I love Jackmanni clematis! Jackmanni is the clematis I always recommend to people who want a really easy, big, tough clematis. Mine is about 10 feet tall right now. But, I've found some other really easy, vigorous clematis in recent years. One is Polish Spirit, which I gave to my neighbor and she loves it. It's a deeper purple. Another is Venosa Violacea. This is a very young plant of Venosa Violacea:

I just had a beatiful Welch juniper removed because it turned from robust green to sickly yello/brown within 2 two weeks. It was such a hostel for the nastier birds...like grackles and redwing blackbirds. Many raised their babies in this tree right on the perimeter of my patio and near the feeder. Now, because I have heavily wooded side beds those same blackbirds are everywhere! Looking for shelter. I suppose that I should love all birds and wildlife equally. But I don't. Still, I would never not plant shrubs, trees and plants on the perimeter of my small yard, just because some of those nasties moved in. Somehow, it all works out in the end. I am just so pleased with the responses of Kathy, JG Jan and Puff. We all have to our best to build shelter islands for wildlife. It is just amazing how many 'wild'animals live and thrive within your city limits. Love to you all; Pondy

Momesqny, the exact same thing happened to me! Last month I rescued a tiny tomato plant from the side of the road where my greyhounds usually do their business. (They eat everything, including tomatoes, of course.) The plant has flourished and grown to about 4 ft, and is LOADED with hundreds of grape tomatoes. I can't wait to try them...thank you dogs...LOL! I would nourish your healthy plant and reap the benefits, especially during this year of scourges! Here is a link that might be useful: Doggie tomato

Thanks, holiday-ers, for your gracious comments....Fiddle-dee-dee! (as Scarlett would say!) OA..yes, that is an original of First Day Issue (usually in plastic in notebook on GWTW baker's rack...after my Dad died & Mom had given me the plates, I got really interested in GWTW memorablia...& I bid on a few things on e-bay...my fav things I bid on were B&W 8x10 prints..I have 6 altog but 1 of them is vintage...copyright 1954, R54/204...I love old B&W prints! OA...the stemware...glassware is very old ... gifted to me by my Mom yrs ago who saved it for me in cedar chest until I had a home of my own...so I think maybe produced late 1940's or early 50's).. I've broken some & tried to replace: Got excited cause thought I had found the same thing one day on lunch hour from work & went back & bought after work...had Star of David on base...but diff stems...think they are old, too, but don't know cause I don't know ID of either one...I'll attach link below to Oct 10 Guardian Angel t'scape that shows pics. Frou...Carol Burnett reference, too funny! Must see that again! The gold flatware is a set of 12 ...& it's my friend's GS find...& she dug it out cause said it would be perfect for GWTW t'scape! I thought so, too! Like, OA, I would love to find a few pcs! Here's a fork & spoon serving pc I have in the Lariat bowl on buffet: Dollbaby certainly was pea green with envy as you said earlier about candy's GD's high chair! Here's a better pic of the plates on shelf above buffet: Thanks, punk, nana, jane...Dollbaby is such a pleasure! And I don't even really like dolls that much (ohhh, should have said that in a whisper! And thanks for your sweet comments...I had too much fun! I did dig out the dolls that Mom gave me from her collections but I didn't like the look I was creating on the buffet...it was not, "me." The largest Bonnie Blue I bought myself...Dollbaby wanted her on the tray but I said, "No!" LOL! ...and, kathleen, for your comment on diff post...hope you will be back to par soon! (hanging on too long for you!) Such a long post, rattling again...been fun...TFlookin'! Jeanne S. Here is a link that might be useful: Guardian Angel Day T'scape