Morning Guys! Poor T! That rotten woody! I'm sure you've probably already did a web search, but I'll post a few links I found anyway. They suggest using mylar or bird netting to discourage the woodpecker. They say he may be staking out his territory and in that case you want to try to discourage him as soon as possible or you may not ever be able to get rid of him. Anyway, you can read it for yourself...hope *something* will work for you. It seems like I can only post one in the optional link section, so here is the other site: http://www.gf.state.az.us/w_c/urban_woodpecker.shtml You can copy and paste into your web address and it should take you to the link. BTW, really enjoyed seeing sweet, beautiful Boos pic...I *love* his name too and thinking if I ever get another pet, Id love to name him Boo its so cute! :-) Im not feeling too well this a.m. I woke up in the middle of the night feeling nauseated and after about an hour had projectile vomiting...sorry about the visual guys! It was just awful. Im wondering if its something I ate at the Taco Bell. Dotty and I stopped there as we were both hungry. We were going to Sunrise Nursery (which is in the middle of nowhere) so we didnt really have any other choices. Or, it could be from the Mucinex which I tried for the first time. It says you should drink a lot of water with it and I tried, but Im not a big drinker. Im going to have to ask Dotty if she had any problems last night. In any case, I sure hope its not the flu, as were leaving for Arizona this week-end! Well Marian, I tried to get pics the other day, but we also had Babs sleet! I see Taryn posted the myosotis for you (Thanks Taryn for picking up the ball). Im still going to post a couple too, since I already had them loaded...LOL! One is in full bloom: and the other is still a tiny baby: Hope it ends up you do have some of these. I think they should be blooming by you now though, as mine are just starting and I know your season is earlier than mine. Also including a pic of that bergenia I was talking about. It *is* called Pink Dragonfly and I think it may prove to be a pretty reliable bloomer. Here is a pic of it last year (its 2nd year in the garden): I abused it last fall and divided it into three and look, here is one of the tiny divisions already trying to flower! :-O Poor pitiful little thing...shame on me for being so greedy and dividing it last fall. But look, below the flower I *do* see teeny tiny leaves beginning to form: Anyway, it might be a bergenia you want to try if you have problems with them not blooming. Eden! What a delight it was this morning to see Bellas smiling face! :-) She is adorable and it seems to me she is growing really fast now. I know toddlers can be a lot to keep up with... they are so *full* of energy, but Im sure she brings grandma a lot of joy too! :-) Really enjoyed seeing your Begonia adventures and very clever to use a plastic tub like that. I think I will try them from leaf cuttings next year...it *is* very cool to see! BTW, thanks guys! You are so sweet to say those nice things, but honestly, I am not doing much; certainly not more than sis would do for me if the situation were turned around and I know not more than any of you would do for your sister too! Anita has always been the most supportive, kind, generous big sister a girl could ever hope for. Sue, ditto on the Obsidian. I *absolutely* love the foliage on that heuchera and it always amazes me how well it holds its gorgeous, shiny dark foliage, even in full sun! But you are right, it is *such* a slow grower. I would like to buy more and cram them all together to get the full look I want. I have three and spaced them correctly and unfortunately, they are *still* about the same spacing apart! :-( Lime Ricky seems a *little* better with getting some size on it, but the other one I *love* Peach Flambe, looks like it will be another wimp in the size department. I have three from last year. They all came back, but dont seem to be any larger than they were last year. LOL Michelle! Glad you found my emails. Im only laughing because it sounds just like something I would do. There are just too many things to remember when you are busy and you are probably the hardest working woman I know! :-) Hi Babs! :-) Youre right...you wouldnt have to twist my arm at all! You sure do come from a beautiful part of the country and how nice to have that gorgeous place so close to your home! I think that is so neat that you want to make a scarf for Chriss CW. And a hand painted one sounds lovely and so personal. Im sure she would be touched that you would do that for her *and* it would be so unique! They had a pretty good selection at the store, more than I thought there would be, but nothing like what you describe and Im sure with your talent it will turn out beautifully! We got siss at a place out here called Naturally Yours. The scarves are kind of hard to describe. They are not "flat". They are formed in a way that reminds me of Amish hats, but you take the "tails" and tie them to the back...does that make any sense? Im not good at describing things. If you would like, I could get you one and send it to use as a prototype? Taryn I have been perusing Ebay for about a year now and I can see why you do so well! Your posts are wonderful and I love your sense of humor...Heck, if I were an Ebayer Id bid on your stuff for sure because you are so honest, funny, creative and it really comes across in your listings. Christine looks great BTW! There seems to be a lot of interest in her and I hope she gets top dollar and a happy home! :-) Count me in as another hellebore hound yours is gorgeous BTW! Thanks for the link to your pics. Does that gorgeous deep pink one have a name? Have you tried the stinking hellebore? I had one out front before the addition, which is gone now...boo hoo. Not sure if it was caused by the move or just that it isnt hardy enough for here. I *did* see them at Sunrise Nursery yesterday and was tempted to buy. Maybe Ill get one the next time we go there, which will probably be next week...LOL! Cool plant Marie! And congrats on the new mower...shes a beauty! Deanne thank you for being such a sweetheart! :-) Well, Im certainly not going to say "No" if you really dont mind sending me a fuchsia! :-) BTW, I have a little confession to make. I have been holding out sending you your plants because I was *hoping* Freckles would be a little better groomed before sending him along, but Im afraid I just dont know how to pinch properly. Oh well, I know you will make him look like that happy fellow he really is; besides your Illustrius is getting too big and am worried about waiting much longer to ship him. I will send both next week when we get back from Arizona. V sorry to hear about Anemone Robutissima, but it is a very hardy plant and Im sure it will send up new shoots very quickly if it is an established plant. Keeping my fingers crossed for you! You guys are such enablers and really hard on my pocketbook...LOL! Now Eden has me nearly convinced that I need a portable greenhouse and should buy some begonias just so I can start doing those cool leaf cuttings and Ive already placed my order for the Hobbs books...LOL! Okay, I guess I should be going now. Ive got lots to do to get ready for our trip, so best to get to it...TTYL! Ei

