Here's where I am in my current thinking. If anyone can help me improve on it or select alternate plants, especially where I'm not sure what to put I would appreciate it. upload pictures A - Existing Arborvitae ~5' tall about ~3.5' wide B - Blueberry Bush (Liberty) A little odd but best spot for it. Might move next year if doesn't work. C - Loropetalium (Purple Diamond?) A little big but hoping I can keep it pruned to about 3' height. Looking for a burgundy evergreen that fits this spot and isn't Japanese Barberry. D - Grey Owl Juniper (made mistake above with Green Mound). A dwarf golden japanese yew might be more appropriately shaped and sized for the space. I want it to be shorter than the Abelia and Loropetalium. E - Kaleidoscope Abelia. Will likely go a little more to the left if I find the right shrub for D. F - Siberian Iris (Butter and Sugar?) Planted so it looks like it's shooting out from the base of the Loropetalium G - Some Giant Lilyturf to fill in that space H - Not sure what to put here. Some low growing flowering groundcover. Maybe forgetmenots or something like that? I - A small yellow shrub. Not sure yet. a compact wintercreeper maybe but everywhere I look I see euonymus so want to find something else. J - Regular sized liriope. K - Existing hydrangea with blue blooms L - Existing plants. From top down there's a hosta, some wide bladed spiky thing, and then about 4 yellow flowers. About 12" high. Might be corepsis or something like that. Found this picture of a Dwarf Japanese Yew and really like the spikey foliage that's on the right of it. Can anyone tell me what that is? From: Oakland Nursuries

Helene, I'd eat at your house. I do wash my hands before, after and sometimes during cooking processes, depending on the substance. I use a nail brush after I do things like garden, clean the calf pens or chicken coops, etc. I've only had one manicure in my life and it annoyed me endlessly and I've never had fake nails. I clean my nails every morning when I shower and scrub well if my hands get dirty but it sure doesn't take 10 minutes, more like 2 or 3. My nails are usually shorter than the tips of my fingers because I use them to pry things, scrape things, grip things. (shrug) I don't really care and I never polish them. Makayla does polish my toenails sometimes, LOL, but she's the only person that I let touch my feet, I hate having my feet touched and I will never allow anyone to give me a massage. Ugh. The girls got fake nails for Ashley's wedding and I could only think of those nail techs with their metal instruments and wonder how well they are sterilizied. I just kept thinking "Hepatitis C", because a couple of people got it in another county from one of those nail places. So, I'm a lot more worried about the people giving me a manicure than I am about food which will be cooked anyway. And, I've been known to work four or five hours in the barn, run my hands under the hose with some Goop and share a peanut butter sandwich with the horses. Of course, I'll also eat a tomato out of the garden, dusted off on my shirt. I only wear gloves when I'm cutting peppers or as chi mentioned, dying fondant. I should wear them while pitting sweet cherries, those dye my fingers until it looks like I've been working in the garage with Dave! Annie

Allis Chalmers/Simplicity.

As Embo says, "Shearing is fine - with kinds of plants that lend themselves to it - when these are also located in suitable settings. Most modern settings are not suitable". Japanese holly, the variety Convexa is very suitable to shearing, more so than any of the Buxus. You should be able to grow it in your climate Logan. Just refrain from shearing it into balls and cubes. Anything but balls and cubes. This Crocagator is the only thing I shear in my garden. The pink Cynthia rhododendron has grown square all on it's own. I may have to change that. A good landscape should look like a good painting. Logan, you have plenty of enthusiasm, and with a little education and guidance, it can go a long way.