Graham, your question is sorta like asking what type of gun is best. There are tools and guns for different purposes. The two things that give me the most problems are my aging body and the weather. If you can find a way to control either, you will be in great demand. I garden about 2000 sq. ft. which is small by most standards. Two tools I would not want to give up are my wagon to to haul compost, mulch etc. and a small hand tool that is much like the Ken Ho weeder. I even have one that I put a long aluminum handle on. You might get a better response if you ask this question on some of the gardening forums. Best of luck on your project. Larry

I thought my house was funky, but yours is even quirkier. I would not fight the funk- I would go with it. Instead of trying to make it look traditional, which won't work with that roofline, how about going modern/Frank Gehryesque? (Not that I know what that is.) Here are some outside of the box ideas: 1. Change the front siding to match the sides and attic (?) area. 2. Change the garage door- maybe to a modern barn door look with two doors. 3. Replace the attic windows with a series of identical clerestory windows from side to side, about eight of them. Big wide trim around them. 4. On the second floor, continue the window pattern that's over the garage all the way over (probably mean adding three or four more). Wide trim around all. 5. Metal or galvanized tin roof. 6. New door: single light french. 7. Depends on what rooms are on the first floor, but I'd put another two single light french doors, sliders, to the right of the front door. 8. Pergola from end to end of the house to define the first floor, with a solid (galvanized tin?)roof over the entry door or maybe all the way across. With a patio outside in front of the single-light slider. 9. Paint: charcoal gray with black trim, or dark purply-brown with plum trim. Or warm tan with white trim. Or...? Landscaping: tall spiky things. Good luck. I have had a heck of a time working around the bizarre add-ons on my house. Each part of the house still has different siding. So I am in the same boat- except that I have only one story to contend with, which makes it a little less daunting. In any case, it will not be cheap.

First off, the ground looks saturated. Fine if you just watered but you don't want to keep it that way as the roots will rot. Second, clear away the weeds and other plants around the base of the tree to the drip line of the canopy, or where it would be. A 4" layer of mulch on that area will help keep weeds down, hold in water, and feed the tree as it breaks down. I would pinch off the flower buds as you want the tree to concentrate on putting out foliage right now. Keep your watering to once a week or so (with the mulch) and let the tree be. It is still green so should put out some new leaves but there is a chance it has been stressed too much and will die. I wouldn't fertilize it but a dose of vitamin B-1 (rooting tonic) can help out the roots immensely.

Karen, I think you're right, it might not be a China Doll, I had that feeling too but decided it was because it was so wilted that it didn't look right, but now that I look closer I can see that the flower buds are all wrong and the leaves are too round. Not sure what it is but gardenia sounds like a good possibility. explaurie, maybe you can take another look at the tag....