Have no seeds to trade wish i did!!! Have three lots in florida im just now starting to grow and build raised beds.. would like to see my property feeding my family for generations.. Please help with suggestions or anything that may help me grow my landscape into a forever edible landscape thx You RORY and family and future grandkids

Thank you for that tip akamainegrower. I will definitely not plant those trees if they won't do well in Massachusetts. Definitely wouldn't want to plant something just to have to get rid of it because it didn't make it through the harsh winter. akamainegrower and ken_adrian, I'm not sure what you mean by no tree stops growing when it reaches its mature height. If that were true we would have trees thousands of miles tall. Maybe I'm misunderstanding you? Sorry LOL tornado3800, thank you for the suggestions. Unfortunately I don't like the look of the paperbark maple, and we don't want a tree with pink flowers, which the redbud has. :/ ken_adrian, thank you for the "congrats" :) i didn't even realize i said it that much LOL davidrt28, it does actually get pretty hot over here in Massachusetts in the summer time, with temps often up in the 80s but "feels like" temp in the 90s, due to the super high humidity. Yesterday I didn't even want to go outside because the air was so thick and humid, it was difficult to breathe. Although, I would much rather have this weather than the bitter cold temps of winter with its cloudy, dreary skies. The lacebark elm would probably get too tall for us, but thank you for the suggestion. :) We have solar panels on the roof we don't want to block the sun from shining on them. We still are not sure what we want to plant in the corner and middle of the back fence, but we think we found a tree to plant in a row along the side fence... the Crimson Pointe. What are your thoughts on that? I looked it up, and it grows in our zone, meets our criteria for "mature height", and my fiance likes it a lot, even though it flowers (finally one we both like). We would plant several in a row for privacy on the side from the two-story neighboring house. Does anyone know what the growth rate is like for a Crimson Pointe? I attached a picture of a row of them I found online. Thanks so much for all the tips and suggestions everybody :)

I wouldn't exclude her either. Like gellchom said, consider the 85 yr old father's feelings. It does sound like she's in a depression, or maybe bipolar. There's a big difference in BEING depressed and being IN a depression. Plus the fact that you all know how she's like anyways. So take her "outbursts" with a grain of salt. IMO, just being invited would mean so much to her and the father. If she doesn't show up, then that's her decision. She is FAMILY! There's nothing worst that feeling totally abandoned by your own family, especially when you are not yourself or are in need of family support... even though you won't tell any of them. My BIL is bipolar and in denial, been several years. We've experienced many "outbursts", etc. There came a point where the family didn't want anything to do with him. He got so depressed and "pushed" everyone away from him by getting mad at them or getting them mad at him. It was his way of thinking that when he killed himself, it would be easier for the family if they totally disowned him. Well, it didn't work. My DH called the police with his suspensions of suicide. They showed up just in time! Now, the family makes a point in including him in the family either by dropping in now and then (his house and yard is a total pig sty!), or by calling him. They just "touch" base.

I can't believe he's almost 3 too...the time goes by so fast. It's strange to think that in less than the amount of time as he is old (did that just make sense?? lol), he'll be starting kindergarten. Yikes! He is soooo funny. The things that come out of his mouth crack me up. He has conversations with himself all the time, it's quite entertaining to listen to.