Quack grass and bermuda are the bain of gardners. Burning it off will slow it down but will not kill whats under the ground and it will come up a better growth that befor it was burned. Diggin it out will keep it at bay but if you do not stay after it it will come back. This stuff will even find its way into raised beds. There is no way to easely get rid of this stuff nor permently get rid of it either. Gardening is work its how you are able to cope with it that counts. I would dig it out burry a barrier arround the edge of the garden then attempt to keep the roots on the outside of this berrier. Mulching the pathways between raised beds makes it easier to pull the grass if it get over or under this barrier. If you keep after it you can have a neat garden alos plant very intensively don't give the weeds and grass to much space to grow in. We do all the above in our fight against bermuda grass. we also use a t orch on the outside of our barrier this works better than a weedeater that tends to throw grass over the barrier and into the mulch that then tends to root itself. Using raised beds help too

It is the risk we take when growing roses in colder climates - some winters will be harder than others and during most of the 0es - we have had very mild winters. And yes Campanula - I am sure they are K'O'd - Many of the roses that are dead are 8-10 years old and have performed well and grown into good rosebushes - but became smaller and smaller after the last 2 hard winters since I had to prune a little harder than I was used to. Many roses - like the Austins Abraham Darby and Heritage - have most years had to be pruned down to about 3-4 inches ..but all bounced back during and was at 5-6 feet tall in the fall - but last year I noticed they did not bounce back as they used to ... and this year - I have no hope they will become decent rosebushes again. Most of my roses are grafted on multifloara rootstock - and the bud-union of most of the roses that look dead are dead and woody - with no red "Eyes" that will produce new shoots/canes and some have maybe 1 3-4 inch cane left with a little red shoot - showing that there is life - but I just know that they will not become the rosebushes they were and I need to replace them with new roseplants - and it will cost me a few thousand dollars - and a lot of work digging the dead roseplants up and planting new ones. Hoovb - I really envy all that green cane I see in your garden :-) and thanks - it will take a few years now to bring my rosegarden back to a good state again. Winters here are usually milder than in the Midwest - I know winters in Michigan and Iowa are colder than here - And rosegardeners like Doug and AnneCecillia learn the hard way which roses that are hardy enough to get through the winters - and which roses that needs more winter protection or have to be avoided. It was the weeks with the coldsnap - that put most of Europe in the deepfreezer for 2-3 weeks with temps down to -19 C/ -2F - I hope your roses will look good Marianne and Doug - when you start the pruning soon.(Forsythia just about to bloom here and 19C/66F today. Most of my musk roses have actually survived quite well - but most Hybrid Teas, Chinas and many Austins are dead. Originally I had quite heavy rich clay soil (sligthly acidic) with poor drainage - but I ammended the heavy soil with about 10-15 cm of coarse sand and gravel and 10 cm of compost - added Stone flour and gypsum and magnesium limestone -And deep tilled the beds and let them set before I planted roses - and I have added a good layer of compost/aged composted manure every year - so drainage is good and the soil really nice to work with after more than 10 years of - and the roses have done very well - but these cold winters have killed many roses. Most of the roses I grow in large 10-18 gallon pots 35 Litres - 60 Litres - with good potting soil - have done well - just cowered with sand and burlap - I will use some of them as replacement for the dead roses. Just like you Robert I do grow some roses in large pots :-) and they are doing well. It also seems that most of the newer Austin have better hardiness than older Austins - Spirit of Freedom against a wall hardy to the tips - Claire Austin and Princess Alexandra of Kent - all nice and green too. I am grateful that I still have many roses left that are slowly beginning to leaf out and I am busy pruning and placing markers on the roses that are not worth keeping- and needs to be replaced - But loosing this many roses - will make me look for hardier roses and winterize better - we learn all the time. I may need to use some "Fillers" - Dahlias and Flowers like very fragrant Nicotiana, Foxgloves and sweetpeas in some spots - and enjoy the wait for the roses to start blooming :-)

Pocket gophers are called vermin for a reason: they are NOT harmless. Those who do not garden within the range of the Pocket Gopher need not worry themselves about the survival of these vermin. I personally supply them with 15 acres of prime habitat. They can leave three quarters of an acre to my garden. They ruin lawns, they eat roots of many plants, not just ornamentals, they chew and girdle trees and shrubs, they chew holes in irrigation pipe, their tunnel systems destabilize hillsides, dams and dikes, their burrows can lame or cause fatal injuries to horses, they destroy young trees planted for reforestation of areas destroyed by wildfire, and they harbor ticks that carry Lyme Disease. They have their place, as they process enormous quantities of soil when they tunnel and they feed raptors and predators. Too bad they don't tunnel in rocky soil. They show up after the soil has been improved. One of the serious problem they cause is secondary poisoning. Gardeners and farmers suffering losses from pocket gophers often turn to poisons that, if the dead gopher is ingested by domestic pets or wild raptors, cause death. The predation of my dogs on pocket gophers is a substitute for the predation of native predators excluded by my fencing. Long live the ratter.