 12 and 13 Boxwood maybe? More likely one of the Japanese Holly (Ilex crenata) 13 (14) Rhododendron maximum, the common big Rhododendron you see everywhere WW

Thank-you people! We now have a fairly long dry creek which needs to handle a high volume of water. It has two levels - water comes in from the top and is "visual" and then directly under this is a hidden french drain - they all drain into a dry pond which will be filled with moisture loving native plants to clean the ground water - then it all goes back into a pipe and down the way. There are also funky tributaries to our dry creek to handle all the water coming down the bank, a few more areas need to be incorporated. It was made by the contractors and we just used rip rap but I will also add in my concrete "chunks" and the few nice found rocks the contractors dug up while grading. Eduarda, thanks for that article! It's perfect. Essentially I want mine to look like a cross between Cameron's beautiful dry creek and the Fine Gardening dry creek. Cameron, I will need to get some ideas from you about the native grasses you planted in here. Luckily I will have the ability, if necessary to "reverse" the flow of water from stored water back into the dry creek to keep everything moist. A pump and an underground water line that runs back up to the "front" of the stream will do the trick. So far our "project" is shaping up very well. A few more things need to happen before the patios go in - more retaining walls and drainage. I've got a LOT of planting to do these next few years. I have a feeling winter sowing will be my best friend!

OK, first beefsteak - usually just sliced thick with salt eaten standing up over the counter/cutting board. But later in the season, BLT without the BL (toast the bread so it doesn't get too soggy from tomato juice, I don't normally eat mayo but 1/2 tsp is good on tomato), or else a slice of white American cheese instead of mayo, but then have to pop the sandwich in the MW for 10 secs to melt the cheese. Roast beef is good too. We rarely use beefsteaks in salad - I love my Brandywines, CP and Krims too much to ruin them with dressing! But by the time we get ripe tomatoes the lettuce is over with anway (I'll have to try fall crop this year) so just tomato and salt as a side with dinner is fine. Darn, I'm really craving tomato right now and all I have is store-bought cherries and some BW quarters I froze last year.

This thread might do better on the Money Saving Tips forum.